Phantasmagorion Light Projector

[Max68]

I have a Rickenbacker "Phantasmagorion" hot oil light show projector that I have had since about 1970. It's identical to that pictured on the www.tblair.com/phantasmagorion link.

I'm in need of oil color slides as the originals have long since dried up over the past 40+ years. I suspect that I will need to make my own, and wonder if by chance anyone may have ideas about how they were made.

Thanks
Max68

[collin]

Whoa - you're the first person I've ever seen on this forum that owned one of these things.

Can you post some pictures? Would love to see details. Hope you can get it up and running.

[Max68]

Thanks, Colin. Give me a couple of weeks and I will try to post some pictures of the projector and the hot oil projections. Max68

[kennyhowes]

Tony Blair has one. There's one or two at RIC HQ as well.

For a small up charge, they should have included these with 331 Lightshow guitars and basses for the maximum "woah man" effect.

Did anyone else market a similar product that might be less elusive in the 21st Century?

[johnhall]

I'm in need of oil color slides as the originals have long since dried up over the past 40+ years. I suspect that I will need to make my own, and wonder if by chance anyone may have ideas about how they were made.

There were four types of "slides" for these: big solid, big liquid, small solid, and small liquid.

Both of the solid types were just two circular pieces of acrylic bonded together with acetone, with colors spread on the inner layer. I have no clue what the dyes were made from but likely just a dye soluble in the acetone that holds these together.

The smaller liquid slides were made two different ways. The first type were some kind of plastic box that was purchased, rather like thin petri dishes. After filling with mineral oil, drops of water, dye and sometimes glitter or beads, the container was sealed around the edges with acetone.

The other type of small liquid slides were made in the same way as the large ones. Three circles of acrylic were cut but one of them also had a large hole cut out of the center. These were all sandwiched together after filling so that the one with the inner hole was in the middle, using, once again, acetone to bond the acrylic. Sometimes some small vanes or ribs were added inside the slide to capture and release bubbles as the slide rotated.

If you have access to MEK, that can also be used instead of acetone and might be a bit more transparent. I remember when I was doing plexi sculpture in art college I used both.

[Keef]

I'm not sure I know what this is exactly, but when I read a description of one in an earlier post I became very interested in finding out more. I collect lights from the 50's and 60's, especially ones with movement, and it sounds like this could be a holy grail of vintage, moving lights!
When I was in London a few years ago I came across an oil light projector by a company called Mathmos (they claim to be the inventor of the lava lamp).. The oil projector came with two different circular slides with different colored oils separated by glass to keep the colors separate. The disk turns very slowly with a bright lamp illuminating from behind. Kind of like a slow moving oil light show from the 60's.
Is this something like the Phantasmagorion? I'd really love to find one of those!

[kennyhowes]

I'm not sure I know what this is exactly, but when I read a description of one in an earlier post I became very interested in finding out more. I collect lights from the 50's and 60's, especially ones with movement, and it sounds like this could be a holy grail of vintage, moving lights!
When I was in London a few years ago I came across an oil light projector by a company called Mathmos (they claim to be the inventor of the lava lamp).. The oil projector came with two different circular slides with different colored oils separated by glass to keep the colors separate. The disk turns very slowly with a bright lamp illuminating from behind. Kind of like a slow moving oil light show from the 60's.
Is this something like the Phantasmagorion? I'd really love to find one of those!

I know of no specific examples, but it's a good-old "plasma machine," as seen in footage of '67 Monterey Pop Festival, right?

I too would love one of these, in the event that my band ever learns In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

[collin]

I'm in need of oil color slides as the originals have long since dried up over the past 40+ years. I suspect that I will need to make my own, and wonder if by chance anyone may have ideas about how they were made.

IMG_1767.JPG

There were four types of "slides" for these: big solid, big liquid, small solid, and small liquid.

Both of the solid types were just two circular pieces of acrylic bonded together with acetone, with colors spread on the inner layer. I have no clue what the dyes were made from but likely just a dye soluble in the acetone that holds these together.

The smaller liquid slides were made two different ways. The first type were some kind of plastic box that was purchased, rather like thin petri dishes. After filling with mineral oil, drops of water, dye and sometimes glitter or beads, the container was sealed around the edges with acetone.

The other type of small liquid slides were made in the same way as the large ones. Three circles of acrylic were cut but one of them also had a large hole cut out of the center. These were all sandwiched together after filling so that the one with the inner hole was in the middle, using, once again, acetone to bond the acrylic. Sometimes some small vanes or ribs were added inside the slide to capture and release bubbles as the slide rotated.

If you have access to MEK, that can also be used instead of acetone and might be a bit more transparent. I remember when I was doing plexi sculpture in art college I used both.

Cool info! Thanks for sharing, John.

Now I want one of these even more...

[libratune]

I found some pics of the Phantasmagorion that was on Tony Blair's website:

[johnallg]

I'm not sure I know what this is exactly, but when I read a description of one in an earlier post I became very interested in finding out more. I collect lights from the 50's and 60's, especially ones with movement, and it sounds like this could be a holy grail of vintage, moving lights!
When I was in London a few years ago I came across an oil light projector by a company called Mathmos (they claim to be the inventor of the lava lamp).. The oil projector came with two different circular slides with different colored oils separated by glass to keep the colors separate. The disk turns very slowly with a bright lamp illuminating from behind. Kind of like a slow moving oil light show from the 60's.
Is this something like the Phantasmagorion? I'd really love to find one of those!

I know of no specific examples, but it's a good-old "plasma machine," as seen in footage of '67 Monterey Pop Festival, right?

I too would love one of these, in the event that my band ever learns In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

Thanks Kenny, now I've go that song stuck in my head.

[kennyhowes]

I too would love one of these, in the event that my band ever learns In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

Thanks Kenny, now I've go that song stuck in my head.

I'm good like that.

So let's find a working example! You guys are clever, somebody make one!!!