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[vermontmountainman]

Does anyone have experience with Petromax lanterns?

http://www.petromax.com/lanterns.htm

Yes, but mine is a real one from the 1930's. All the current ones are Chinese copies, despite what the distributors might claim, and not close to the originals in quality.

They are claimed to be multifuel but they are not. They will burn many fuels but not safely. Their fuel valve is not a true shutoff valve but rather controls a rubber plug that can fail. Furthermore, where the fuel tube goes to the tank, it's soldered, and if a mantle gets a hole in it aimed towards the top of the tank it can melt the solder, leading to an explosion, as ordinary lead solder is used on the Chinese copies. There have been some documented instances of this over at the lampguild.org archives. In short, don't use one indoors, and don't use any volatile fuels in one. I'd go with one of the older Coleman 500 candlepower lanterns. Pretty much as bright and a superior design.

[Rob25]

I agree with ML but good thread none the less!

I just recently bought some Kerosene lamps online using a link from the survivalblog. While the customer service was great unfortunately they were made in China and (from what I'm told) have a reputation for leaking and starting fires!

[tex703]

Sorry about posting this thread here on guns and gear.  All of the responses have been great and helpful.

[tex703]

Here is a complete listing of good websites to purchase oil lamps and accessories:
www.lehmans.com, www.lanternnet.com, www.petromax.com/lanterns.htm

[Radio Flyer]

And vegetable oil/biodiesel will burn very poorly in a kerosene lamp. It's a heavy oil and travels up wicks poorly, hence why the old whale oil and lard lamps were made to heat the oil up so it would flow better (that whale oil lamp above, it has two small round wick tubes that go into the font to heat the oil, the lard lamp has a copper air tube in the center of the wick that serves the same purpose). Kerosene lamps are designed to not heat the oil up too much since that can be dangerous (particularly in the 1800's when oil refining wasn't too good).

Long first post but the thread caught my eye.

Great post and photos.

Question, and this question is aimed at the use of "bio-diesel" or VOME (Vegetable Oil Methyl Esters) oils I don't often use Soy or "bio-diesel" because there are so many other uses for this product (it can also be made from other fatty products like animal oils), I bring it up because it is possible to make "at home" and it has a long storage life when stored in an airtight container - it also produces a "better" more pure product the longer it sets and settles (after water washing). It is an excellent solvent (what I am most familiar with). We often think about vegetable oils because it is often made from old recycled fry oil...

It can be a dangerous product because it can self-combust, particularly when on rags (like linseed oil).

So:

Long storage life and stays in a liquid form at lower temps than "just oil"

Fairly simple to make

Recycled base product is inexpensive to gather (sometimes free)

Multiple uses (fuel, solvent, lubricant)

Any lamps that can use it effectively? Can it be used to "cut" other lamp fuels to extend them, like cutting kerosene to make it last longer?

[kirgi07]

I like my W/G runnin colemans.I do have H/lamps.The colemans are a better source/IMHO.More adjustable and they burn cleaner. Ought 7.

[vermontmountainman]

Great post and photos.

Question, and this question is aimed at the use of "bio-diesel" or VOME (Vegetable Oil Methyl Esters) oils I don't often use Soy or "bio-diesel" because there are so many other uses for this product (it can also be made from other fatty products like animal oils), I bring it up because it is possible to make "at home" and it has a long storage life when stored in an airtight container - it also produces a "better" more pure product the longer it sets and settles (after water washing). It is an excellent solvent (what I am most familiar with). We often think about vegetable oils because it is often made from old recycled fry oil...

It can be a dangerous product because it can self-combust, particularly when on rags (like linseed oil).

So:

Long storage life and stays in a liquid form at lower temps than "just oil"

Fairly simple to make

Recycled base product is inexpensive to gather (sometimes free)

Multiple uses (fuel, solvent, lubricant)

Any lamps that can use it effectively? Can it be used to "cut" other lamp fuels to extend them, like cutting kerosene to make it last longer?

Will work in most pre-kerosene lamps (lard, whale oil, grease lamps...). Lehmans sells some "olive oil lamps" which would burn it. They give off about as much light as a candle so you'd need more than 1...

You really can't burn anything heavier than kerosene in a kerosene lamp very well...

[blacksmith]

Whichever lamp you choose make sure you get parts, that includes globes.  Older lamps may be difficult to get parts for. 

Myself I stick with Aladdin #23 and propane lanterns.

[Faydra6]

Here is a web site selling moderately priced oil lamps.  We are ordering some right now.


http://www.y2klanterns.com/html/wall-table.html

Also I have been doing a lot of research on oil lamps so here is a site that has a ton of info on what to burn in the them, the best brands, how to intall wick and buy replacements.  Etc.  Look for the oil lamp link.


http://www.endtimesreport.com/