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

Fun projects

[Pacer]

Wow, not only can you grow your own drugs, now you can make your own lava lamp.

All the fun of enduring pop-subculture at a fraction of the price. How inspiring ... how lovely ... how un-American!

Re:Fun projects

[Kirin3]

Geeks on homegrown drugs making homegrown lava lamps...

Hmm... and only a couple of week on the tail of this article... ;)

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.

Screw Lava

[Timesprout]

I want a full on Volcano Lamp

Mirror

[Anonymous Coward]

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

Martin Studio Slashdot Policy

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?...

Off Topic, But....

[Tsali]

How many /.'ers actually own a lava lamp?

Good.

Now, how many of those who raised their hand are involved in a relationship with someone.

Ahhh. You in the back. Anyone else? Good.

Thanks.

Re:Off Topic, But....

[Anonymous Coward]

I was involved with this one girl, but it got to be too expensive, so I outsourced to India and now save 80% on the cost of maintaining the relationship! .....sigh

Dimmer

[frovingslosh]

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.

Next Week On Slashdot:

[niko9]

Make your own Tie Dye T-shirts!

Also, the top 10 best ways of looking like RMS!

My Project.

[magores]

I've been working on a perpetual motion machine. But it seems like its taking forever and a day.

Lava Lamps?

[Jonas the Bold]

News for Hippies, stuff that matters

Re:Build or Repair

[physicsnerd]

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

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