Oil lamps

[strangenh]

A little late reply here...

My only hangup with anything that uses batteries is the long term storage. Can I trust this if it has been sitting in my basement for 5 or 10 years? I know that I can leave an oil lamp and a gallon of lamp oil for a couple of decades and they will work fine. Same with a Coleman lantern and fuel.

True. But Lithium AA batteries are now widely available and they have a >10 year shelf life. Something to consider.

I still like oil lamps because of their versatility. They give off a surprisingly useful amount of heat, which for us is important during outages in winter, as we have a couple of rooms the stoves don't heat well.

 

[coastie]

Thanks. I did get extra mantels with each one and a little plastic wick cleaner. I am hoping they work well. How was your past experience using these?

My experience with Aladdins is mixed. When they run right they are great but are very finicky. The mantles are fragile and expensive. I got rid of mine except for the one that came out of my grandmothers basement. For me I prefer the old COleman kerosene table lamps. Both the Aladdins and the Coleman burn fuel at about the same rate but the cColeman pusts out a lot more light, the mantles are cheap and can be found anywhere and I can repair them easily.

 

[ARV]

I have a couple cheap cold blast lamps I keep filled with clear lamp oil out in the garage. I paid $3 each for them at Family Dollar and they work well for power outages. I got a little crap for buying them, till the power went out. They're the same as the ones at Walmart from what I can tell. Might pick up two more and some K-1, I hear it burns brighter than the oil.

 

[MisterHappy]

Thanks. I did get extra mantels with each one and a little plastic wick cleaner. I am hoping they work well. How was your past experience using these?

OK...if you want a kerosene-powered bright light source, they put out a very bright light. They are finnicky. When we have the rare power outage, I generaly use the old wick-style lamps (I have a few with 1 1/2" wicks) and that works well. Actually, it was a gift from MsHappy, who heard me comment that "that is so cool".

So....it has its uses, but for day-to-day oil-powered light, I use a wick style. Besides, my mom grew up with them, and taught me how to trim a wick!

 

[Ron Swanson]

If anyone is interested I am downsizing my large collection of antique and vintage tubular lanterns for reasonable prices. The quality of the older ones is far superior to modern lanterns.

 

[chris_1001]

If anyone is interested I am downsizing my large collection of antique and vintage tubular lanterns for reasonable prices. The quality of the older ones is far superior to modern lanterns.

I may be...

Send me some pics and prices via PM

 

[MisterHappy]

I have no idea what Rob Swanson has for inventory, but I'd agree that older lanters tend to be better.

 

[deadhead133]

After reading this thread last night, I ordered 4 Dietz lanterns from Kirkman.

Ordered 2 Dietz #1 Little Wizard lanterns @ $15.95 ea.

Ordered 2 Dietz #2000 Millennium Cooker lanterns @ $29.95 ea. (These come with a plate and a 12oz. cup for heating food or soup.)

Shipping kinda sucked @ over $22.00 via UPS Ground.

I also ordered 4 sets of extra wicks. Total including shipping was $120 and change. I'm happy with that.

 

[theGringo]

Coincidentally, I picked up a couple of old Dietz lanterns today at a tag sale. I got a Little Wizard and a Monarch for 15 bucks. I just cleaned up the Little Wizard a bit and it looks like it's ready to go.

 

[deadhead133]

Coincidentally, I picked up a couple of old Dietz lanterns today at a tag sale. I got a Little Wizard and a Monarch for 15 bucks. I just cleaned up the Little Wizard a bit and it looks like it's ready to go.

Nice find!! Wish I could be that lucky. All I find is claw hammers with broken claws and steam irons that don't work.

 

[jarhead66]

Nice find!! Wish I could be that lucky. All I find is claw hammers with broken claws and steam irons that don't work.

Maybe if you stopped buying them, they'd stop putting them out.

 

[deadhead133]

Maybe if you stopped buying them, they'd stop putting them out.

You always was the smart one in the family, with all your book learnin' and stuff.

 

[Another_David]

I've had my grandfather's lantern for 20 yrs and just decide to fiddle with it. It's made by Sunshine Safety Lamp Co. and is a pressure lantern that runs on gasoline. It was probably made around 1930. I don't have it running yet. I cleaned it over the weekend and have to make a gasket for it.

But in my research I came across some good info on lamps and lanterns, which in summary stated that for indoor use only kerosene, lamp oil, and some brand equivalent fuels are appropriate. Gasoline has too low of a flash point to be safe and modern diesel and home heating oil additives make the exhaust toxic for typical indoor use. See http://www.lanternnet.com/faqs.htm

So I have no idea what I'm ever going to use this antique lantern for but I'm going to get it running nevertheless!

I did see some expensive “survival lanterns” that claim to run on just about anything and I’m sure they do but you probably don’t want to be breathing those fumes. Better off just sitting quietly in the dark, lol.

This is the "before" picture.



EDIT:

Just to add some more info that I found. Even though my 1927 lantern runs on "common gasoline", it really runs on common gasoline made in 1927! Apparently gas today is very different so these old "gasoline" lanterns are supposed to be run on Coleman lantern fuel, a.k.a. "white gas".

