Cheap kerosene lanterns

[chiak47]

Walmart has kerosene lanterns for $5 that are made out of steel with the glass bulb...
Are these any good as a back up light source for the homestead?

[swampdragon]

I have a few all glass ones. Actually, I have 6 of them.
The oil burns for a long time.
I've used them more than once during storms here when the power goes out.
Overall, yes....they are GREAT to have around the house.
I bought extra wicks for them too just to have on hand.

EDIT: Steel would most likely be more durable.
But, the wife just had to have "pretty."
:lool:

Either way, they all still work the same.

[pit-sitter]

like lighting your home with a molotov cocktail

[swampdragon]

like lighting your home with a molotov cocktail

Pretty much yep.
It's a great idea to have a fire extinguisher handy if you break one of those lamps while it's lit.

[cciota]

I have a couple of Dietz lanterns.

One of these:
http://image.lehmans.com/lehmans/Images/products/large/m2000.jpg

and one of these:
http://image.lehmans.com/lehmans/Images/products/large/37762.jpg

They cost a bit more than five bucks but are great lanterns. I think I paid 14 or 15 bucks a piece. Plus the top one you can heat food and liquids up on if the need arises.

[swampdragon]

I have a couple of Dietz lanterns.

One of these:
http://image.lehmans.com/lehmans/Images/products/large/m2000.jpg

and one of these:
http://image.lehmans.com/lehmans/Images/products/large/37762.jpg

They cost a bit more than five bucks but are great lanterns. I think I paid 14 or 15 bucks a piece. Plus the top one you can heat food and liquids up on if the need arises.

That top one is pretty cool.
I don't think I've seen one like that before.

[cciota]

That top one is pretty cool.
I don't think I've seen one like that before.

I got it here:http://www.dietz-lanterns.com/

[swampdragon]

I got it here:http://www.dietz-lanterns.com/

I checked the link and it said they were on back order.
I'll keep looking around though.
I like that.

[justinsaneok]

Coleman dual fuel man the only way to fly . I like the one with the cooker top on it . Wondering if it will boil water????

[justinsaneok]

I have a couple of Dietz lanterns.

One of these:
http://image.lehmans.com/lehmans/Images/products/large/m2000.jpg

and one of these:
http://image.lehmans.com/lehmans/Images/products/large/37762.jpg

They cost a bit more than five bucks but are great lanterns. I think I paid 14 or 15 bucks a piece. Plus the top one you can heat food and liquids up on if the need arises.

Will it burn any oil ? Will it boil water?

[cciota]

Will it burn any oil ? Will it boil water?

Lantern oil or Kerosene. I haven't tried to boil anything with it. I think it's more of a heating thing.

[L1A1Rocker]

I've got a several from the dollar general. They work good. The electircity is very spotty here in a storm so they get used several times a year. I've got a total of 6 around the house and a couple of battery operated stereos.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Flowers1a.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/flowers2a.jpg

[old Grump]

We have the lamps, when I was married the wife had them filled with the scented oil, good for about 5 minutes then I wanted to run out into the wind and the lightning and take my chances. A dead chicken would have smelled better than 3 lanterns with that stinky oil and her smelly candles. Now they just have lamp oil and I can use kerosene if that runs out. My eyes, my skin and my nose thanks me.

[Mac_Muz]

These lamps are basic K-1 burners and can be very cheap. If you buy steel ones don't store K-1 in em long term. Water will be created in any lamps in long term storage and the steel types will rust out. Won't be much good then. There are others types that cost a lot more money new, but can be had cheap at yard sales if you know what you are looking for.

All of these new are well over 100 bucks each today, and I have 4. All antique, but Alladins are still made today. I use these in winter to make light up to apx 60 watts each, and heat the bed room, which is saying something since I live in New Hampshire. Of the 4 so far i spent 15 bucks.

No one probably knows what this means, but i will trade a Model 12 vase type font, for a model B.

