That was a great history lesson. Very informative. The ambience was awesome also with the old music playing in the background and the Chimes for my grandfather clock. Makes one think they were back in the forties.
I like your video it is very informative to this new generation. I have several lamps that I use often just because I just love the type of light that you need sometime. Again great video!!
Way back when I used to collect kerosene lamps like the ones you are showing. For me this video was like visiting old friends you hadn't seen in a while and getting reacquainted. Thanks.
Hi 2010joen have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.
You did very well with this. Those Alladin's are very nice, those Alladin's are hard to find. I have been on an oil lamp kick lately and you showed up in my feed. Good luck and Merry Christmas
Growing up, we had an old Eagle type lamp that my mother says is older than she is. I'd never seen a Rayo or Aladdin in use until recently on RU-vid and I now own an Aladdin. Around here we call the Dietz lanterns "hurricane lanterns" because they don't blow out in the wind.
Very nice video. It's wonderful to see a good comparison of some fairly common types of lamps. The Aladdins are of course really nice, bright, and very popular (I have a glass Model B, and a Nickel Model 9 - which needs a few parts). One of their main drawbacks is that the mantles are very fragile (as you say), and all the parts on them need to be special ordered (special wicks, special chimneys, special mantles). The Rayo lamp is nice because it can use a generic 2 5/8 chimney (tall or short), and a plain round wick lasts an extremely long time, so the maintenance on them is the same as a cheap flat wick lamp, but you get a lot more light. Then again, their drawback is that they are oil hogs, and can smell (like you said). I recently got really interested in getting a Rayo and found one locally in wonderful condition (it's the same as yours in the video with the earlier gallery). It was absolutely filthy. I cleaned it really easily with just an old tooth brush and lacquer thinner. The thinner has a really strong smell (do this outdoors) but instantly dissolves even the thickest grime, and loosens jammed parts. Almost looks brand new after cleaning.
I bought a Rayo at an estate sale awhile back for $10. It was missing the chimney, flame spreader, and cap (which someone replaced with a rubber cork). I had been looking at Rayos for awhile and compared to many of the ones I had seen previously which seemed to have a lot of dents and dings, this one seemed to be in good shape overall (the missing parts not withstanding). I bought a flame spreader and chimney on Ebay and will continue looking for a good deal on a legit cap (still have the rubber cork). I finally lit it a couple of nights ago and love it. The flame reminds me of a solar eclipse. LOL. No, it's not quite as bright as my Aladdin caboose lamp and it's probably burning fuel like it's going out of style, but I also don't have to worry about ruining a $15 mantle every time I use it.
I have a couple of Aladdins, a model 10 and a nickle model 9 they do produce the heat and they are bright! I think the older mantels burn brighter because of the thorium they used in making the mantels, Its my understanding they quite using thorium because of its radioactivity /health concerns, but I will never get rid of some my old 1930's unused mantles. I love my Aladdins!
Good video done slowly enough so that the audience can absorb the description of the parts and operational features of each type of lamp! I don't know if the background music was accidental or not but it was not distracting, for me at least Good job comparing the main types of oil/kerosene lamps. It should be noted that are quite a few variations on these types and I have collected almost 40 lamps all together, including a couple with wooden bases, one with a ceramic fount, an antique one from Prussia made of copper and so on. A nice hobby that is interesting and not too expensive, not to mention useful when the weather gets nasty.
BE CAREFUL. Don't light a center draft or Aladdin lamp and walk off! The flames will flare up as the lamp heats. Wait 10 to 15 minutes to adjust flame and they will be safe and stable. So sad to see these fine old lamps electrified and ruined. Of course they still make Aladdin lamps!
Great job on showcasing these. We have multiple flat wick lamps but today we bought our first center draft lamp. I had no idea how to light it. But after watching your video I have discovered that I don't have the wick. I see a site where they sell the wicks but is there a place where you can buy those center burners for that? I worry about them going bad.
I get center draft wicks from Miles Stair’s Wick Shoppe online. As for burners and lamp parts, you will have to scour antique shops, flea markets and the web for good usable parts
As of last year you could still buy brand new Aladdin lamps, there was also a company in France named Gerdau or something similar, Plus a company in the Netherlands that still made center draft burners.
My great grandfather worked for pure oil.. when they closed,he brought home a headlamp box,it has a lamp chart for cars up 1923.. its more of a 15 inch cabinet covered in porcelain .. GE Mazda super auto ksmps,lol
You can spend less than $100 for a working Aladdin if you are patient. Center draft lamp prices are all over the place, but I don't pay over $25 or so for unmodified lamps.
my center draft lamps does not give off an odor, perhaps you are using a bad grade kerosene, center draft lamps gives off lots of heat as well and I would say it is just as bright as my Aladdin lamps
And historically that is exactly what they did. A Welsbach mantle was added to a modified center draft lamp to create the first kerosene mantle lamps. The center draft burner had to be redesigned slightly to provide a hotter blue flame required to heat the mantle more effectively. Center draft lamps continued to be made after the mantle lamps were introduced simply for the fact that they were cheaper and for many users much less delicate and required less care to use. They are also much brighter than the conventional flat-wick lamp most people are familiar with today.
