The Metallic Wax Techique

[Dr. WHAT?!]

This lamp above was one of my first attempts for the metallic sharpie technique. Been almost a year since this was made and what I've noticed with the metallic wax technique is that it's not permanent. The base of the metallic ink seems to eventually separate a little and stay at the bottom. Now it's being run for 9 months at 8 hours a day 5 days a week may have a effect on the separation or it may not. So I decided to dye the wax red and in the pics below you can clearly see the separation but whats really cool, in a way, that it has a swirling of metallic ink! Reminds me of old school bowling balls lol. Even once in a while a bubble of nothing but ink will burst in the wax and it looks like a firework, its really bizarre but really cool as well.

[Dr. WHAT?!]

so no flow whatsoever, even little blobs? maybe you added too much mica? can you explain what you did more in detail? like what sized lava bottle and how much wax, how much mica did you add, what kind of mica you used? maybe there's different grades of mica powders and that could effect the weight and the flow? If you look at a china metallic wax you'll see the mystery metallic substance settles to the bottom as well, but only when it's cold. Then when heated it seems to be fine.

We need finally figure this metallic crap out............ for the <3 of god!!!!!

[Loren]

No, it flowed, but yes...little blobs, and very little flow. The first time I used about half a teaspoon, the second time I used less. The problem is that the mica powder settles, and clumps. As far as I know, the powder that I'm using is very finely ground, and there are slightly courser variants, but mostly we're dealing with a powder...very much like talc, but highly reflective. I think what we want is a chemically reflective liquid...not a physically reflective mineral...if that even makes any sense. LOL!

[Arne]

I remember that the guy I knew also used powders and not only metallic powders but also pearl effect powders. I remember a pearl white and a pearl black...will have to look for the pics on some hdd flyin around here...but I will probly find them soonish

[Dr. WHAT?!]

nice I would love to see them Arne also do you still talk with this guy?

I was looking into this I thought maybe face paint could work? I do remeber someone saying they tried makeup once but I dont recall.

http://www.facepaint.com/silver-glitter/mehron-glitter-powders-meta...

[Arne]

no I havent talked to him in ages. he was supposed to send me a selection of those powders and a gookit I ordered through him but never did, so I got slightly pissed over time and it turned out I wasnt the only one with unpleasent experiences so I decided not to bother with his stories what might have happened to the package anymore.
the silver stuff from the link looks good. I wish I could remember what exactly he was using...might have been makeup though...hmm...will have to find this old hdd...theres a good chance that I find some old firefox bookmarks on there as its a system disk.

[Dr. WHAT?!]

That would be cool lets us know if you find anything.

[Liz B]

I just found this discussion! Very VERY cool!

[Dr. WHAT?!]

thanks maybe you can help us in our search for the answers :)

[Liz B]

If I understood what makes metallic wax 'metallic' then I would have a go - or should that be "have a goo!"

Being a female, I have a tonne of make up and I do have very very fine cosmetic glitter which I could try??? I don't know if we have metallic sharpies in the UK? Haven't looked. I cheated when I created my silver metallic Astro Baby, I used a Bliss Motion metallic silver and transferred the contents over! They also do metallic blue and metallic red so I was going to cheat again with those later!

[DasGrinch]

Welp, I have some very fine aluminum powder for pyrotechnics, 5 micrometer and 30 micrometer, unfortunately both of these are so fine they're more of a grey than a silver, and while they mixed readily in the wax, I did have a significant amount sink to the bottom after cooling, so much so that I don't think it's an option.  These are spherical, atomized aluminum powders, I know there are ones created by ball mills that are more irregular in shape and may provide more of the metallic glimmer, and I'm going to see if I can find larger particles as well.

[Rob C]

After a couple of failed attempts with Sharpies and original Lava (1990's) lamps, I took the good Dr.'s advice (thanks, Doc!), and I transferred the contents of two of the metallic "Groovy Motion" lamps into one, 32 oz. lamp. It's taken a lot of adjusting with glycerine, and then distilled water, to get a decent flow, but here are a couple of shots of the results.

[Rob C]