Fun things with oil lamps - the wider the wick, the brighter the light.....and the more heat. So in Summer, use smaller wick and put tin foil or polished metal or mirrors behind lamps for more light and less heat!
@@Ihatepandas1 Keep the wick just high enough to get light. Dpn't make it too tall. I grew up with kerosene lamps for black outs. We also put them in a basin of water for safety.
I live off grid and some of these comments are disappointing. I do understand where they’re coming from, but man, they’re so arrogant while ALSO being incorrect. Off grid doesn’t necessarily mean you are living like the Amish do. It simply means you are not connected to the main utilities grid, and you source those things from alternate sources. Surprise! I have electricity while also being off grid. We get the electricity from solar panels and a gas generator when it’s too cloudy to run solar. People are so haughty. Just remember to be humble when presented with an alternative view and maybe we can all learn something.
Brilliant! I couldn't figure out why the oil smelled fine in its container but nasty in the lamp. You're right--- it was an old wick that came with the lamp. Thanks so much for tip.
I haven't seen any of your other videos but if you can, build a cellar under the ground. A good cellar will keep things cool during summer but prevents things freezing in winter. Not as efficient as a fridge but still pretty good. We had one under the house when I was a kid: we kept all out vegetables, eggs and preserves in there. Root vegetables like carrots and potatoes would last almost a year and jams and blackcurrant juice for a year if sealed well. Meat would last several days and then again at least a week after being cooked and then put into a container with air tight lid while still steaming hot: the heat creates a vacuum inside that helps to slow down spoiling. Another method is to keep food in a water tight bucket, in a river or lake. Depending how cold the water is, you can keep cooked meat for a couple of days. It's (almost) always best to re-heat any such food thoroughly, even if it doesn't smell.
Here's a pretty big tip that you should definitely not miss: the way you trim your wick can influence how bright the flame is. I didn't believe it (because it didn't make intuitive sense) until I saw it demonstrated. See this comparison of the light from different wick trim patterns: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XDHuK6waXWA.html
Suggestions: Place rocks or marbles in the bottom of the lap to raise the oil level. Use a forever wick with copper wire sewn into it to provide thermal feedback- keeps oil warmer so it goes up the wick better.. You can get a solar powered setup for a fridge. They also make a propane powered refrigerator (think cabins off grid). Those solar yard lights are mostly JUNK. You will be lucky to get any that last more than one season. Replacement batteries cost a LOT more than the whole light.
I have a great solution for filling! I use squeeze bottles. They are not only great for filling oil lamps, but I also keep another one with motorcycle oil in it. That way, when the motorcycle oil level gets a little low, and it only needs a squirt, it is so easy and clean to squirt some into the crankcase. And I'm sure you can imagine how easy it is to fill an oil lamp with a squeeze bottle. I buy the 32 oz size, and they work out just great. But be sure to label them so nobody thinks it's cooking oil or something. I even put the skull and crossbones so people know it's potentially poisonous. Thank you for the great video!
When I was a child, we camped a lot. The ice box was literally a wooded box in the ground with spaced slats on the bottom and tar paper covering the top which opened on hinges. The iceman would come thru the campground selling blocks of ice. These worked great. Today one can buy at WM coolers of many sizes and do the same thing. They are well insulated and keep things cold for longer periods of time.
Thanks for your video. I use oil lamp every day after a hard day at work. I love your ribbed glass oil lamp. I just buy the same as yours in ebay and im so happy for them. Love oil lamp. 😃😃😃😃
I lived off grid in the mountains for 10 years. In a pinch you can make an oil lamp with a saucer, small plate or pie tin, make a wick from a bit of aluminum foil, or a bit of dog food bag string, or bit of rolled up paper, I've even used a piece of wooden match stick as a wick and it worked pretty well, and cooking oil. Olive oil works best, it has little to no smell. With a small wick a tablespoon of oil will burn for hours.
