Trivial Question Perhaps

[HudCameron]

Hi there,
I need to make a working display model out of water and oil just like the little gimmicks you can get that have a small plastic penguin floating on blue water inside a clear plastic doo-dad. Only I need to make it somewhat bigger say 4 litre volume. What I want is to have drops of blue water introduced at the top of a cylinder and slowly falling through the clear oil in clean spheres. I will use a small diaphragm dosing pump for recirculation.

Can anyone tell me what the oil type should be? I have tried fine lamp oil but the spheres (bubbles) tend to break apart and trail unsightly smaller spheres. Should I use a heavier oil? Which oils are more transparent to look through?
thanks in advance
Hud

 

[jmw]

I'd try a search under "LAVA LAMP", whoever made them may have the info you need.

 

[nbucska]

The LAVA in the lamp is a mixture of waxes, at carefully
measured ratio to control the sp. gravity. Has to be melted...

You could add alcohol, glycerine etc. to the water, too.

<nbucska@pcperipherals.com>