Oozing Goo - The Lava Lamp Syndicate

Fixing a broken lava lamp...or looking for an empty globe...

I am rather new to lava lamps -just recently started to actually grow a bit of a collection, though I've had one since I was a teen....(over a decade ago now...). So, obviously I'm still learning about lava lamps and their care, etc.

-I'm VERY happy that I found this awesome forum, by the way.:D

I recently found an older LaveLite lamp at Goodwill for under $10 and brought it home (turns out I've got a Wizard, which has been discontinued)...while washing it I accidentally dropped it onto the counter...thankfully only a small area broke and into 3 manageable pieces...upon landing it rolled so fast and came to a stop with the broken area facing up that  in the process only a very small amount of the watery-bit actually spilled out. I was 'very' lucky, considering..

I have glued the pieces back together the best that I can using E-6000 glue...during the drying process one of the smaller of the 3 pieces has popped up a bit.  I can't seem to fix that.  Tonight I've gone over the pieces with a rather liberal amount of a waterproof silicone sealant/glue in the hopes that it'll make the area water-tight and I'll be able to save the globe and lava afterall.

-I'm debating on whether I should add another layer after this one has cured and dried before trying to sit it up and start it up...afraid of a leak being sprung.

If all else fails....does anyone know where I can find an empty globe or is willing to sell me one?  This is an 11inches tall globe.  I neglected to measure the diameter, but I will do so if requested to.

Any and all advice, suggestions, etc. (please be kind and constructive), are appreciated.

Thank you.

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http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm/terms/15800

The small bottle is what you need ;)

Also, you can read here http://oozinggoo.ning.com/profiles/blogs/lamp-repair about how to remove and replace the bottle cap on the globe.  Also check in the lava library http://oozinggoo.ning.com/page/lava-library for other information.

Hope this helps

The easiest solution would be to just buy another 32oz lava lamp. Check Ebay.

Yea find a cheap china 32oz lamp - empty the fluid (its rubbish with the cheap ones any way) and refill it with the wizard globe contents.

Check out the lava library for information on how to refill the globe.

The Blob said:

The easiest solution would be to just buy another 32oz lava lamp. Check Ebay.

Hi Megan J., I totally agree with you this forum is awesome. For me it's a great distraction to wash away all the cares of every day life. After looking over those pics you gave us, some questions come to my mind about them. First,I'm glad to have one thing in common by being new to lava lamps also. Second, there a confusion brewing in mind about the discriptive order of those pics, the third one gives me the impression your apprehension of opening or removing the cap gives you second thoughts, because it will no longer be original. Pics 1 and 2 show there's some hair line cracks, one on the largest piece has one migrating towards the top and another one on the furthest piece seems to indicate a crack heading downwards.If I'm seeing this properly, those cracks could be your biggest worry, they have a devious way of getting longer or larger for that matter. These lamps get hot when they run and cool down when shut off. A sudden extreme drop or increase in temperature difference can, I say can stay as they are or worst grow so large as to go right up to the cap or break the bottom strait off, in which case more silicone would be needed in order to maintain the integral seal of the globe, and then you have to live with the appearence. Maybe your lucky outcome might just be turning the globe around so as to hide the repair, thank god these lamps don't have to revolve also. What I'm trying to say is after all these myriad of complications needed to keep the lamp whole even with all the imperfections and still functioning, your resolve is stead fast, then my answer is more silicone and a heap of T.L.C. . The clear silicone is the one you'll need and some dishsoap, a bowl, some water, I'll tell you why the three other items, the bowl to hold a small amount of one part dishsoap two parts water mix together well to make a slippery solution which is used to spread the silicone where it's needed. Bead the silicone where you'll need it and moisten your fingers well with the soapy solution and then gently with your fingers spread the silicone to overcover all the cracks so as to create cover patch, you'll notice the more you feather edge the silicone, the more transparant it becomes, thicker nearest the cracks, gradually thinner away from the cracks. Just keep remoistening your fingers frequently so the silicone won't stick to your fingers. The thinner the patch,the more transparant it becomes, better to go thinner at first so as keep it as transparant as possible, you can always apply another coat after 24 hours of curing, rinsing off all soap residue before recoating is paramount, silicone won't adhere to greasy or oily or soapy surface very well. If the globe is well wash and properly rinse before performing this operation, majority of silicone manufacturers garantee adhesion for 25 years with a temperature range of -50 to +505 degrees fahrenheit. I've got tons of time spent using silicone to do exactly what was explained, if your gunshy try it on a practice piece, better than that try it on similar situation before commiting to the globe. P.S. try to anticipate where you think the cracks might continue and spread a film so as to give you some form of garantee. Hope this helps. 

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