There are a bunch of camp stoves that will run on practically any fuel, including diesel. Would be nice to have one of those but you'd only want to use it outdoors with most fuels for full ventilation.

 

[MisterHappy]

How did your lamos work out in last weekend?

My vintage Solar 1.5" wick units did well, but on the second and subsequent nights, we added Mr. Coleman's Mantle units, (propane and liquid fuel)

 

[atmay]

How did your lamos work out in last weekend?

My vintage Solar 1.5" wick units did well, but on the second and subsequent nights, we added Mr. Coleman's Mantle units, (propane and liquid fuel)

We ran our two indoor lamps for 4 days (as needed). They worked fantastic.

I filled them up on Sunday morning, and they're both still 80% full.

 

[Another_David]

How did your lamos work out in last weekend?

My vintage Solar 1.5" wick units did well, but on the second and subsequent nights, we added Mr. Coleman's Mantle units, (propane and liquid fuel)

I never lost power but a relative did. I brought them a few candles I have in the "hurricane" style glasses. Honestly, I have them more for decorating purposes but the glass candle holders are pretty dam handy when you need a candle since they diffuse the light nicely and prevent the wax from making a mess.

This is going to sound like blasphemy, given the topic of this thread, but my relative lost power and had a bunch of those cheapo solar powered lawn lanterns outside. I picked a bunch of them out of their yard and brought them inside and they worked pretty dam well. They're probably not as bright as the oil lamps but putting the solar lamps in places like the bathrooms gave off enough light to conduct business. That's what I learned this past event.

 

[Coyote33]

In the last few weekends of yard & estate sales I've passed on at least 12 Dietz. I don't need any more than I have. 'tis the season though if you are looking for a few.

I have picked up alot of mine at tag sales and flea markets. I have gotten some really nice ones for very little money. Usually just need oil and new wicks.
I have them in all rooms of my house. They have come in handy quite a few times.

What's a good price, $5? Yard sale season has already started. Saw a couple this weekend.

Grab a lot of wicks, but remember old cotton denim can be trimmed to make great wicks as many found out in the Great Northeast Ice Storm of the 1998.

Just measure for width, the same as the old?

If anyone is interested I am downsizing my large collection of antique and vintage tubular lanterns for reasonable prices. The quality of the older ones is far superior to modern lanterns.

Put them up on NES in the classified section.




If one were buying a new one from one of the web sites listed, which one is good to get, and why? There are quite a lot of choices there.

 

[Romeosierra616]

Wait, so Oil Lamps use...Lamp Oil...

Inconceivable...

 

[coastie]

What's a good price, $5? Yard sale season has already started. Saw a couple this weekend.




Just measure for width, the same as the old?




Put them up on NES in the classified section.




If one were buying a new one from one of the web sites listed, which one is good to get, and why? There are quite a lot of choices there.

Call WT Kirkman. THe lantern net. Tell him what you want to do with the lamp or lantern and he will steer you in the right direction. The guy is awesome.

 

[radioman]

Here's a look at my post from the other thread. It shows some of the lanterns I've restored over the years.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...sene-Lanters?p=2261577&viewfull=1#post2261577

 

[Coyote33]

Call WT Kirkman. THe lantern net. Tell him what you want to do with the lamp or lantern and he will steer you in the right direction. The guy is awesome.

What do you mean "what you want to do"? You light it and it makes light. Pretty basic I thought.

 

[radioman]

What do you mean "what you want to do"? You light it and it makes light. Pretty basic I thought.

Do you want to light a room?
Do you want to light your way to the outhouse?
Do you want a night light?
Do you want to use the light to read by?

Buying lanterns is the same as buying light bulbs. Different brightness for different jobs. If you go using a 7/8 wick lantern as a night light you'll have to turn it down so low you'll end up carbonizing your wick and burning way to much fuel for the job. 7/8 wick lanterns or larger should be reserved for lighting large rooms or reading by. Lesser lighting needs should be covered by 1/2 inch wick lanterns or smaller.

 

[MisterHappy]

Excellent points, Radoman

When we had Irene visiting, and the later blackout, having more than one lighting tool for the job was useful.

Bright light - colemans (liquid and propane fuel
reasonable light - keros, from 7/8 to 1 1/2" wicks (lamps, not lanterns)
Night light - votive candle in a glass.

Having one candle in a strateginc place lit the entire main fllor of my house; the stairs and hallway from the bedrroms to the stairs and bathroom (separate candle in there) and to the back door. When your eyes are adjusted, this is plenty to see by, when the dog wants out at 3AM.

MsHappy put a CD behind the votive, and boosted the light output - nice touch!

 

[green_metalflake]

Last few months between auctions and estate sales have been great. I will post pics when I get them but got the following: Dietz Ideal inspector lantern, Kosmos-Brenner oil lamp, Miller Vestal center-draft oil lamp, & Perfection 735 heater. The heater is really the coolest, mine had a good wick and was mechanically perfect, it lit right up. Minor smell for first minute but then nothing but hot air and a lot of light. You could read by it! It looks like this when it is running and it throws out the heat -

 

[green_metalflake]

Bright light - colemans (liquid and propane fuel)

.....cough, cough...... center-draft ......cough, cough......