[old Grump]

side draft bottom wick raiser. Grandma had several of them before she moved to town, she dumped them figuring she would never trim another wick as long as she lived. She really fell in love with electricity when they finally got it. By then she was 40 years old and kind of liked that electric washing machine and water pump and light bulb. Never gave up her wood stove though.

[JTHunter]

One thing not mentioned is the SOOT. It will build up on everything, especially any surface that is colder than its surroundings. The soot "condenses" like humidity on a cold glass of iced tea on a muggy day.
Hi Old Grump.

[old Grump]

Hey John glad you made it. Now you know where I been hiding.

[JTHunter]

Yeah and you've been busy too!

[swampdragon]

Coleman dual fuel man the only way to fly . I like the one with the cooker top on it . Wondering if it will boil water????

+100 on the Coleman duel fuel stuff.
I have a dual-fuel lantern and a duel-fuel 2-burner stove too.
They are great!

Unleaded gas or Coleman fuel. Your choice.
I love 'em.

[swampdragon]

These lamps are basic K-1 burners and can be very cheap. If you buy steel ones don't store K-1 in em long term. Water will be created in any lamps in long term storage and the steel types will rust out. Won't be much good then. There are others types that cost a lot more money new, but can be had cheap at yard sales if you know what you are looking for.

All of these new are well over 100 bucks each today, and I have 4. All antique, but Alladins are still made today. I use these in winter to make light up to apx 60 watts each, and heat the bed room, which is saying something since I live in New Hampshire. Of the 4 so far i spent 15 bucks.

No one probably knows what this means, but i will trade a Model 12 vase type font, for a model B.

Yep. You're right.
I have no idea what the hell half of that meant.:biggrina:

What I "did" get out of that is that I'm glad I have glass lamps now because they won't rust out....even though I have to be careful with them...

[chiak47]

I'm going to go to walmart tomorrow and I'll pick up a few of these for this thread.

[swampdragon]

So did you have a chance to pick up a lantern yet, or were you too busy yet?

[Paladin]

http://www.britelyt.com/mc.htm

Haven't figured out how to make links active yet.

This is expensive, but a great product. Will burn just about anything...

[Mark Ducati]

I bought a couple cheapo Kerosene lamps from Wally World and a couple of those sealed/transparent Kerosene jugs...

I've never used them, but have them in case of an emergency... for those that have used these in doors... how smokey do these things get? Do they burn pretty clean, or do they fill the room full of smoke?

[L1A1Rocker]

I bought a couple cheapo Kerosene lamps from Wally World and a couple of those sealed/transparent Kerosene jugs...

I've never used them, but have them in case of an emergency... for those that have used these in doors... how smokey do these things get? Do they burn pretty clean, or do they fill the room full of smoke?

There's two types of lamp oil for these things. Unfortunatly I cannot remember which is which. One type is make for indoor use and produces a lot less soot and smell. I'll try to hit the Dietz web site later for a refresher course on oil. I've never used kero in them.

[Mac_Muz]

I bought a couple cheapo Kerosene lamps from Wally World and a couple of those sealed/transparent Kerosene jugs...

I've never used them, but have them in case of an emergency... for those that have used these in doors... how smokey do these things get? Do they burn pretty clean, or do they fill the room full of smoke?

Mark do these look anything like what cciota posted in pictures?

If so there should be no smoke, but a K-1 smell after being blown out a little.

There are a couple universal rules for all wicks in all k-1 or oil lamps.

1. With a new lamp it is wise to prime the wick.

Trim the dry wick to have a slight curve so the center will be higher than the ends on flat tape wicks. (Obviously with a round wick this is impossible)

To do this you take the burner upside down and soak the wick there you would nomally light it for aps 15 seconds.

Then install the burner on a emply lamp font. (Font is the oil container on any oil lamp)

Light the wick and let it burn itself out.

2 fill the font leaving 1/2 inch of dead air space, which is room for oil expansion, and allow no less than 6 hours for the wick to fill with oil.

