LAVA HEAD - need help

[char]

trying to make a lava head like this.

do I need a coil? are there any instructions on how to make a coil?

I ordered the goo from magma tower..does it contain mercury?

also, how to make sure it does not leak? I am following a previous thread about lava heads which gives a vague idea on how to make them.... I bought the high heat silicone sealant and am looking for a casserole dish to seal the head closed... then I am planning to use an upside down pyrex measuring cup as the base so that the cord can come out the beak of the cup and then maybe a can around the bulb to direct the heat upwards...

has anyone made one before?

any advice would be great

thank you!

-char

[Claude J]

a secondary can would help as an insulator from ambient temps as well as helping the heat get to the base.

A few other things you can do:

1) try raising the bulb higher

2) you could also try a spotlight reflector bulb, it would reflect the heat better

3) go with a higher wattage

4) put the extra can around the base to contain the heat-see below

I did a few things that directed the heat.

I also went with a wide base for stability

Here is what mine looked like

here is what my design looked like:

[Claude J]

P.S. the extra base you see on the bottom of the glass head, is a pyrex bowl flipped upside down and siliconed to the base.

It is painted hi-temp black on the inside

[char]

Thanks so much Claude - I'm going to try 75W and look for the right size can to fit outside the one I have. will let you know if it works.. 

Claude J said:

P.S. the extra base you see on the bottom of the glass head, is a pyrex bowl flipped upside down and siliconed to the base.

It is painted hi-temp black on the inside

[Claude J]

You're welcome

Thought I should mention, that if you use the pyrex bowl idea to make sure you do not paint the area under the head so the lamp can convey heat and light

The silver can was used to focus and contain the heat/light directly under the head

[char]

I got it running!!!!  i'll post a video soon. it works great now that I put the small can inside a larger can and changed the bulb to a 75W bulb. only thing is it took a whole 4 hours to heat up enough to start moving. how long does yours usually take to heat up?

i think i will make a few more adjustments to try to make it more heat-efficient

Claude J said:

You're welcome

Thought I should mention, that if you use the pyrex bowl idea to make sure you do not paint the area under the head so the lamp can convey heat and light

The silver can was used to focus and contain the heat/light directly under the head

[Claude J]

Every little bit of contained heat helps, but I do not think it is necessary 

I would do it for aesthetics though

[char]

how long does yours take to start moving?

Claude J said:

Every little bit of contained heat helps, but I do not think it is necessary 

I would do it for aesthetics though

[Claude J]

I don't remember, it was built years ago and sold last year

I seem to recall @ 1hr

try a larger wattage reflector bulb with a dimmer if it doesn't flow fast enough