Oozing Goo - The Lava Lamp Syndicate

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

These are such garbage! This is my FIX of the lamp. When I got it (in with another lamp I wanted - did NOT want this one), it was so cloudy you couldn't even see the wax.

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/water mix. Weird shit might happen (wax will go all wonky 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. :)

There is still a lot of white powdery-looking crap in the wax, but it doesn't seem to affect the lamp or it's flow.

That being said, avoid these 20oz lamps at all costs! Total garbage.

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Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 5:29pm

If those MT goo kits are not too successful, except for Shawn, what do all the others use to put in an empty bottle they have lying around?   Just goo from another US made globe or something?  

I have a real pretty 52 oz. China glitter Mike gave me, but it moves much more slowly than my Wizards or Gemlite, but I love it!   

 

Comment by Erin on June 2, 2013 at 4:57pm

Libby - the only GooKits are the ones from Magma Tower. People have had mixed results with them. Shawn has had great success with them, I have not (stuck wax around the bottom, bubbles in wax, etc). So, your mileage may vary. 

China glitters don't really need fixing - they are just boring compared to vintage or US made ones. 

Deb - where did you get metallic wax lamps? Those China-made ones off of eBay? I know Kira (member) made a lamp with a few of those and it turned out good. 

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 4:34pm

LOL, Deb, Erin does have a way with words, doesn't she?  I had two Batman lamps, both cloudy, and gave them to the kids.   I guess I should have kept them in hindsight!   I wish some of my cloudy ones were glitter and I'd fix a Wizard too, but all are goo.  Do you use the MT goo kits?  

Comment by Deb on June 2, 2013 at 4:17pm

OMG..the title of this thread made me laugh out loud. I learned the hard way at the beginning with 20 ouncers. I have since given them all away or used as decoration but don't run. Like my Kiss, South Park, Batman etc. Sometimes there are exceptions. I used a couple 20 ounce LL glitter oranges to make a 32 for my Wizard collection. And my latest....20 oz china china metallic goo transferred into a 32 oz is damn amazing. I've run it for HOURS and flows great. No overheating and so clear. Seems to outrun some of my LL 32 ouncers. Ooooh did I say that??? Anyway, this satisfies my metallic need till I stumble across an  Astro/Glitterball.

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 4:07pm

Thanks, Erin!  I need to learn this, and if successful, I have another bottle I'd like to re-goo.  Do you all use the MT goo kits off ebay for that?   Or is there a better one?

Comment by Erin on June 2, 2013 at 3:43pm

Give it a shot - it's not as hard as you think. I can be more specific with instructions, if you like, though a lot of it is trial and error. 

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 3:42pm

Well, I'll give it a whirl.  I'll never learn till I try and these are perfect bottles to practice on.  I hope I don't ruin the wax though, it's really a pretty color of pink.   You're right, it's not only on and under the wax, it is "in" it, but your lamp looks great, so hopefully I can get the most of that out of mine too.

Comment by Erin on June 2, 2013 at 3:21pm

I have no idea what the white stuff is, nor how to get rid of it. It's still left in the lamp pictured up above. Maybe it'll melt in with the wax - I don't know. I've seen it on really old, shot lava lamps from the 60s, but I have no idea if there's a connection there. 


I'd say try and get as much out as you can, but I have no idea how to get it all out since it's *IN* the wax. 

Good luck! 

Comment by Marley's Ghost on June 2, 2013 at 10:41am

Thanks, Erin.  I have my new MSR gravity filter, but never gotten up the nerve to "pop the top" on a bottle.  But these two are so bad, they'll be great for my first attempt at fixing a lamp.  If I don't filter and just dump all fluid, how do I get that white junk off the wax.  Just slosh some distilled or tap water around in the bottle with only the hardened wax left in bottle, and try to rinse it off?  If I don't get that white powder out, it'll cloud up again.  What the heck is that white junk anyway?

Comment by Erin on June 2, 2013 at 10:25am

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