What part of the video is that in? I had trouble staying awake through that video. it was also very hard to see in the beginning because it was so dark.
just got me hands on one, a super aladdin, but mantle broke in post, so have to get a new one, but get a nice blue flame, be using it when I go camping in me camping van, will have window open :)
Excellent video, i love burning my feuerhand for ambiance and relaxing before bed. Been trying to learn and research as much as possible but being a niche hobby information takes more work to find. Looking forward to starting my journey into enjoying this “lost art” of lighting. Something about burning these oil lamps is almost cerebral for me. Anyone have any books or forums/websites to recommend?
I have just recently started to learn about these using the internet. BTW MrBikboi have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.
Love your video. I have a few flat wick lamps and I use Kleen heat with little odor. I do want an Aladdin lamp and am looking now. What fuel do you use? The kleen heat is cheaper than others but still pricey.
Just purchased my first Aladdin lamp model C. Completely ruined the mantle and did some damage to the wick. Got a new mantle and got a new wick but the flame is not symmetrical. In some spots there is almost no flame and in others quite a large flame. Lamp runs but at low power and I get dark spots on the mantle if I turn it up much at all. I’m running kerosene. Your help would be appreciated. Thanks
You need to char the wick before you can use it, and make sure it is tapered and smooth. The dark spots are caused by yellow 'spikes' in the flame from high spots on the wick. You will need an Aladdin wick cleaner to keep the wick the correct shape and to smooth it out. Some new wicks come pre-charred, but most have to be charred after install. To do this, the wick must be dry. To char: 1 drain out the kerosene in the lamp. 2 install a new wick in the burner and remove the flame spreader. 3 turn the wick up about 1/8" above the top of the wick tube. Put some kerosene in a jar lid, and dip the wick into the kerosene, count to 5, and remove. 4 light the wick. allow it to burn with no chimney or gallery on the burner until it goes out. 5 When it goes out, allow it to cool. The end of the wick should be level with the top of the wick tube. Use a finger to gently rub the wick to level and smooth it out. 6 Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 if not perfectly smooth. 7. Use the Aladdin wick cleaner to shape wick to final profile for burning, follow instruction with cleaner. 8. Refill lamp and allow 2 hours before running lamp so wick is saturated with kerosene. Remember, the smoother you keep the wick, the brighter you can turn the lamp up without dark spots forming. I hope this helps!
Hi deniseroy have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.
lovely, as everyone says. how about a word on fuels? My grandmother's generation ( born at the very end of the 19th century, used "kerosene.". We us ed diesel number two" with the Aladdin, and I read now some folks prefer "100% paraffin. Help and advice please Thanks so much.
Use non-dyed kerosene purchased from a blocked pump, sold at some filling stations (K-1 kerosene). This is the least expensive way to purchase. K-1 is also available in 1 quart, 1 gallon, and 2 gallon containers at Home Depot, Atwood's, etc, but will be more expensive. Do not use diesel. It has additives that will clog the wick and produce harmful fumes, even if you can't smell them. Paraffin oil in the U.K. Is kerosene, but in the US it is basically liquified candle wax, and should not be used as it will clog the wick. It is best for small lamps, such as night light lamps with 1/4" diameter and smaller round wicks. Do not use odorless mineral spirits, paint thinner, or any other similar solvent. They will cause a runaway at best, an an explosion at worst. When a lamp runs away, you cannot turn the wick down to reduce the flame size or extinguish the lamp. The only way to put out a runaway is to smother the lamp.
I've found that "Charcoal Lighter" is a bit more "refined," (to eliminate the odor in cooking things,) and gives off a brighter "white light" instead of the yellow flame. It also a bit more expensive. When the lamp is extinguished, there very little odor.
Paraffin oil is derived from crude oil. K 1 is derived from coal. Paraffin oil will plug off the wicks .Aladdin lamps wick a lot more oil a lot faster then conventional wicks. The price on the Aladdin parts has increased about 30 percent since being bought by Maxbrite. The tall 60 watt output mantles are no longer made except for old stock. New mantles no longer contain rare earth element phosphorescent.