 

[green_metalflake]

and some K-1, I hear it burns brighter than the oil.

I bought some K-1 last year to try out. I had it in both a cold-blast Dietz and a center-draft oil lamp. It smelled bad and I emptied them both out and went back to Lamplight lamp oil from Wal-Mart. I discovered recently on lanternnet.com that is their recommendation too. K-1 works great in my Perfection heater though. I think it has to do with how hot it burns and the intensity of the flame. That may reduce the smell but in lamps I had bad luck on that count.

 

[radioman]

I bought some K-1 last year to try out. I had it in both a cold-blast Dietz and a center-draft oil lamp. It smelled bad and I emptied them both out and went back to Lamplight lamp oil from Wal-Mart. I discovered recently on lanternnet.com that is their recommendation too. K-1 works great in my Perfection heater though. I think it has to do with how hot it burns and the intensity of the flame. That may reduce the smell but in lamps I had bad luck on that count.

The small of burning K-1 is acquired. Newbies can even get sick, but us old timers, it's like a tip toe through the tulips!!!

 

[MisterHappy]

.....cough, cough...... center-draft ......cough, cough......

Sorry that your lamp is making you cough - it looks nice though!

My listing more what I have, than what's "best"

There are a lot of options, and the key is to try them before you need to use them (like the poster above that dislikes the smell of Kero burning.)

Part of the "plan" is to have more than one fuel type, too....

 

[green_metalflake]

Sorry that your lamp is making you cough - it looks nice though!

My listing more what I have, than what's "best"

There are a lot of options, and the key is to try them before you need to use them (like the poster above that dislikes the smell of Kero burning.)

Part of the "plan" is to have more than one fuel type, too....

It's been an interesting road. Battery lamps, candles, Colemans, cold & hot-blast lanterns, and then..... oil lamps. I agree completely on having more than one type as you don't know what fuel you will have. I even have a couple tin can slut lamps kicking about which will burn any oil, even used crankcase oil.

As flea market and yard sale season approaches, center-draft oil lamps will be out there. They are usually overlooked too and that makes them cheap. They are easy to bring back, even ones that were converted to electric. Most importantly, nearly every part is available. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you find one -

*If it is an electric you want to convert back, be sure the fount was not drilled. This usually isn't the case as the center-draft has a hole through the center of the fount for air and the AC cord is usually dropped (but not always) dropped through there.

*You want to check that the fount seams are all intact as well. I usually fill the fount up with water and let it sit for awhile. If there is a leak it will show. Founts are usually thin brass or steel and they can be repaired with a soldering gun and rosin-core solder. Gas tank sealer will do the job too.

*Electric conversions are usually always missing the flame spreader. Those are available new, the diameters are fairly standard, and they are easy to find. Prices are all over the map so shop around. It is a critical piece, the lamp will not operate properly without it.

*The most important thing is that the wick lifter mech is intact. Depending on who did the electric conversion it may be complete, partial, or missing entirely. Basically, the wick lifter is 2 parts, the knob & cog you turn to raise the wick and a metal frame that fits around the center-draft tube. This is different from a typical Dietz lantern which uses a flat wick and uses the cog teeth only to advance the wick. On a center-draft, the wick fits over the frame so it can be raised & lowered without much friction. The cog meshes with a ladder on the frame and it works like rack & pinion steering. This is the part that is often missing. You can find them but they tend to be pricey. The price you pay for the oil lamp should definitely be reflected in the status of this part.

*To check all of this out, the burner just unscrews off the fount. The burner will either have threads or a bayonet type attachment. When you take it off, the wick frame may stay around the center-draft tube or come out completely with the burner.

*The rest is pretty basic, fit the proper chimney, fit the wick & trim it, fill it with fuel, light it and SLOWLY advance the flame up. Some of the center-drafts can be startling in how high the flame can be. Right over the top of the chimney on some like the one I have pictured. Damn thing is like a jet engine it drafts so well. Everything above applies to center-draft oil lamps that have not been converted as well.

With the center-draft and their brightness comes heat, they cook! Mine tend to be winter service lamps which works out well as that's usually when we lose power. If the room they are in is warm to begin with, it will get even warmer. As far as how bright they are, I had my single mantle Coleman lit next to the one above. The Coleman has a whiter almost halogen type light but not really that much brighter light. I would rather use the Coleman if I was doing any detail work. The oil lamp is definitely a warmer yellow/white but you can read by it perfectly. The other nice point is that the Coleman has a constant background hiss and needs to be pumped up periodically. The oil lamps are silent and will run 10-16 hours on a fill. Plus, the flame can be turned down to near invisible and idle. When you need light again just turn it back up.

Anyways, don't pass one up because you are uncertain about it and whether or not it can be made to work. They are simple but clever devices and for decades they were the only option for bright, reliable light.

Good Hunting!

 

[MisterHappy]

I've always "passed" on the center draft types....perhaps I'll see if I can [STRIKE=undefined]steal[/STRIKE] get one at a low price, for research purposes.

Thanks for the info. Detailed and comprehensive!

get well soon!

Good hunting to you, too.