I have one in great shape. I filled it with citronella and use it on the patio. Doesnt smoke or really smell at all. Perfect use for these. I see them all the time at flea markets and yard says for dirt cheap.
I have a recollection from my childhood of highway torches. It was 1960, I believe, and we had just arrived in Monahans, Texas to visit my grandparents there. My grandfather worked for Gulf Oil, and apparently a tornado had toppled an oil drilling rig, so I went along with him and my father to see the aftermath. While we didn't get too close, I remember the highway torches marking some of the debris in the night.
Ohh I remember seeing those old highway torches around construction sites in a small town I lived in the very early 70’s as a young kid!🙂🙂 Great looking highway torches!🙂🔥
We called them smudge pots in South Georgia. Buddy of mine retired from the DOT that would mark road hazards or road construction in the 60s with them. They would look like cannonballs with a fire/flame on top. Those were the days! Thanks for the knowledge.
Nice Video! We here in Germany had similar torches made by Feuerhand, Rhewum and Enders. Those were mostly used and marketed for trucks in case of brakedowns. They work the same way but were only a hemisphere. They were in use 1960s to 1980s.
I have 3 of these torches that are not a cannon ball style. The fount is more like an old steel galvanized Eagle fuel can or your typical lantern fount with a seam edge at the base. They appear to have been galvanized and then painted over. Haven't found a name on any yet, but I'm initially suspecting Toledo because of the burner style. They came to me in their steel storage box that somewhat resembles a square cornered rectangular mailbox with a 4 hole base flange for vehicular mounting I assume. There were also three steel rods that fit a socket on the snuffing cap . I'm planning to de rust and repaint them and their storage box to a safety red color similar to their original remaining paint. So far I've not been able to unscrew any burners but I'm hoping a penetrating oil and a strap wrench will do the trick with enough soaking.
Thanks for another great video, Rob! For safety reasons I can see why they moved away from an open flame torch to the modern electric version. Also, I would be very interested in seeing you do a video on gas powered clothes irons.
According to google, kero gives off vapors at 110° F so if that's accurate, I can see how there may have been a few bombs on hot roadways if left to burn during daylight hours.
I have a question for you. I have a couple antique Dietz lamps that I have hanging in my Blacksmith shop. I use them sometimes at night when working in there. But I used "lamplight" paraffin clear lamp oil and when the temperature went down below freezing the oil turned to gelatin!! Should I be using kerosene instead in my Dietz lamps?
I have one in great shape. I filled it with citronella and use it on the patio. Doesnt smoke or really smell at all. Perfect use for these. I see them all the time at flea markets and yard says for dirt cheap.
When I was a kid in the early 1970’s our town in Kansas still used those! We used to pretend they were bombs and rolled them at each other!
I have a recollection from my childhood of highway torches. It was 1960, I believe, and we had just arrived in Monahans, Texas to visit my grandparents there. My grandfather worked for Gulf Oil, and apparently a tornado had toppled an oil drilling rig, so I went along with him and my father to see the aftermath. While we didn't get too close, I remember the highway torches marking some of the debris in the night.
That Irwindale comment got me going 😂.
Ohh I remember seeing those old highway torches around construction sites in a small town I lived in the very early 70’s as a young kid!🙂🙂 Great looking highway torches!🙂🔥
We called them smudge pots in South Georgia. Buddy of mine retired from the DOT that would mark road hazards or road construction in the 60s with them. They would look like cannonballs with a fire/flame on top. Those were the days! Thanks for the knowledge.
The ring on the Toledo Torch was the leftover piece from stamping out the hole in the top. They're often not concentric and a little raggedy looking.
Nice Video! We here in Germany had similar torches made by Feuerhand, Rhewum and Enders. Those were mostly used and marketed for trucks in case of brakedowns. They work the same way but were only a hemisphere. They were in use 1960s to 1980s.
Nice video Rob !
I have 3 of these torches that are not a cannon ball style. The fount is more like an old steel galvanized Eagle fuel can or your typical lantern fount with a seam edge at the base. They appear to have been galvanized and then painted over. Haven't found a name on any yet, but I'm initially suspecting Toledo because of the burner style. They came to me in their steel storage box that somewhat resembles a square cornered rectangular mailbox with a 4 hole base flange for vehicular mounting I assume. There were also three steel rods that fit a socket on the snuffing cap . I'm planning to de rust and repaint them and their storage box to a safety red color similar to their original remaining paint. So far I've not been able to unscrew any burners but I'm hoping a penetrating oil and a strap wrench will do the trick with enough soaking.
Omg those things are huge! Lol
Thanks for another great video, Rob! For safety reasons I can see why they moved away from an open flame torch to the modern electric version. Also, I would be very interested in seeing you do a video on gas powered clothes irons.
Our township road department use those as late 2004 when we had a lot of flooding on rural roads and ran out of battery flashers.
According to google, kero gives off vapors at 110° F so if that's accurate, I can see how there may have been a few bombs on hot roadways if left to burn during daylight hours.
I would love to see how construction sites were safeguarded back then.
Good job Rob! Very interesting. I often see those when we are antiquing but don't pay much attention. I feel they don't get much love.
No Mkt. for them even cleaned up.
I have a question for you. I have a couple antique Dietz lamps that I have hanging in my Blacksmith shop. I use them sometimes at night when working in there. But I used "lamplight" paraffin clear lamp oil and when the temperature went down below freezing the oil turned to gelatin!! Should I be using kerosene instead in my Dietz lamps?
Yes.
do you soak the wick or use it dry?
Soak. Just like the wicks in oil lamps.
Where can I get a new wick?
Miles Stair may have them.