Oozing Goo - The Lava Lamp Syndicate

Yesterday, I had the day to myself and was caught up on work, so I decided to try to make my own lamp, goo and water, from scratch.  I never thought it would work, as I have read that making the goo is very difficult.

My first try was a failure.  Goo would not rise, or even dome.  

The second try?  Success!!  See attached photo.

I bought a pound of white wax at Michaels for about $5.  

I have one block of wax left, so I am going to try to build another one today.  Working from home has it's advantages!!  Thank you to the forum members who have given me advice and posted topics in the past that have been helping in my oozing quest to make my own lamps.  I have never done anything like this and it is great fun.  I hope this white goo works the bubbles out, after a few cycles.  

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I let my new creation run overnight.  The longer it cycles, the more I like it and the better it flows.

I love that I figured out how to make my own Goo.  

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I kinda like the bubbles, they really highlight the white wax, as it heats and moves up the blobs and branches.  

My second globe attempt in the last 24 hours was going great.  Wax was mixed, colored a dynamic shade or red and was free of bubbles (Thanks Clyde for the tip on the boiling bath!).

Sadly after it cooled, I went to wash the side of the globe and held it under the faucet of my laundry sink, with the water at room temperature, half hot half cold, I tested it with my finger first, it was luke warm at best and the globe had sat for 2 hours and the wax was completely cool and solid.  As soon as the water hit it, the bottom of the globe cracked and broke off.  Fortunately, the wax was solid and our trash was already on the curb waiting to be picked up, so I fished the coil out of the bottom and tossed the broken globe.

Thankfully it happened there and not running in my studio.

Oh, well.  At least I now know how to make my own goo!  The lamp I made last night is looking great! (see attached pic)

After 45 minutes of cleanup, I am done for a few days.  I have two more globes to experiment with later in the week and am also going to get one tomorrow for $5 off Craigslist.  

I feel like a mad scientist and smell like sweat, brake cleaner, and petroleum.  Yummy.  


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Claude, I know you name isn't Clyde.  lol  I just noticed that mistake.  I was taking to text on my phone when I posted that message.  *embarrassed*  

Hey there, long time lurker,  finally just made an account the other day
How are your home-made goos flowing? 
I'm very intrigued and interested,  as the shipping costs for the gookits make me just want to buy lamps on ebay/craigslist instead.   
Would you be willing to write up a how-to tutorial for the mixture at some point? 
Have a good one

Damn,  just saw a different post by you regarding having made a tutorial but removed it due to people being LAME.  

If you have it saved anywhere I'd be grateful for it in an email or something!   

To be totally honest,  a few days ago I read about the ingredients you used, so I figured I'd try it myself.   Ended up with quite the catastrophe,  including a pretty bad burn on my right hand which is still healing 3 days later.   I was super careful about not having any open flame while handling the brakleen,  but when I poured it into the melted wax it combusted just by temperature!   Fireball!     Won't be doing that again without knowing what I'm doing.  Could have gone worse though! 

How is that even possible?  They claim it is non-combustable.

https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05089-BRAKLEEN-Brake-Cleaner/dp/B000LDR9HI

Hey BaBaG,

I've made my own goo before with this paraffin and brakleen mixture and it worked well.  Did I see you (or was it someone else) mention the other day that you included vaseline in the mixture too?  If this was you how did that addition change the flow?

By the way you folks in California who want to try this....Brakeleen is not available in CA last I heard.

Critter

I tried once with vasoline and a few days later the lava started sticking to the side and there was a smear on the glass that looked just like vasoline, so I stopped using it.  Works fine without it.



Critter said:

Hey BaBaG,

I've made my own goo before with this paraffin and brakleen mixture and it worked well.  Did I see you (or was it someone else) mention the other day that you included vaseline in the mixture too?  If this was you how did that addition change the flow?

By the way you folks in California who want to try this....Brakeleen is not available in CA last I heard.

Critter

Tedward, please post a pic of your supposed "fireball combustion" burn.  Brakleen is non-flammable, so I don't know what you are talking about with your claims of a "fireball."  


Tedward said:

Damn,  just saw a different post by you regarding having made a tutorial but removed it due to people being LAME.  

If you have it saved anywhere I'd be grateful for it in an email or something!   

To be totally honest,  a few days ago I read about the ingredients you used, so I figured I'd try it myself.   Ended up with quite the catastrophe,  including a pretty bad burn on my right hand which is still healing 3 days later.   I was super careful about not having any open flame while handling the brakleen,  but when I poured it into the melted wax it combusted just by temperature!   Fireball!     Won't be doing that again without knowing what I'm doing.  Could have gone worse though! 

Used green can instead of red,  my fault

I earned this burn myself and never meant to imply otherwise, for the record.   Just want to learn how to make my own goo,  as the shipping costs for Magma really hurt the whole situation vs just buying stock lamps

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