Others have given good suggestions on where to purchase manufactured wicks. Another option is to use the material from a worn-out pair of 100% cotton pants. The seam on the vertical part of the legs is usually perfect for 1/2 inch lamp burner. The bottom cuff of the leg I find is usually good for a 5/8 inch burner. You can sometimes cut the material material from around the zipper area to use for 7/8 inch burner. It's like having a ready-made Wick as the material is already stitched on both sides and works just as well as a commercially made Wick. If you have sewing equipment then you can make your own out of any part of the pants. Just make sure that you're burner's Wick adjustment mechanism can accept the thickness of the material, if it's too difficult to advance the wick through the burner then you don't want to use that material.
Do you guys have like a 'Go Fund Me' account or anything? I'd like to help you guys on your way a bit. Or maybe you could share your mailing address? I would gladly send you a box of solar yard lights.
Thank you, that is very kind! We are putting ourselves to the test this month to see what it would be like to live off grid and to see what areas we may need to improve upon. We will be turning the power back on at the end of this month so I would hate for you to spend money on the solar lights right now. We are continually growing and trying to find our direction in life, and this is all part of that. We really appreciate you being a part of it with us. We do include a PO box in the video description. We are happy and thankful for everything we receive, even if it was only a letter.
I inherited two kerosene lamps from my grandmother and they're probably over a hundred years old. I've also bought a couple from stores but I like the old ones better I also picked up a nice antique at a yard sale. But I've been using kerosene lamps off and on all my life and I'm over 65. We do buy unscented lamp oil only because my wife doesn't like the smell of kerosene but she also doesn't like the smell of unscented lamp oil either. I love having the indoor lamps and the outdoor lanterns. I also have four white gas lanterns.
For the pouring you have the jug the wrong way/upside down. The handle should be on the bottom so the liquid doesn't have to fight for air. Atleast 90% of people do it wrong.
The secret to no smell is what u said about keeping flame low....even kerosene does not smell if you keep the flame low...the flame should have zero orange colour, it should be bright white light only and if you do that it will not smell.
Hobby lobby candle making section... any craft store really... I imagine Michael's too. In a pinch just braid (3 strands or your wick thickness choice) cotton kitchen twine. A wick made this way will last much longer than commercially made ones and you know it doesn't contain anything "bad" as its made for food like tying down poultry legs to bake. How do I know these things... candle making. Pre-made wicks get expensive when making lots of candles.
This is a high-quality piece. There was a book I read with like content that had a big impact on me. "A Life Unplugged: Reclaiming Reality in a Digital Age" by Theodore Blaze
I've been using oil lamps recently quite a bit. I use non dyed Highway diesel fuel with only a little bit of vegetable oil mixed in to keep the costs and odor of the fuel down. I have a miniature night light Style, a three-quarter inch wide flat Wick, and a few circular Wick Rayo styles. The Rayo's make enough usable light it puts the flat Wick to shame. It does use a lot of fuel to make that much light (and heat) though. I found them in antiques stores from 30 to $60 each. But I really want though is the king of all oil lamps: the deservedly famous Aladdin mantle oil lamp. It makes a lot of light, extremely little to no odor, uses little fuel, has been made for over a hundred years, and they're still made today!
Any thing beats setting in the dark, starving and no fun, when the power goes off. Don't be like my neighbors and run to a motel. he hee There a good chance they don't have electric either. Always have another source of energy and back ups for cooking, heating, cooling and lightings ect. Me being a BK with tons of bee wax. I can always make candles Yes i even own some oil lamps as well. I made flame wall stands, to set my glass oil lamp on. and i have some metal ones with handles as well. EVEN Coleman lanterns, and some battery lanterns as well
If anybody is having trouble pouring those style of container (vinegar, engine oil, vegetable oil, etc) and you don't have a handy spout what you can do is turn the container around and pour it "backwards". With the handle turned down the hole is the highest part of the container and doesn't have a high level of liquid above it. It's much easier to control the flow, and steady.