3 light the lamp and set the flame low waitng for the lamp to become full warm, then adjust it for light, heat if it can make any, and or cook if the lamp can cook.
If the lamp begins to smell, or soot the glass the flame has become overly rich and will need to be adjusted down a little bit. As the lamp becomes warmer it may need to be adjusted down.

4 Avoid running out of fuel, which glazes the wick, forming a hard crusty carbon layer where you would light it.

5 After as many uses as it takes to mung up the burner, clean the burner, and trim the wick cleanly, no loose threads.
.................................................. ......................................

Most people could care a-less about proper uses as above, fill and light the lamp which works. For it, they get a poorer light, uneven flame, and soot up the glass.

The fastest way to soot up the glass, and cause a wicked stink in a room is to fire that puppy up, and make it burn bright when the burner is cold.

For heating it takes more than one lamp to heat a room. I do in 3 seasons as needed, and in winter every day. The lamps are central in the room and all 4 in a near to same place, heating each other, as well as the air.

I can go from a too cool 50 to 76 in a several hours, and turn off one lamp, the next as the room becomes warm, conserving fuel. It seems to take 2 lamps running to keep that 76'F. But these are mantel lamps made by Alladin, and have round wicks and mantels, so make much brighter light and much more heat than any tape lamp ever will. It takes about 6 tape wick lamps to do what one Alladin can do.

As i said before look hard at yard sales for these. My first, i found deer hunting. There was a brass burner sitting on the ground. I thought that odd. Then I noticed what had once been stone cabin walls. They were that far gone and looked like rock outcrops at first. I went to pick up the burner for a whim, it stayed put. I dug the entire 1930's vintage white milk glass Lincoln Drape font out of the ground with a stick. It is mint.

At the time the font was full of a moss, and I have no idea what this lamp was, other than on the burner controll knob it sauid Alladin Model B. The wick was good enough to use as is. I had no idea what glass it should have and used anything that worked, I had no idea it could take a mantle either.

I found out years later, at a yard sale where I bought a similar lamp all set up for 15 bucks. The font was near the same, but wasn't nearly as tall, more like any glass lamp today modern in any hardware store. But this one had all the right parts. On the way home the mantel fell to pieces. It's ash after the first lighting. Like a coleman lamp.

I came by 2 more, helping a guy I knew, pack up to move away. These were crusty and dusty on a back shelf in his cellar. I asked him about packing them up and he said just throw those away. So then I asked if i could have them.


Over winter I burn up about 30 gallons of K-1

[swampdragon]

I bought a couple cheapo Kerosene lamps from Wally World and a couple of those sealed/transparent Kerosene jugs...

I've never used them, but have them in case of an emergency... for those that have used these in doors... how smokey do these things get? Do they burn pretty clean, or do they fill the room full of smoke?

Mark,

Read Mac's post. He is exactly right.

Trim your wick to have a rounded tip that matches the curve of the metal cap that has the wick slot in it where the wick comes out. (make the wick flush with the metal housing curve)

Prime your wick the first time you use it. That should be sufficient. You don't have to prime it every single time.

Leaving "too much" of the wick exposed is what causes smoke.

When you light it:

1) Expose enough wick to get it lit.
2) Start turning it down. ( the flame will get dimmer)
3) Keep turning it down anyways.
4) It will get bright again once the wick is nearly completely covered by the metal housing. (this is the sweet spot)
5) Turn it down even more, and it will eventually go out.

The only time I've seen these smoke is when you have entirely too much wick exposed.

[chiak47]

So did you have a chance to pick up a lantern yet, or were you too busy yet?

I got some...Now I need to go get kerosene. lol

[swampdragon]

I got some...Now I need to go get kerosene. lol

They didn't have any lamp oil bottles?
That's weird....

[Mac_Muz]

I run the red dye K-1 . I hate that stuff since the red dye is in it for tax reasons, a total screw up brought to you by of course the greedy Feds. The red dye is a powder base and it can and will clog up wicks.

