Goo Kit Question for This Amateur Lava Guy

[Vince]

Hi Folks,

I went to buy goo kit items and noticed the ebay shipping rates are rediculous!  Is this really what they are charging for shipping?  $20 for 1 qt. of goo and $20 to ship it to me?   $5 for surfactant and $16 to ship it?

Is the goo kit really easy to get good results the first time around?   And if I wanted white lava, do i just leave it go or should I add some white colorant?

Thanks ahead,
Vince

[Brad]

yep, it's ridiculous, but they have the market cornered.

goo kits are very easy!  right - if you want white wax, just don't add color.

[Vince]

Thanks Brad, hey I just watched one of your videos on youtube adding surf.   So has Magma Tower got the recipe just perfect?    I plan to use the coil that came with the lamp.  The plan is to redo the two 52 oz from Spencers I was talking about those on here last night. 
Vince

[Brad]

yeah, i was geeking out on it :)

MT's wax is formulated to work with distilled water.  heat the wax in the plastic container, pour into lamp, add water.  be sure to leave room for surf and room for the water to rise when it heats.

next i started to experiment with the surf.  the more surf you add, the more "stretchy" the blobs will become (this is due to a reduction in surface tension).  add 3ml, then wait 30-45 min to assess the flow.  if you want more stretch, add more surf.  i don't remember exactly how much i added to my 52oz, but it was something around 12-15ml.

i cycled mine a couple of times before adding color.  it takes a very small amount of color to get what you want.  for a 52oz, i would start out with a piece the size of a grain of rice. then let it run until the color is distributed throughout the wax.

[Vince]

And Brad, when it comes to these sharpies for coloring, how does one do this?  Do I actually take the pen apart and what, squeeze the ink out, or is it contained in a resevoir?  I've read that people use, like about 20 sharpies in a 52 oz?!

I personally like the blobs, I'd go low on the stretch, just a little stretch.  I like the round blobs you get, so I will go light on the surf and add a little at a time.

This all makes doing the epsom salt and dishwash liquid thing a waste of time.   Well, then again, I've got bad wax on these two clear/yellow, so it has to get dumped.

When I eventually do my goo kit, I promise to post pics!

Vince

[Brad]

i'm not sure about the sharpies as i've never made a lamp with them.  i'm sure someone else will chime in.

of note - MT recommends to use of a dimmer with their kits.  their wax formula is quite different than LL/Mathmos, and so it doesn't take 40w to make it flow.  actually, 40w on a 52oz goo kit will cause the lamp to overheat.  the wax will dome at the bottom and/or stay at the top.  i went with 35w bulbs (order from internet) because i didn't want to have another cord.  either will work, but a full spectrum dimmer will give you the most control.

[Metallica Man Trevor]

Yes!!!!! I mean wtf shipping is crazy high! And sharpies, dr what is the guy to talk to. But u take out the ink sponge and squeeze it out with a tooth paste tube squeezer clamp.

[Jus]

I used Dawn dishsoap with my goo kit, after deciding MT surfactant wasn't changing the flow.  I MIGHT buy their goo again someday, but not any need for their "specially formulated" surf, in my opinion...

[Vince]

Hi Jus, what do you suppose may have went wrong with the MT surf not working?

[Jus]

Hi Vince-I can only make guesses...but the goo from the kit was what really had the problems.  It refused to melt evenly, some would be completely melted but would refuse to sink; other times there would remain a skin around the wax at the bottom of the lamp that refused to melt, but you could tell the goo underneath was melted.  I basically fished out all the goo that wasn't acting right, and left what was.  Once it was flowing, I wasn't happy with the big round blobs.  I added surf, more surf, and more surf without appreciable change.  That's when I decided to try the Dawn.  I added quite a bit before I got more of  the stretchy-type flow I prefer.  Another member here, Loren, and I both bought goo kits about the same time and we both had problems getting the goo to melt.  Not sure what was wrong, I jus know it didn't go as smoothly for me as some of the demos I've seen on here, despite following the directions.  I hope your's will do better!  Good luck-

[Vince]

Jus how long ago did you buy your goo kit?   Wonder if it was a bad batch that is fixed now?

[Jus]

Purchased that goo kit 12/3/12.  I sure don't know if they've fixed things, but definitely was a bad batch...
 
Vince Cianfichi said:

Jus how long ago did you buy your goo kit?   Wonder if it was a bad batch that is fixed now?

[Brad]

jus - i'm making a 32oz right now and put about 30ml of surf in the lamp.  i'm still getting tons of globes with very little stretch.  i bought mine in november 2012.  wax seems fine though - a little bubbly, but otherwise ok.

Jus said:

Purchased that goo kit 12/3/12.  I sure don't know if they've fixed things, but definitely was a bad batch...
 
Vince Cianfichi said:

Jus how long ago did you buy your goo kit?   Wonder if it was a bad batch that is fixed now?