I have used kerosene lamps for years and love them. I have found that many of the newer/cheaper burners cause the oil to give off a burnt oil smell which I really don't like. For some unknown reason, I have found that the Queen Anne burners really burn clean and will not put out the unwanted smell. I have replaced all my lamp burners with the Queen Anne and love them. They are a little more expensive but very worth it. I have examined a lot of burners and many of them seem to equal the Queen Anne in design but there is something different that caused the Queen Anne to burn cleaner. Give it a try.
Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply, some farm co-ops will have wicks. Or you can make your own from painter's canvas drop cloth. Just use a cotton thread to sew it together when you fold it over to size it for width. Just like making a belt loop. You'll have enough for a lifetime.
What is also good it to transfer some of the kerosene to an empty dawn soap container. Then you got a squeeze bottle that is easy to dispense. Also a solar generator to power the fridge is doable. Also there is fridges that run off of propane.
Just like with automotive oil jugs, I bet if you turn the jug backwards from how you usually would think to use it (the handle on the bottom so you are pouring over the handle, rather than the handle at the top) I bet it will pour clean.
Someone always says olive oil is better. It isn't. It doesn't wick or burn as brightly as kerosene or a branded lamp oil and it WILL EVENTUALLY clog your wick.
Wow you guys..good for you...do you not have any AC either...what part of the country do you live in..I couldnt do it..and if the power ever does go out for good one day im gonna have to migrate north! LOL!
We have never had AC in our house. We live in central Indiana, above Indianapolis. Whenever it gets super hot, we will use a fan, but that's it. Trust me, you don't want to migrate north....it has the W word (winter). lol. What state are you guys in? :)
We are in florida.. we have about 2 weeks of winter and by winter i mean lows in the mid 30's and highs in the mid 60's..LOL thats cold for us!! I personally would love a cold winter but my wife is half lizard and cant stand it !
Or live in the desert in AZ- the low humidity makes a huge difference. 100 degrees at 15% humidity is a cakewalk compared to even 80F and 80%. Humidity ruins it!
When using wick for first time the recommended time is 1 hour for wick to absorb the oil. Also was told that 2/3rds full for lamp oil in font. Hope this helps for those new to this.
Brenda, they named a flower after me. Impatiens. I put in a new wick, roll it upward until its almost completely out of the wick guide, then dip it into the fuel in the font for 2 seconds. Then I wind the wick down to where 1/8'' sticks out, install the burner, then light it. So in 30 seconds I go from new wick to burning successfully..... and no waiting.
I take the advice of keeping the flame no hgher than1" but it doesn't give off much light, not near as much light as you guys are getting in this video. Even turning the flame up to an inch and a half makes a big difference, though. How high is the flame in this video? And by the way, I'm using Klean Heat for fuel and a 7/8" wick so those are not problems when it comes to not getting much light. As for wicks, I buy ROLLS of them on Amazon and cut off what I need. The rolls are CHEAP and come in every width.
I recently found Sterno Soft Light Lamp Oil and bought some online delivered for $26 a gallon. It has the least odor of any fuel I tried in my recent indoor 12- 14 hour lamp tests. The other day I happened to see it at my local Smart and Final store selling for $12 a gallon. That's a pretty decent price! It worked well in my Feuerhand 276 test lantern that I have been using. So if anybody needs to burn a lamp indoors this is worth a try.
I bought some on Amazon but realized for long term/emergency use I would need to get another lamp that fits the large wicks sold near me. They sell lamps here but the wicks don't match
Great video. Always loved candles/fire light but wanted more light. Just bought my first oil lamp. A cheap WalMart one to start with. Works great with Florasense oil (kerosene based, not wax/paraffin based). Zero odor unless you smell around the top of the glass. Don't have the flame too high (once it starts to jump/bob it's probably too high, higher than that is when it will smoke/soot). Keeping the wick cut straight gives the best flame for me. An angled wick makes weird flame shapes. The oil is dirt cheap at WalMart, and as for wicks, you can find most sizes on Amazon in 6ft rolls for about $6. My lamp takes 7/8" wick which is nice and big, so lots of light. Respect it, keep it on a sturdy surface away from other things...and watch what's above it. They put out a good amount of heat from the top. I love this thing. So cheap to run, and the light is gorgeous.
