How to tint a mathmos

Hi,

I have 14 mathmos, some I've tried to hybride (switching liquid from one to another) and it came to me that a clear liquid with black wax should nothing but astonishing. I remember a thread from the ancient site about someone selling stuff to tint lava lamps but couldn't retrieve it.
Does somebody know the url and do you think it might be safe or not to tint a clear/white to make a clear/black?

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by IdOrU 02 on June 23, 2008 at 12:19am

you are so right about the ambiant light for a black one to run at top condition.
I have a clear liquid/ purple wax astrobaby from Mathmos that look almost alike when it's turned off,, the wax then reminds me something like the black oil in the x-files. I'd really like to have something like this.
I saw on ebay someone selling a lamp like the LW in clear/black (the bottle is like some industrial floor), but I don't like the way LW wax goes: it only makes bubbles: Mathmos are far better in my opinion.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Novemberchild on June 23, 2008 at 6:18am

Hey there, I think I wrote about this somewhere on this forum before, but anyways...

I changed the wax color by using black candle dye (also called "pigment") that often can be found at hobby/crafting stores offering all you need to make your own candles. The "dye" comes in tiny sticks (about the size of a cigarette) and is very effective.

(I also have an image of my tinkered lamp in my gallery)

As Bohdan already said: Once the wax is dark your lamp will only be a useful display item in broad daylight or with external lighting. And that can take some fun out of it!

Also keep in mind that deep black wax will heat faster than usual. The lamp will go through the cycle much faster and more readily overheats.

That said, in my blood red Astro I used VERY little of the color (about 1/5th of the stick), I'm convinced that the whole stick would've been more than enough to make it deep black.
Yet, I'm uncertain about the effect it may have in white wax ... Maybe it'll turn gray? ? ? Maybe you'd like to experiment with common candlewax first before you ruin a precious and properly funtioning lamp? Just a thought....