Home Made Lava Lamp with an Absolute Vodka bottle

[BaDDApple]

Hello,

Newbie here. I working on a making a lava lamp from an Absolute Vodka bottle. I have mixed my Ooze using the instructions fund on the site. http://www.oozinggoo.com/ll-form5.html 

The Ooze passed the float, sink test. I know it says it takes time to get the balance right. I have had the wax sit at the bottom, float at the top. Made the wax to runny. I have had it so close. I'm wondering if it has anything to with the bottle, bulb or heat. Its a 750 ML bottle. I'm using a standard lava lamp base to heat the bottle. Could it be creating too much heat, not enough? Could I have too much wax? Is there a ratio to wax to bottle size for best use?  Could my coil be too small? I have seen people using screen is that better? 

The instructions tell you to start with 1 tsp, and then add more to get the float right. Is there a salt to water ratio as well depending on the size of the bottle? 

Sorry for all the questions. Just looking to get this project working. Fun and I would like to try other bottles. 

Thanks! 

[Claude J]

Well, I'll add to this with some experience

I see you have chosen the old school formula for making goo.
This will have a more traditional flow than a goo kit, but is a lot more challenging to accomplish

1) IMHO, Only when your out of the right stuff, should you you use kosher pickling salt solution.

I've even boiled it, filtered it, and it still increases/results in making the water cloudy

I use Propelyne Glycol

This result in additional costs, but to me, a CLEAR fluid is worth it

Ratio stat point @80/20

2) You cannot have too many coils take a grande or 16.3"/52oz size and insert a 14.5"/20oz in the middle if you feel you do not have enough heat transference

I've even used stainless sink strainers (Glass Steampunk Head)

Stainless screen wlil even work

3) liquor /aftermarket bottles

They can be difficult for use as Lava Lamps 

a) they are not tempered glass (Brohmite/Pyrex) thus they are thinker and more mass to heat 

b) heat transference is difficult, the more exotic the shape

Case in point-- is that damn BONG WATER bottle

The flow is awful no matter what you do.

c) They require higher wattage bulbs due to larger volume of water and glass to heat (Which can be dangerous with the wrong type of glass, but that is the chance you take, even LL globes have exploded)

d)  Exotic Labels/printing. Well,unless its screen printed or embossed,  consider it gone if you ever have to boil the bottle for goo cleanout/tranfer/colorchange

Goo Ratio? Chart? Not really

Too much will take longer to heat

A dense color and too much lava will not allow the light to pass through adequately

Not enough will easily overheat and float to top

Start with1" over the top of coil and add as desired

Lamp bases should have high wattage bulbs with in-line dimmer so you can "Tune" them n for proper flow

CHECK FOR FITMENT and that there is a good seal between base and bottle

Also make sure the bulb is located close to bottom of bottle

What is it that it is not doing for you?

[BaDDApple]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Last experiment. It has is great color (Blue), with about a cup of Ooze. It sat on the bottom until I added more salt. Then it sat at the top. I added small amounts of dishwater soap. It broke up into nice the globs and I thought it was all going to work, but it all stayed at the top. 

In the old instructions it mentions "Doming" is that when it's at the top or when it's on the bottom and looks like its ready to float up? 

I think I might need a better coil or a bigger bulb? For the dimmer are you just using a power cord with a built in dimmer? 

Thanks!!!

Claude J said:

Well, I'll add to this with some experience

I see you have chosen the old school formula for making goo.
This will have a more traditional flow than a goo kit, but is a lot more challenging to accomplish

1) IMHO, Only when your out of the right stuff, should you you use kosher pickling salt solution.

I've even boiled it, filtered it, and it still increases/results in making the water cloudy

I use Propelyne Glycol

This result in additional costs, but to me, a CLEAR fluid is worth it

Ratio stat point @80/20

2) You cannot have too many coils take a grande or 16.3"/52oz size and insert a 14.5"/20oz in the middle if you feel you do not have enough heat transference

I've even used stainless sink strainers (Glass Steampunk Head)

Stainless screen wlil even work

3) liquor /aftermarket bottles

They can be difficult for use as Lava Lamps 

a) they are not tempered glass (Brohmite/Pyrex) thus they are thinker and more mass to heat 

b) heat transference is difficult, the more exotic the shape

Case in point-- is that damn BONG WATER bottle

The flow is awful no matter what you do.

c) They require higher wattage bulbs due to larger volume of water and glass to heat (Which can be dangerous with the wrong type of glass, but that is the chance you take, even LL globes have exploded)

d)  Exotic Labels/printing. Well,unless its screen printed or embossed,  consider it gone if you ever have to boil the bottle for goo cleanout/tranfer/colorchange

Goo Ratio? Chart? Not really

Too much will take longer to heat

A dense color and too much lava will not allow the light to pass through adequately

Not enough will easily overheat and float to top

Start with1" over the top of coil and add as desired

Lamp bases should have high wattage bulbs with in-line dimmer so you can "Tune" them n for proper flow

CHECK FOR FITMENT and that there is a good seal between base and bottle

Also make sure the bulb is located close to bottom of bottle

What is it that it is not doing for you?

[Claude J]

I do not use salt combo for a long time so the Specific gravity /salt amount is a loss for me.

\

if its too hot, the lava will float to top, and be small bubbles

if its too cold, it will stay on bottom

water temp should be about 125deg F

I use soldered inline dimmers availabl on ebay but any plug in dimmer wold work

[BaDDApple]

Thanks, I will update you after my next attempt. Thanks for the help. 

[Claude J]

your welcome

[BaDDApple]

Sorry, another question if I go with Propylene Glycol I can skip the salt part. Go with and 80/20 mix of water and Propylene Glycol. Also is this what you are talking about.  https://www.amazon.com/Propylene-Glycol-Food-Grade-Quart/dp/B005PZBRUC

Thanks again.

Claude J said:

your welcome

[Claude J]

yes!

[BaDDApple]

Worked for a while then small bubbles at the top of the bottle. Looks like I'm running to hot. Looks like I need a dimmer or a smaller bulb. :-) 

Claude J said:

yes!