Adding color to globe fluid

[Keith]

So you want to change your lamp from clear fluid (or faded fluid) to a nice color that pops!  Food coloring does a fine job but here is a method that I have heard about, but I don't remember anyone actually showing it being done.  What is this method you ask?

Highlighter pen ink!

Water-soluble colors in a nice selection of bright neon colors.  But does it work, and does it match?  Well short answer is yes it does, long answer will take some time.  Hey, I just colored it yesterday!  I don't know if it will last long term or not.

Well, let's get to it and color a globe!

First, figure out which globe you want to color.  In my case I had set up a display that had to have a 32 oz blue/white globe, but the only one not hidden away in storage was faded.

middle globe in this pic.  Notice the deep blue fluid on the silver century compared to the enchantress planter.

Surgery begins!  Igor, bring my pliers!!  (globe cap is already removed)

See the plug on the back end of the highlighter pen?  Just grab that with the pliers, twist and pull until it comes out.  Inside the pen you will see a "cartridge" full of ink attached to the tip that is under the cap.  It will look like a short straw filled with ink.  At this point you want to make SURE that you have thin latex or nitril gloves on.  You will be handling the ink cartridge directly.  If you can reach it just pull it out of the back.  If not, like I had to on this one, take a heavy pair of scissors and cut away the body of the pen until you can get a hold of the ink.

Then hold one end of the ink "straw" in the globe with one hand and with the other hand, actually just a finger and thumb, start at the top and squeeze out as much ink as you want.  I used the whole thing.

Then clean up, recap and let it ooze away!!  

What?  How do you recap?  Oh I guess that would help to know!

Here's how I did it the first time I popped a cap

https://oozinggoo.ning.com/profiles/blogs/lamp-repair

But guess what?  I've got a capper now, so I want to show you how to use one.  Ready?

Just put everything in place, adjust the capper, and push down the lever!

Oh, crap!  It didn't seal!  What's up with that!!!  Shoot, the bell part on the capper is the wrong size!  I have to find where to get the correct size now.  

But at least there's still the hose clamp method!

Check out that color saturation huh? 

And how about that color match?  Looks spot on to me!

[Keith]

Warming up and waiting for Sugar to put her stuff back in place 

[Carol]

Keith, I do have to admit that Sharpie blue is really close to LL's original.  Shop-rite is having a back to school sale and a whole pack of Sharpie's in every color of the rainbow is on sale for .99!!!  What size is that globe?  I'm going to say 32 oz?  I have a 52 oz globe that my son REALLY wants blue liquid/white lava.  Guess he takes after mom because 2 of mine are that color combo. I may have to open up another blue sharpie.  I'll add one and see how it looks.  I can always open another and just add a few drops.  I think I will experiment with the sharpie and then if I want a light pink, may have to go with the food coloring, but both sound pretty simple.  And hey, if one does fade or something goes amiss, you can always resort to another regoo!!!

The member (not sure who) that just did a regoo making his lava look metallic silver used the Sharpie method and it turned out really nice......I wonder what LL uses in their originals.  Ink or coloring??  Might be coloring because a little bit of sunlight on them is NOT their friend!!!

 

Again, thanks for ALL the great info guys!!!!

[Keith]

Just to be clear, I used highlighter ink.  Sharpie marking pens may or may not work.  Dr. What!? did the sharpie metallic.

And yes, it's 32 oz.

I used a dollar store generic highlighter, I think I might do a green or pink sometime soon;

[VOXul]

Keith, you are a wizard! That blue is looking pretty factory blue to me. Now doth go fourth and conjure up something to get rid of glass bubble imperfections? Please? A purple/blue of mine is plagued by dots of white, I think I can see the entirety of the celestial night sky when running the lamp. The color combo is hard enough to see as is let alone beams of white shooting from it.  No joke the thing almost projects dots from the globe like a pinhole base.

[Critter]

Keith lots of folks have used Sharpies for colorant before...works fine. You can also use metallic sharpies to color wax and make metallic wax. Your lamp looks nice by the way.

[Keith]

Thanks!

I remember highlighters had been used, didn't know about regular sharpies.

Critter said:

Keith lots of folks have used Sharpies for colorant before...works fine. You can also use metallic sharpies to color wax and make metallic wax. Your lamp looks nice by the way.

[Keith]

VOXul said:

Keith, you are a wizard! That blue is looking pretty factory blue to me. Now doth go fourth and conjure up something to get rid of glass bubble imperfections? Please? A purple/blue of mine is plagued by dots of white, I think I can see the entirety of the celestial night sky when running the lamp. The color combo is hard enough to see as is let alone beams of white shooting from it.  No joke the thing almost projects dots from the globe like a pinhole base.

[VOXul]

Keith said:

VOXul said:

Keith, you are a wizard! That blue is looking pretty factory blue to me. Now doth go fourth and conjure up something to get rid of glass bubble imperfections? Please? A purple/blue of mine is plagued by dots of white, I think I can see the entirety of the celestial night sky when running the lamp. The color combo is hard enough to see as is let alone beams of white shooting from it.  No joke the thing almost projects dots from the globe like a pinhole base.

[Carol]

I feel like doing that to my fried lamps!!!  Can't wait to get them looking fly again!!! 

 

Keith, OMG !!  I'm so glad you said highlighters, lol!!!  I was ready to open up my regular Sharpie!!

[Jeff]

Wow that looks awesome!  Did any of the ink bleed into the white wax?

[Keith]

No, but I will keep an eye on it to make sure :)

Jeff said:

Wow that looks awesome!  Did any of the ink bleed into the white wax?

[Wonky Tonk]

Those look good man, but I have a question: is there a reason you chose those specific highlighters, or does it matter? Would the expensive name brand ones work better? I'm redoing my grande right this minute, and am considering the highlighters, but being my flagship lamp I'll want it to be the best it can.