Friends don't let friends buy 20oz Lava Lite lamps

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Comment by Erin on June 2, 2013 at 6:34pm

Here's (almost) exactly what I did: dump all liquid. Fill the globe back up with distilled about 1/2 - 2/3rds (closer to 2/3rds) of the way up. Put a half cup of distilled water in a glass measuring cup and add one tablespoon of pickling/canning or epsom salts. Microwave the water/salt mix so the salt dissolves. Turn on lamp and heat wax until fully melted. In my case, wax didn't do anything when fully melted - just sat there. Then add about 1/2 teaspoon of the salt mix. Weird shit might happen (wax will go all weird for a few moments). Wait about 15 mins. to see how it plays out. If it's not yet moving, add more. Wait 15 mins. and see how it flows. Keep doing this until you get flow (lava finally rises towards the top and detaches), but don't overdo it. Keep in mind that you'll likely need to top off with distilled and when you do that, it can change the flow again. Once you get it moving, add a few drops (like two) of Miracle Bubbles/SLS/SLES - this will break up the wax and make it more stretchy. You may need more Miracle Bubbles. Keep tinkering until you get it how you like. I think I tried it 2-3 times before I got this one right. It's cheap to tinker with, so go to town and keep trying until you get it right.  :)

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 6:16pm

Critter, I have great faith in you, but if all else fails, glitter it!!  I know you don't like glitter, but I do.  LOL  MT goo it is, when I get that far.  Maybe I'll have good luck like you and Doc.  (Sure, lol)  

Deb, I would love to see your metallic lamps, are they in your pictures?   Why did you put that one in the closet?  You are all so good at all this stuff.  I am asking and reading, but we'll see what this Frankenstein creates.  :-)

Erin, I think I'll just tinker with distilled water and the neons.  I sure can't hurt them any worse than they already are!!   Thank you all for your input!!   One of these days I might be able to post a picture that will knock your socks off.  Fingers crossed!!! 

Comment by Deb on June 2, 2013 at 5:59pm

Tis true.. the china glitters made by Lava Lite are not the same. Almost too slow moving. But what are the odds of any of us getting our hands on a real US orange or green glitter. Slim. Unless we can get Lamphead to part with his. Highly unlikely. ;)

I haven't used a goo kit yet but know the day is coming when I will attempt one Mar. And the metallic goo came from a local Hastings Bookstore. Brand is Creative Motion Liquid Metal. I see them online but wasn't sure if ordering by mail would result in cloudy liquid so I bided my time till I had 2. Honestly love so much I may buy a third and transfer into a 52. And while I'm at it make a red as well. Mine is blue but so light it looks more silver than blue. The silver ones are no where to be found. If I remember right, think Dr used a few like this.

I initially ran the one for a time till I put it away. But had a few say when they saw it...damn that goo looks so yummy I wanna eat it. LMAO  Noooooo... we don't eat mercury. ;)

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 5:55pm

Erin, I meant salt and bubbles in the tinkered with neons.   You said you filled yours halfway with distilled water and then used a concentrated solution of distilled water and salt.  What if I fill the entire bottle with distilled water, but leave room at the top to add salt a teeny bit at a time, and bubbles a teeny bit at a time?   I'll experiment.  LOL  I also have three lamps I need to filter too.  I might end up being an expert.......NOT. 

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 5:48pm

Erin, I will tinker with the liquid first on the neons, but I have another old one that my sister picked up that has fried wax.   I was thinking about trying to goo kit it later on.  I have no idea how much salt to use or bubbles.  I'll have to re-read all the threads on the subject.

Critter, do you use MT goo kits?   Oh yes, and how is "my" Teardrop coming along?  LOL

Comment by Erin on June 2, 2013 at 5:42pm

I'd try tinkering with the liquid first before buying a GooKit, Libby. Nothing to lose, ya' know?

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 5:40pm

Critter, I ran my two Dark Knight Batman lamps for 2 months and both flowed great.  They were just horribly cloudy.  Those are the ones I gave to the kids, they didn't care.   But now my two 20 oz. neon watermelons are doing the same thing.  But no sticking wax.   Just cloudy.

Comment by Erin on June 2, 2013 at 5:40pm

Libby, the options for repairing a lamp are 1) MT Gookit wax/kit, 2) replace with other LL wax/liquid (though why ruin a good lamp) or 3) tinker, using the original wax. There are variations on this like adding some MT goo to stock goo, but I have no experience with that. 

I'd say it's about 60/40 on the GooKit success stories. Some don't mind the sticking around the bottom (Magma Tower themselves will tell you that's normal - it's not) and some batches are better than others. 

Comment by Erin on June 2, 2013 at 5:38pm

Ah, OK, the original wax tanked. I got it. We'll see how this one does. I have no plans to keep it. 

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 5:37pm

What kind of wax did you put back in it Critter?

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