Search...
Home Subscribe
Pie
Home Subscribe
Recent topics Flagged topics Hot topics Best topics
Search...
Search within energy Search permies
Advance search Google search
Register / Login
rocket mass heater
  • Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
SKIP=SKills to Inherit Property PEP Permaculture Experience According to Paul DIY rocket mass heaters - instructional DVD set Living Woods Magazine Woodcarving GMC website Full online Permaculture Design course and Appropriate Technology Course video
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Nancy Reading
  • Carla Burke
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • paul wheaton
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Liv Smith
  • Leigh Tate
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Maieshe Ljin

DIY non-toxic lava lamp?

 
Tomke Roolfs
pioneer
Posts: 78
Location: Königs Wusterhausen, Germany
27
I like...
bike solar homestead
posted 1 year ago
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
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
pioneer
Posts: 78
Location: Königs Wusterhausen, Germany
27
I like...
bike solar homestead
posted 1 year ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
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
steward
Posts: 16084
Location: USDA Zone 8a
4276
I like...
dog hunting food preservation cooking bee greening the desert
posted 1 year ago
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
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
pioneer
Posts: 78
Location: Königs Wusterhausen, Germany
27
I like...
bike solar homestead
posted 1 year ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
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
steward
Posts: 16084
Location: USDA Zone 8a
4276
I like...
dog hunting food preservation cooking bee greening the desert
posted 1 year ago
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
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
pioneer
Posts: 78
Location: Königs Wusterhausen, Germany
27
I like...
bike solar homestead
posted 1 year ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
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
pioneer
Posts: 78
Location: Königs Wusterhausen, Germany
27
I like...
bike solar homestead
posted 1 year ago
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
And thank you for your suggestions! I want to get into plant dyes in any case

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

 
John C Daley
pollinator
Posts: 5362
Location: Bendigo , Australia
482
I like...
plumbing earthworks bee building homestead greening the desert
posted 1 year ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
What is toxic in those lamps please?

John Daley Bendigo, Australia The Enemy of progress is the hope of a perfect plan
Benefits of rainfall collection https://permies.com/t/88043/benefits-rainfall-collection
GOOD DEBT/ BAD DEBT https://permies.com/t/179218/mortgages-good-debt-bad-debt

 
Nancy Reading
steward and tree herder
Posts: 8471
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland. Nearly 70 inches rain a year
4004
4
I like...
transportation dog forest garden foraging trees books food preservation woodworking wood heat rocket stoves ungarbage
posted 1 year ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

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
pollinator
Posts: 1455
Location: BC Interior, Zone 6-7
511
I like...
forest garden tiny house books
posted 1 year ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Is it the paraffin wax mixture you don't want?  Maybe beeswax and olive oil would work.
 
Jan White
pollinator
Posts: 1455
Location: BC Interior, Zone 6-7
511
I like...
forest garden tiny house books
posted 1 year ago
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I think using oil only, without any wax, will just give you small bubbles, instead of nice, big blobs
 
Jan White
pollinator
Posts: 1455
Location: BC Interior, Zone 6-7
511
I like...
forest garden tiny house books
posted 1 year ago
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
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
steward
Posts: 16084
Location: USDA Zone 8a
4276
I like...
dog hunting food preservation cooking bee greening the desert
posted 1 year ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
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

 
Can't .... do .... plaid .... So I did this tiny ad instead:
permaculture and gardener gifts (stocking stuffers?)
https://permies.com/wiki/permaculture-gifts-stocking-stuffers
reply
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
Boost this thread!
Similar Threads
More...