Filtering

[Derek Hyde]

I have an Enchantress from either the late '60's or early '70's that was cloudy when it arrived.  It cleared up completely after cycling BUT some of the lava ended up as very small dots floating around the main lava flow.  They eventually burnt from the heat and turned dark brown.  They now sit on top of the lava after a while and seem to weigh down the flow.  I would like to filter them out but don't think the traditional ceramic filtering method I read on here is necessary.  Would rubber banding a coffee filter around the top of the globe work to get these bits out?  They are visible to the naked eye and are larger than what would be the cloudy elements in the water using the other filtering method.  Should I attempt this?

[Erin]

Huh, that's an odd one. I have "filtered" lava before by running it through a fine mesh strainer. It did work pretty well. I don't think there's any way you could filter wax through a ceramic filter though. 

Wait, I might have mis-read. The bits ARE wax, but aren't IN the wax? If they are in the liquid, yes, you could try the coffee filter method. I've done it before and it did work. The coffee filter will get entirely soaked, just an FYI. Mine soaked all the way over the edge, but it was manageable. 

[Derek Hyde]

I think I'll try the mesh strainer method.  Yes, the bits are in the liquid and won't melt.  I have never opened a lamp before.  How hard is it to close it back up?

[Gwen Williams]

An enchantress should be a screw cap, thosre are really easy to close up, just screw the cap back on when the lamp is flowing

[Erin]

Like Gwen said, super easy. Any of the screw-top caps are easy to put back on. Getting them off can be hard. Use something with a good grip (like those gardening gloves with rubber nubbies on them) and go slowly. 

Derek Hyde said:

I think I'll try the mesh strainer method.  Yes, the bits are in the liquid and won't melt.  I have never opened a lamp before.  How hard is it to close it back up?

[Gwen Williams]

I find that getting it off is easier when the lamp is warm as well

[Derek Hyde]

Ok, I'm gonna try it now.  Will see how it goes.

[Derek Hyde]

That was really easy.  The top screwed right off and I saw the stray wax bits left behind in the strainer.  The liquid looks much more clear now.  Put the rubber stopper on top and screwed the cap back on.  I just turned the lamp back on, crossing my fingers.