Squiggle Decorator Input Please.

[Snicks]

Greetings,

So the Magical Lamp Fairy dropped this on my doorstep today, and I would love your input about this Squiggle Decorator.

Overall it's in great shape, and I picked up a 3-pack of 30 watt R20 bulbs at Home Depot for $10.97. The liquid is yellowish and cloudy, but a weird kinda cloudy. Almost iridescent cloudiness that swirls distinctly (hard to capture in a photo). The low-level lava looks greenish which I find odd. The felt on the bottom is tan/yellow. I have no idea what it looks like illuminated, and I won't find out until later tonight when I can watch it's every move. I'll post more pictures then. Hopefully it won't look murky, as I'm not sure how the lava or liquid will react to light and heat. Who knows...it might not work at all. Until then - any info will be appreciated as well as entertaining.

Thanks in advance. I'll be back later!

 

[Snicks]

Ok... Well, it was a no go on the new bulbs as they are too tall. It came with a 50 watt R20 that fits, so I dimmed it down to what I guestimate to be roughly 30 watts. I can tell lighting this will be a pain. Has anyone been successful with properly lamping one of these?

There's something alien going on in there. The lava is beginning to spike in the back which is hard to see, and the haze (fog, swamp water, whatever it is) is swirling quite slowly. It looks like an infection... Won't that be attractive with a ring of flowers?... Or perhaps some fruit?

[Marcus]

I really like the concept of this lamp. I think I'd plant it with cacti and succulents and maybe goo kit it with green lava. Wish we had them in the uk. A great find :)

[Snicks]

Well it ended up looking like illuminated cloudy pond water with fish eggs. Just nasty! I didn't even waste my time taking a picture. Not sure if it will clear up. And then there's the bulb situation - The 30w r20 is too tall, a frosted 25w a15 won't make contact and light, but low and behold a China clear 40w a15 works? That's just effed up, but offers possibilities. I was thinking green too...hhmmm...

[Keith]

Is there a white wax residue that settles out when it's been off for awhile?  (That would be different than cloudy water, you would be able to see the residue collect on top of and under the wax)  If so you may be able to filter that out with a coffee filter.  

[Snicks]

No, I don't see any white residue. It clouded up really bad last night on the first run, but is better today. Still nasty fish egg lava floating around in there. I think the liquid will clear, but the lava just shoots up plumes of small blobs that rise and fall but never melt back together until it's turned off. It's a late '60s globe and I think it's shot, but I'll cycle it on a different base with a 25 watt bulb for a while and see if it improves over time. I have other plans for the base until I figure out what I want to do with the original globe. It's gonna be so very tacky with my new plan, but I think I'll love it! I'll post pics when my plan comes together. Heh heh...