Make Your Own Lamp

Make Your Own Lamp

Guide to Creating Your Own Lava Lamp
By Carmen Overly - Ezinearticles

Few products have carried the wonder of generations of Americans as the well-loved lava lamp has done. This is in all likelihood due to the continually moving blobs of mystical liquid that both enchanted and entertains those who become mesmerized by it. The long-lasting charm of the lava lamp has made it an icon for home decor. Because of its colorful and fascinating design, the lava lamp is generally taken to be an exciting decor item for teen's and kid's bedrooms, or for the game room or family room.

Youngsters oftentimes find that the workings of a lava lamp can become a fun science project. The inner workings of a lava lamp can best be described by the scientific rule that water and oil do not mix. The blobs of color that are visible in the lava lamp are actually a mix of colored wax that has been melted or liquefied and an agent that allows the wax to take a versatile form on while it is suspended in liquid. Using elementary components, you can construct your personalized lava lamp at home. Here's how to produce your very own lamp.

Gather the materials. Other than two items (non-toxic automotive anti-freeze and perc), the ingredients you will require are seen in most homes. For the lamp, you will need a large glass jar with a tight cover, distilled water, and coloring. To create the peculiar "blob", you will need candle wax that has been melted, tetrachloroethylene or perc (found in degreasers and dry cleaners), salt, non-toxic automotive antifreeze and distilled water.

Prepare the water and the lamp. To start preparing the lamp, make sure that it is cold by setting the jar inside the freezer for a few hours before assembly. Once it is adequately cold, fill the jar with distilled water until it is about two or three inches from the mouth or the rim of the jar. Add the coloring. Then, add a heaping teaspoon of salt, put back the lid, and shake the jar vigorously to ensure that the salt is entirely dissolved. At this point, you might select to add some small bright beads. The container can now be placed to the side. You are now ready to create the mystic "blob."

Form the oozing "blob". In another container, mix eleven tablespoons of dissolved wax with six tablespoons of perc. Keeping in mind that the perc is an expanding agent and will hence increase the pressure inside the container, cautiously screw the container's lid back on. The two components must then be blended by swirling the container, not by shaking it. Permit the "blob" to cool own before adding drops of it to the container of water. If you want a blob whose color contrasts with that of the water, you may also color the wax using a tinting agent. Test for leaks by tightening the container's lid and then tilting it back and forth a few times.

Allow your new lava lamp to enliven the decor in your room by adding large wall art or contemporary wall art that has the same look as the colors of your blob and the lamp overall.

Make Your Own Lamp