@@johnm6972 the newer mantles don't contain The Rare Earth element thorium because it's slightly Radioactive. I'm told that they were somewhat brighter and whiter then the newer non radioactive mantels
@@okbridges I agree that the dye in the red kerosene and in the non-highway diesel fuel will clog wicks. I use regular (Highway use) diesel fuel, odorless mineral spirits, and clear kerosene in my Rayo's, and flat wick lamps with no problems whatsoever. The only thing I tried that did not work was vegetable oil, I believe because it won't wick High Enough. The Miles Stairs website is full of incredible information, and extremely high-quality supplies. After searching through the website I seem to remember him telling us not to blow down the chimneys to put lamps out, not just for protecting mantels, but also to keep the chimney from cracking from thermal shock.
Never heard of these lamps. Is this design intended for indoor use only? Secondly don't lanterns produce carbon monoxide? Lastly, is the mantle using the same principle of isotope doping to create additional luminescence?
Really enjoyed this video, knowing the ins and outs of the different characteristics of the different styles, especially the Aladdins, well thought out video. One thing that got me wondering was your pronunciation of "draft", or were you actually saying "draw"?
It may not have been clear that I had intended to say 'draught' instead of draft, but yeah it did come out sounding like draw. Thanks for your comments.
I guess you're not going to talk about the hot blast lanterns. Those that appear to be closed at the top. I see alot more of those in westerns. And no mention of carbide lamps either. Maybe you will add those to your collection to.
Dead flame, hot blast, and cold blast lanterns are discussed in a separate video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HbqJfnzW0V0.html Carbide lamps would be neat to do a video on, but this video is about common kerosene wick lamps.
Hi raymarbondocangmagluluma have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.
Hi sallyintucson have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.
I have had my Aladin Lamp since 1973 and its the best investment to date that I have made for interrior lighting second to my antique Coleman white gas lanterns which I use only outside. The Aladin lamp I have has the same aluminum font you have on your bottom draw version but it has a very short base for stability and uses the side draw burner. Some people find the light frome these lamps as very glaring but there is a solution for this. Aladin offers a harp that holds an outer glass globe that are milk white and they do cut the glare considerably. The globes are available in plain white or with several other colors and some even with designs painted on. These newer lamps use the number 23 burner. A good investment is the bug screen for these lamps, it just fits on top and keeps out the light seeking moths at night. As for the night light lamps people in Greece use these lamps as votive light replacements and sometimes as night lights. Another beautiful series of lamps to check out are from the Danforth Pewter Works on the north east.
The aladdins will go about 12hrs per quart @ 2/3 brightness, which is about 40cp. Center draft lamps will do about 8 or 9 hrs/quart at about 30cp. Flat wick lamps seem to go about 20-30 hrs/quart and give about 8cp.
You don’t want a Deitz that’s new - they’re now made in China and often leak. Check out W.T.Kirkman for similar styles that are made in the US and Europe.
The older mantles are made with rare earth elements and thorium doped cotton thread. These are formed and then baked at the factory leaving an ash structure behind that is then coated with a blue lacquer to protect it during shipping. New production mantles are made the same way but lack thorium. The lacquer is burned off before using the mantle. The mantle shown in this video is a thorium mantle. They are brighter.
Great video! One thing I didn't hear you mention when discussing the various types of applications of different types of Aladdin lamps (e.g. floor lamp, table lamp, ceiling mount) was the spring-loaded wall bracket mount for the Aladdin Caboose Lamp. While I realize not all Aladdin "Caboose" Lamps were actually used in cabooses, many actually were. This amazes me, given the fragile nature of the mantle despite the special mount. I am on my second mantle in less than a year.
A lot of it depends on how you handle the mantle. Most of my lamps that I use are going on 4 or 5 years with the same mantle. And yes, wall brackets and ceiling mounts for Aladdins come in a wide variety, enough so to be a subject all in its own. I do not have enough of the different types to do a video on them.
Hi joemvalley have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.
Over here in the United Kingdom, we call these lamps, 'paraffin lanterns'. Even in 2023, I love a 3/4 inch paraffin oil wick lamp. The light is SO easy on the eyes, and I love having to adjust the wick to get the best and optimum illumination....Thank you for your upload! ❤
You don't have the Coleman hanging mantle lanterns in your collection. But those used a hot vapor setup rather than a wick, and only date back to the 1920s. (Some other videos on those. Kerosene was an option with a different metering orifice vs. white gas and having to pre-heat the riser tube by burning alcohol in a cup that's added on.)
The cold blast does not make as much odor as the flat-wick lamp, and certainly not as much as the center-draft lamp. The Aladdin is totally odorless while running running.
The wick holder, or burner, simply unscrews from the oil bowl. You may have to use kerosene or penetrating oil if the burner will not unscrew. Some lamps have a brass collar cast into the glass that the burner screws into, and some have the threads cast directly into the glass.
