Build Your Own Lava Lamp

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.'"

Comments

Case?

[BrynM]

How long will it be before someone finally does a proper case mod with this information? Lots of folks have thought about it. I have yet to see someone who has done it though.

How hot can an AMD chip get again?...

Re:Case?

[tignom]

I actually tried to convert an old Mac SE into a lava lamp. I wanted to do something cooler/more creative than the fish tank. The problem was that I couldn't find a sealant that would withstand a solution containing alcohol. I made two attempts (different solutions/sealants) before giving up. There's still some blue spots in my garage from the second attempt.

Re:Screw Lava

[coryboehne]

I want a full on Volcano Lamp..

Well, given that you are using flammable (possibly could even use somewhat explosive) substances to do this I'm sure with the proper mistakes you very well could have just that...

Has anyone though about using the phosphorescent powder's available from United Nuclear? I'm sure you could create quite the lava lamp in this fashion..

Lava lamps are more than silly sixties items

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Actually, lava lamps are cool from a scientific point of view too : they are considered a very good source of randomness for RNGs.

Very shaggadelic ...

While we're on the subject...

[breon.halling]

... here's a litt bit about making those crazy lightshows from the sixties.

Re:Dimmer

[TClevenger]

Same here. My lava lamp tends to make everything stay near the top of the lamp, and doesn't get good flow. The bulbs tend to burn out every four weeks or so. I experimented with different bulbs, and it didn't help. A dimmer is essential for good results.

Also get a timer, since they don't recommend running the lamp more than 10 hours a day. Mine was set to come on 30 minutes before I got to work, and shut off five minutes after I left.

Good 'ol Google Groups (Circa 1995)...

[Alton_Brown]

I posted this years ago and it still survives. NOTE: I did not originally post this, but I saved a text file at some point and I am now credited as the "owner" of this though I still give credit to an unknown source. For those who know me, this will divulge my secret identity ;)

From: stormoen@sparc.isl.net (Stormoen MD)
Newsgroups: alt.drugs
Subject: Lava Lamp Plans Here.
Date: 13 Jan 1995 08:08:15 GMT
Message-ID:


I've had SEVERAL requests for the plans, so here they are.

Sorry, I guess I lost the name of the guy who gave 'em to me.

(I recieved two versions, and I liked this one best).

WARNING!! This electronic document deals with and involves subject matter and the use of materials and substances that may be hazardous to health and life. Do not attempt to implement or use the information contained herein unless you are experienced and skilled with respect to such subject matter, materials and substances. The author makes no representations as for the completeness or the accuracy of the information contained herein and disclaim any liability for damages or injuries, whether caused by or arising from the lack of completeness, inaccuracies of the information, misinterpretation of the directions, misapplication of the information or otherwise.

Please note: The information contained in this electronic document can be found in the 1992 Edition of Popular Electronics Electronics Hobbyists handbook, published annually by Gernsback Publications Inc, USA.

Inside a lava lamp are two immiscible fluids. If it is assumed that fluid 1 is water, then fluid 2 must be:

• 1) insoluble in water;
• 2) heavier than water;
• 3) non-flammable (for safety);
• 4) non-reactive with water or air;
• 5) more viscous than water;
• 6) reasonably priced.

Furthermore, fluid 2 must not be:

• 1) very poisonous (for safety);
• 2) chlorinated;
• 3) emulsifiable in water (for rapid separation).

In addition, fluid 2 must have a greater coefficient of expansion than water. Check a Perry's handbook of Chemical Engineering, and the above list eliminates quite a few possibilities.

Here is a list of possible chemicals to use:

• 1) benzyl alcohol (sp.g. 1.043, bp 204.7 deg. C, sl. soluble);
• 2) cinnamyl alcohol (sp. g. 1.04, bp 257.5 deg. C, sl. soluble);
• 3) diethyl phthalate (sp. g. 1.121, bp 298 deg. C, insoluble);
• 4) ethyl salicylate (sp. g. 113, bp 233 deg. C, insoluble).

If desired, use a suitable red oil-soluble dye to color fluid 2. A permanent felt-tip pen is a possible source. Break open the pen and put the felt in a beaker with fluid 2.

It is recommended to use benzyl alcohol as fluid 2. (Caution!! Do not come into contact with benzyl alcohol either by ingestion, skin, or inhalation.) In addition to water, the following items will be necessary:

• 1) sodium chloride (table salt);
• 2) a clear glass bottle, about 10 inches (25.4 cm) high;
• 3) a 40 watt light bulb and ceramic light fixture;
• 4) a 1 pint (473 ml) tin can or larger;
• 5) plywood;
• 6) 1/4 inch (0.635 cm) thick foam-rubber;
• 7) AC plug with 16 gauge lamp wire;
• 8) hardware;
• 9) light dimmer (optional);
• 10) small fan (optional).

The performance of the lava lamp will depend on the quality of the water used. A few experiments must be conducted to determine how much sodium chloride is necessary to increase the water's specific gravity. Try a 5% salt concentration first (50 g of salt to 1 liter of water). Pour the red-dyed benzyl alcohol mixture in a Pyrex beaker. Add an equal or greater amount of water

Dimmer switch explained

[LINM]

FWIW, the reason that you want a dimmer switch is that:

If the light is to hot -> the viscous fluid that you observe tends to turn into tons of small bubbles that go all over the place in not that cool of a way.
If the light is too cold -> nothing will really happen.
If the light is just right -> you'll get the sexy phallic undulating viscous membrane that women tend to prefer. Slight variations on this can be controlled with the switch.

Just an FYI....

Re:Fun projects

[KI0PX]

A computer engineering professor at my school made one out of a fishbowl. He used plexiglass and silicone to seal it shut, and built a small air compressor to evacuate the air from it.

Re:Fun projects

[enigmiac]

Actually, while I was a waiting tables at a diner, I discovered that by putting cubes of jello in a glass of cold seltzer, you could create a minimalistic lava lamp. If the seltzer is cold enough, the jello won't melt, and the bubbles will adhere to the cubes, causing it float, and when it reaches the top, the bubbles will pop on the surface, leaving the jello to fall back down. Pretty neat trick to impress the customers, especially if you leave it sitting on the counter.

what you could do...

[CausticPuppy]

...is replace the light bulb with a non-luminous heating element, and then just have some UV LED's in the base to "charge" the phosporescent goo periodically.

Re:Fun projects

[dondelelcaro]

Actually, while I was a waiting tables at a diner, I discovered that by putting cubes of jello in a glass of cold seltzer, you could create a minimalistic lava lamp.

The classic example is raisins in 7-UP (or sprite, slice or ...) which works pretty much the same without the need for super cooled jelo.

Just take about 20 raisins, rinse them and dump them into a glass of clear soda. Raisins go up, raisins go down.