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DIY non-toxic lava lamp?

 
Tomke Roolfs
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Ok, I know, this is.. a bit of an unnecessary project. Anyway. My partner loves lava lamps, but we both don't want toxic stuff in glass bulbs standing around in our house. Is there something I could do to make one myself with natural ingredients?

trying to work on all the permie projects I've ever seen at the same time

 
Tomke Roolfs
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I've seen some experiments with oil, baking soda and food-colored vinegar, but I was thinking of more permanent solutions.

trying to work on all the permie projects I've ever seen at the same time

 
Anne Miller
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It might be fun to try making a lava lamp using the juice of pokeweed berries.

Then mix with water to form a pretty magenta liquid topped with olive oil.

What is the purpose of the vinegar and baking soda?

Of course, this is still toxic stuff.

Maybe use something less toxic for the coloring like blackberries.

Here are some threads about plant dyes that might offer some suggestions:

https://permies.com/t/34891/dyeing-eggs-vegetable-dyes-Easter

https://permies.com/t/37159/dyeing/Indigo-blue-growing-harvesting-processing

https://permies.com/t/15888/dyeing/growing-harvesting-natural-dye-plants

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

 
Tomke Roolfs
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The baking soda is for creating bubbles that rise to the surface, because they react with vinegar. What were you thinking of to make that happen? Shaking the jar?

trying to work on all the permie projects I've ever seen at the same time

 
Anne Miller
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Thank you, Tomke

I hadn't thought of that reasoning though that is good.

All the lava lamps I have seen use heat to make the blob move.  I kinda thought you might use that method though I don't have any idea how to do that.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

 
Tomke Roolfs
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I have seen some that work with a candle... maybe that could work. Would the olive oil move when heated?

trying to work on all the permie projects I've ever seen at the same time

 
Tomke Roolfs
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And thank you for your suggestions! I want to get into plant dyes in any case

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John C Daley
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What is toxic in those lamps please?

John Daley Bendigo, Australia The Enemy of progress is the hope of a perfect plan
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Tomke Roolfs wrote:I have seen some that work with a candle... maybe that could work. Would the olive oil move when heated?



Just be careful with oil and fire....

I found this neat video using a water pump to move the liquid (just vegetable oil and coloured water again)

You do need an electric source like batteries, and it uses a small water pump. I quite like the idea that it doesn't involve heat, but wonder whether it might be noisy? Using heat convection currants to move the liquid is very soothing as it is silent.

I used to have a moving sand picture (I wonder what became of that?) which is another moving art idea that wouldn't need power, you just turn it over to start again. It might take a bit of fiddling to get the balance of different coloured sands and air right though:

How Permies works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads
My projects on Skye: The tree field, Growing and landracing, perennial polycultures, "Don't dream it - be it! "

 
Jan White
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Is it the paraffin wax mixture you don't want?  Maybe beeswax and olive oil would work.
 
Jan White
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I think using oil only, without any wax, will just give you small bubbles, instead of nice, big blobs
 
Jan White
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This might help.

https://lightingvilla.com/how-to-make-a-wax-lava-lamp/

Step 1: Mix Wax And Oil
First, you’ll need to mix the right amount of each ingredient. The ratio should be one tablespoon of beeswax with one cup of olive oil or canola or coconut in a saucepan over low heat.

 
Anne Miller
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Here is a Lava Lamp that is made with salt:

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

 
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