I had already stopped videoing when I discovered that my freshly built humble little fat lamp had turned into a fire breathing seething cauldron of boiling oil... not exactly the wind proof fat lamp that would provide hours of gentle light that I was going for. I started off with humor, ended up with hazard. I have lots of fat lamp, grease lamp build videos. Since I don’t have one that will resist 5 mph winds like we have today, let’s try to design one. I used a green bean can, that had a 1/2” oil reservoir after I cut a flame shaped opening in the front, only. The rest of the can I left intact to block the wind. I also showed a couple of ways to make wicks out of a cotton ball and t-shirt material. When it came time to fire it up, the oil saturated lamp wick was very difficult to light, of course, in all this wind. Fortunately, I found a calm enough area close to a tree and made it ignite. When I dropped the burning wick into the lamp and oil, it took off burning normally. I was overjoyed. I did the outro then walked back to the house to return the Canola oil. When I came back to put out the lamp, it was burning furiously out of control. Flames shot out of the top of the can and from the flame shaped opening. It was burning out of control a very real fire hazard. I would never use this design to provide light for my camp. Let me explain why this lamp out of all that I’ve built through the years got so overheated: 1) The heat could not dissipate into the air with sides of the can still there and so tall. 2) The wick was so fat that it was burning very hot. 3) Possibly, that flaming vortex was directing highly oxygenated flames and heat down into the oil caused it to boil and to vaporize so rapidly. 4)You do not want a flame sitting directly on top of boiling oil that is rapidly being vaporized. It “ran away”. The heat ran away and continued to intensify. What a better design for an oil lamp, grease lamp, fat lamp? There are many examples on TH-cam of lamps that do not heat up the oil. You've seen them: small squat jar with a metal lid with a small hole in it. Put a few ounces of oil in the reservoir, place one end of the wick into oil and feed the other end through the lid. Please follow the LINKs below and SUBSCRIBE. Thank you! Grease Lamps, Fat Lamps Playlist th-cam.com/play/PLkoXX8XsMW3k7cP1F4wShxqd_J0Uv_prf.html
I know. I just dealt with the hazard and then realized that I had missed out on some great footage. When I came back over to snuff out the lamp, I found the oil boiling furiously probably with much of it vaporizing. The burning oil and especially the vapor was trying to release all of its energy at once. Remember the wind and that vortex was really forcing a lot of oxygen into this reaction... "thermal runaway" if you can call it that.
I use a floating wick made of a wine cork. I cut a loaf of cork about 5 mm thick. Then i make a hole in the center with a 4 mm leather punch. To avoid excesive heath on the cork i make a cilinder out of a roll metal square cut fom any can, lenght of the cilinder about 10 mm. Stuck this cilinder throug the cork hole and pass a wick trough the cilinder. Put this floating wick on a glass filled with oil and light the wick. The cork wil float no matter the level of oíl and the flame Will keep a safe distance from the oíl surface.
Thanks David for the tutorial. The Natives of Alaska used to use a flat container with a ramp to support the wick. The fuel was rendered blubber from whale, walrus, or seal. Think I will stick with my LED lantern.
I avoid seed oils as much as possible, they are not healthy and increase your inflammation risk. Some products use canola oil as ingredient as well, like soft butter spread or mayonnaise, because of its mild flavor. So reading labels is a must to stay on top of things.
Ahh, here's what I found on Google: We call them Magic Lamp because they spin without any motor. As the warm air from the bulb rises, it causes the design to spin. It is beautiful in a nursery and in children's bedrooms, providing a soothing light.
I had already stopped videoing when I discovered that my freshly built humble little fat lamp had turned into a fire breathing seething cauldron of boiling oil... not exactly the wind proof fat lamp that would provide hours of gentle light that I was going for. I started off with humor, ended up with hazard.
I have lots of fat lamp, grease lamp build videos. Since I don’t have one that will resist 5 mph winds like we have today, let’s try to design one.
I used a green bean can, that had a 1/2” oil reservoir after I cut a flame shaped opening in the front, only. The rest of the can I left intact to block the wind. I also showed a couple of ways to make wicks out of a cotton ball and t-shirt material.
When it came time to fire it up, the oil saturated lamp wick was very difficult to light, of course, in all this wind. Fortunately, I found a calm enough area close to a tree and made it ignite.
When I dropped the burning wick into the lamp and oil, it took off burning normally. I was overjoyed. I did the outro then walked back to the house to return the Canola oil. When I came back to put out the lamp, it was burning furiously out of control. Flames shot out of the top of the can and from the flame shaped opening. It was burning out of control a very real fire hazard. I would never use this design to provide light for my camp.
Let me explain why this lamp out of all that I’ve built through the years got so overheated:
1) The heat could not dissipate into the air with sides of the can still there and so tall.
2) The wick was so fat that it was burning very hot.
3) Possibly, that flaming vortex was directing highly oxygenated flames and heat down into the oil caused it to boil and to vaporize so rapidly.
4)You do not want a flame sitting directly on top of boiling oil that is rapidly being vaporized. It “ran away”. The heat ran away and continued to intensify.
What a better design for an oil lamp, grease lamp, fat lamp? There are many examples on
TH-cam of lamps that do not heat up the oil. You've seen them: small squat jar with a metal lid with a small hole in it. Put a few ounces of oil in the reservoir, place one end of the wick into oil and feed the other end through the lid.
Please follow the LINKs below and SUBSCRIBE. Thank you!
Grease Lamps, Fat Lamps Playlist
th-cam.com/play/PLkoXX8XsMW3k7cP1F4wShxqd_J0Uv_prf.html
Woulda made some pretty cool footage. Too bad you didn’t turn the camera back on. 😢
I know. I just dealt with the hazard and then realized that I had missed out on some great footage. When I came back over to snuff out the lamp, I found the oil boiling furiously probably with much of it vaporizing. The burning oil and especially the vapor was trying to release all of its energy at once. Remember the wind and that vortex was really forcing a lot of oxygen into this reaction... "thermal runaway" if you can call it that.
I use a floating wick made of a wine cork. I cut a loaf of cork about 5 mm thick. Then i make a hole in the center with a 4 mm leather punch. To avoid excesive heath on the cork i make a cilinder out of a roll metal square cut fom any can, lenght of the cilinder about 10 mm. Stuck this cilinder throug the cork hole and pass a wick trough the cilinder. Put this floating wick on a glass filled with oil and light the wick. The cork wil float no matter the level of oíl and the flame Will keep a safe distance from the oíl surface.
That's the best, to never let the oil heat up in the first place.
Even a failed experiment produces a result. Very interesting explanation of the dangers involved. Also don’t use water to extinguish burning oil.😅
Nice !
Good video David , thanks for sharing, YAH bless !
God bless you
Thanks David for the tutorial. The Natives of Alaska used to use a flat container with a ramp to support the wick. The fuel was rendered blubber from whale, walrus, or seal. Think I will stick with my LED lantern.
Cool!
I avoid seed oils as much as possible, they are not healthy and increase your inflammation risk. Some products use canola oil as ingredient as well, like soft butter spread or mayonnaise, because of its mild flavor. So reading labels is a must to stay on top of things.
I've been avoiding seed oils as much as possible too.
Dangerous firenado in a can ! ! !
The firenado kept alternating. Just in that few seconds of the shot it changed rotation 4 times.
Didn’t see what?
I believe there is a good reason why the “ magic “ lamp shape is the shape it is.
Ahh, here's what I found on Google: We call them Magic Lamp because they spin without any motor. As the warm air from the bulb rises, it causes the design to spin. It is beautiful in a nursery and in children's bedrooms, providing a soothing light.