Oil lamps are great, but they don’t put out much light. If you wanted, you could mount a Sterling engine above the glass, which mechanically spins a fan. The air from the fan would make the flame burn twice as bright. But of course, the lamp would consume twice as much kerosine. Also, there’s a possibility that Crisco can be liquified with a copper rod which is positioned over the flame and extends down into the reservoir. Tallow is cheap. Kerosine is expensive.
Not a bad idea, Most people go for just standard standing lamps that you can pick up since some people were left them by their grandparents or parents, And wall lamps you gotta mount which SOME people don't like doing, I personally don't mind it but it's not for everybody.
@@FrederickTheAnon14W i was thinking about creating a jet fire place.it burns so fast that little to no 🚬 smoke is created .. And i may be able to heat the home with only trash or wood .. I will try to post a link to what im explain here
I’ve never had a problem with the wicks maybe because I trim them regularly but my lamps have only been used with really good oil, the problem is that stuff is expensive and not practical for long term use. I use a small rc gas bottle for refilling gas remote control cars. They are cheap on amazon and they are made to hold alcohol. They work great for oil lamps
Operate the lamp with the wick down inside the carburetor (the brass mouth looking thing) I use diesel in my oil lamp and there is almost no smell. Also, the light is a brighter whiter color light.
it's said that Ben Franklin went blind because of his reading while using oil lamps, have you found any ways to increase the light from the oil lamps at all?
Temu has a good assortment of wicks of all sizes. Also saw a video on using carbon felt (which Temu has as well) and it doesn't burn up like cotton wicks do.
Rural king has a good selection on different sized wicks, lamp oils and a couple different lamps. with meat i figured you would be canning the meat that way it wouldn't need to be refrigerated.
i found this Ohraz Bottle Pump for 1 Gallon Bottles of Liquid Paraffin Lamp Oil, Easily Transfer Oil Directly from 1 Gallon Bottle to Oil Lamp Candle, Clean and Easy Storage, Upgraded Chemical Resistant Hose
I love oil lamps. In fact I have one, and I burn Citronella Tiki Torch oil. When I light the lamp, I keep it next to an open door. The breeze from my front yard carries away most of the smoke. I’ve looked at the paraffin oil which is for sale, but it’s ridiculously expensive. Paraffin is an unwanted byproduct of the gasoline refining process. It leaves the refinery at fifty cents a gallon, then it appears on Amazon at twenty five dollars a gallon. What a scam. Anyway, I’ve heard that diesel fuel as a form of kerosine works well in oil lamps. But I’ve never tried it. Most Truck Stops sell diesel for about six dollars a gallon. And there’s another issue: the wicks used in oil lamps are fuel-specific. A paraffin wick is not the same as a kerosine wick. And don’t use whale oil, because that wouldn’t be nice. So it might help if someone offered an oil lamp which runs on truck stop diesel, along with an assortment of wicks. And just so you know: The government puts blue food coloring into truck stop diesel which goes into farm tractors, because they don’t have to pay fuel tax. So avoid the blue kerosine.
We did look into propane fridge's, but they are expensive. We are looking into other options though. A lot of off-gridders use their neighbors fridge and freezer, lol.
Mr Sunshines They didn’t say they were living off grid by borrowing from the neighbors ...they said some off the grid dwellers do. Besides this was just an experiment . Don’t get your panties in a bunch. What about the Amish work crews who hire people to haul them around in a van to their job sites and have somebody take phone calls for them to get more jobs. I bet that just gets you in a tizzy.
Thank you!! I need this info before i use my antique lantern. I plan on using it instead of a flashlight when we loose power or when walking outside at night.
