COLBER CORPORATION Bubbling Water Tower question

DONTANO, I could be wrong. I had one many years ago and I don't think they are refillable. I think it was a sealed unit sort of like those bubbling candle lights from years back. ..............Paul

Thanks Paul 2. I may try drilling out the very bottom of the tube and refilling it with the menthol chloride or something else to simulate the bubbling.  

DONTANO, before you do that I just thought of this. Marx may have had a bubbling water tower. There is a possibility that the Colber became a Marx item and there may be a replacement part you could get before trying to open up the tube...........Paul

I'll look over Jeff Kane's parts list or email him and see if he has a Marx replacement tube. Thanks very much. 

  I found this on Jeff's list. 

Ron Grossman has a large Marx parts business and puts out a nice catalog. He also has the new bubble tube.

Thanks Paul 2. I may try drilling out the very bottom of the tube and refilling it with the menthol chloride or something else to simulate the bubbling.  

1 - How would you seal it?

2 - If the tube is still OK, how did the original liquid come out?

3 - Is the tube glass?

Thanks BUDE. I'll check out Ron Grossman for the MARX tube. 

Leave the methyl chloride to the factories

If yours seems "dead", remove it and shake the crap out of it and try again. More heat from a different bulb or insulation to hold heat to it may help too.

Heat conductive compounds for elctronics help, but ate also opaque so creative applications would be in order. 

Shaking tends to revive most and is in various bubbler instructions as well fyi.

Hi ADRIATIC,

I managed to remove the glass tube from the tower. There is only a few tiny drops of liquid left in the tube. I think it may have come out from the tip at the top. I will try shaking it just in case. If that fails, I will buy a new tube from my parts guy. Thanks for the good information.   Don

The originals had 3 or 4 inches of fluid in them - if you only have a few drops left I would just forget that tube.

Not too many years ago Lionel remade the AF Bubbling Oil Well (red). They may have tubes too.

Also make sure the tube you buy is the equivalent length.

K-Line also had a bubbling water tower - these may still be available.

Otherwise buy a junker tower with a good tube - you might have a better chance that way.

Hi FREIGHT TRAIN JIM,

I removed the glass tube from the tower and base, and found a small hole at the very top. It looks as if the original liquid got too hot and blew out the tip of the tube. Thanks for the good suggestions. I'm almost certain my parts guy Jeff will either have the part or know where to get one. 

PS: The glass tube is 10.5 inches long, and 5/8 in diameter, according to my best measurements. 

You have correctly identified the bubble tube fluid however please know that this is a toxic substance. It is a respiratory and eye irritant and much like isopropanol, it dissolves fatty tissue under the skin. This gives that white color after having it on you. 

Refilling a tube would be futile as the heat from your hands would bring it close to boiling temperature. It would evaporate as you filled the tube. 

Last week i was experimenting with sealing a medical implant and the DCM evaporated almost as fast as i could apply it. I also got some on my hands and my fingers were white for the rest of the afternoon. 

Someone above listed a source for replacement bubble tubes. This is the best soultion. 

Lou N

You might try JB Weld or gasoline proof Seal-all (automotive) as a cap, if you could even find MC (syringe fill) Keep the MC off your skin,etc, etc.

Original bubble lights and probably these water tanks as well as the oil well pumps were filled with carbontetrachloride. Carbon yet is very nasty stuff and not good for you. It was a common cleaning fluid many years ago. Beware!!!!

George Lasley

Thanks for all the sound advice LOU N. The best idea is to find a replacement tube already filled with that toxic fluid.

I'm sure not too many toys come with carbon tetrachloride or menthol chloride anymore.

There are new Christmas bubble lights available which are safe. Carbon tet was also used in the fire extinguisher glass balls. You threw one at the base of the fire to smother it. Oh the joys of long ago!

George Lasley

Thank you Rob Grossman for clearing up the mystery of the bubbling glass tube. I was confused because the broken tube touched the inside roof of the water tank, and seemed a bit too long. The only replacement tubes available from Jeff are K-Line, which are the same length as my broken one. Rob Grossman enlightened my. The original length Colber bubbling glass tubes are no longer available. Apparently, I have a longer K-Line or Marx in there now. I will raise the tower 1/4 inch to accommodate the longer tube. Thanks everyone for all your sage advice.