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Build Your Own Lava Lamp

Posted by michael on from the better-living-through-chemistry dept.

Manip writes "My new project: 'The difficult part about making your own liquid motion lamp is, of course, the motion. We won't go into the lamp base too much. The store-bought ones use a 40w appliance bulb in a metal housing which directs the heat to the underside of the glass container. If you're making your own base, we recommend installing a dimmer switch so that you can control your heat output.'"

5 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Mirror by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    In case the site is slow, here is a mirror.

    Martin Studio Slashdot Policy

  2. Dimmer by frovingslosh · · Score: 5, Informative
    If you're making your own base, we recommend installing a dimmer switch so that you can control your heat output.'"

    A good thing to do even with the store bought ones. I use an X10 lamp dimmer on mine, but have also used a wall mount lamp dimmer to replace a wall switch for a friend. After these things get hot they generally get very active and it results in too many too small blobs of lava to be enjoyable. With a dimmer you can adjust the flow to suit your preferences even when the lamp warns up.

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  3. Re:Build or Repair by Blaine+Hilton · · Score: 4, Informative

    Try http://www.coolstuffcheap.com/gelalarebu.html

  4. Re:Build or Repair by physicsnerd · · Score: 5, Informative
    The Lava lamp uses a 40 watt appliance light bulb (the kind used in ovens). Most any supermarket or home improvenment store will have them.

    Physicsnerd

  5. Carbon Tetrachloride by bobbozzo · · Score: 4, Informative

    The patented formula uses carbon tetrachloride... VERY toxic and carcinogenic stuff. It used to be used as a cleaning agent until the FDA banned it in the 70's, IIRC.

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