You can buy lamp oil highly refined with said to be no scents, but it is expensive, You can buy clear K-1 in 5 gallon metal and maybe plastic mini barrels from Home Depot, and it is almost as expensive, last is the red dye I use which is too expensive but less than everything else. So I wash out wicks at times in gasoline, and burn that gasoline in a lawn mower. Allow these washed out wicks a good air drying or your lamps might get very exciting!

Have spare glass and wicks for any lamps worthy. Sometimes a well used glass chimney will just break from one too many thermal expansions.contractions. It happens.

If max light is the deal clean the globes/ glass/ chimneys, once a weel and ot any time you mess up and make it black. If you don't the carbon can enter the glass molicules and stain the glass for good.

I use a dowel and stuff cheap paper towels thru mine, the cheaper the paper towel the better, The cheaper these are the rougher they are. Plain water works well as a pre rinse, then a dry paper towel is the chaser.

[JTHunter]

You can buy lamp oil highly refined with said to be no scents, but it is expensive. You can buy clear K-1 in 5 gallon metal and maybe plastic mini barrels from Home Depot, and it is almost as expensive.
If max light is the deal clean the globes/ glass/ chimneys, once a weel and ot any time you mess up and make it black. If you don't the carbon can enter the glass molicules and stain the glass for good.
I use a dowel and stuff cheap paper towels thru mine, the cheaper the paper towel the better, The cheaper these are the rougher they are. Plain water works well as a pre rinse, then a dry paper towel is the chaser.

Mac - here in the St. Louis area, I have yet to see the red K1, it's all clear, but back in February, it was going for abou $4.25/gal.Have you tried cleaning the chimney with Spic & Span? I let them soak in the kitchen sink for several minutes, then sprinkle a little extra inside and use a "bottle brush" with a synthetic foam sponge head to scrub the insides. If necessary, I'll use one of those little kitchen sponges with a scrubber pad on one side.

[chiak47]

They didn't have any lamp oil bottles?
That's weird....

They did but it was expensive. There is a gas station I go to that sells kerosene pretty cheap out of the pump. I need to fill up there. I'll post pics Monday or Tuesday.

[swampdragon]

I see.

[L1A1Rocker]

They did but it was expensive. There is a gas station I go to that sells kerosene pretty cheap out of the pump. I need to fill up there. I'll post pics Monday or Tuesday.

I'm assuming you got the cheap glass ones that do not hang. I found some great littl wall mounts at Hobby Lobby very reasonably priced. They come in a lot of styls not just the rod iron ones I got.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/flowers2a.jpg

[chiak47]

I'm assuming you got the cheap glass ones that do not hang. I found some great littl wall mounts at Hobby Lobby very reasonably priced. They come in a lot of styls not just the rod iron ones I got.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/flowers2a.jpg

No, the ones I got hang, they are pretty cool looking for chinese trinkets...I fucked my wifes camera up with mud and I need to borrow my daughters when she returns from summer camp in order to post a pic.

[Mac_Muz]

JTH, That's upsetting. For better than a decade now all gas pump K-1 around NH USA is friggin dyed red. May I please say Grrrrrrrrrr. Now I understand the no do gooders need their tax money else starve, since they can't do another friggin thing in life but be high paid welfare recips, but do they have to also mung up everything they tax?

And no I haven't really tries spic n sand. I assume that is something made at the Az border huh?

I need to get a few railroad style lanterns as beaters. I might allow one like that to get nasty and see about abrasives cleaners, but the lamps I use now, err well in colder weather than now have costly glass chimneys. The glass is tempered and looks hand blown at the same time. I don't like the hand blown look much either since irregualities are not the best thing in heating/ contraction items, now is abrasive cleaning (IMO)

We, my wife and I have other antique flat wick lamps packed away. We don't need them. They don't put out the heat or the light the type we do run does, and feeding them in winter is a daily chore.

The end result is we can heat a 14x 25 bedroom for 30 or so gallons for all winter. This room is off from the rest of the house and has a gas wall heater that hasn't even had the pilot on in the past 3 years.

We prefer the heat of the lamps to the dry heat of the gas heater. There are times I screw up and make stink, no one likes that, but not everything in life is always pleasant.