Owiebrain/Diane...

**Valerie in WA** · 01-08-2006, 12:39 PM

Could you please share how to make olive oil lamps?

We are content with electric lamps for everyday use, but I would like to have alternate light sources in case of a large-scale disaster (most likely an earthquate and 2-4 weeks with out power.) I had thought to purchase a lamp or two to have on hand, but that is rather expensive.

Perhaps with your instructions, I could set aside the necessary supplies and make them when/if the disaster ever occurs.

TIA!

**homesteadmamma** · 01-08-2006, 01:29 PM

I'm interested as well. We use our oil lamps everyday. They not only give us light, they throw out heat. Love those lamps.

**mom22grls** · 01-08-2006, 02:39 PM

I'm interested, too. I've been wanting to get some oil lamps for the ambiance. I don't necessarily want alot of light, but a little lamp here & there would be nice

**momof42003** · 01-08-2006, 07:38 PM

I am interested too.. I like the oil lamps but hate the smell, like I stated before.. THanks...

**owiebrain** · 01-09-2006, 01:05 AM

Certainly! I can't take credit for ir, though, as it was passed on to me by a friend who also happens to be a member here. (Hi, Kristin!

)

I have a few pics of the one she sent me so I could see an example.

That should give you a basic idea. Get a wire hanger (or whatever other wire you have hanging around) and form it similar to what you see in the pics--one end holds the wick (whatever size/shape wick you have), then form down (so it holds the wick above the bottom a bit), then form to a circle on the bottom part as a fairly stable base for it all to rest on, then form up into a handle for easy retrieving. Set it in a heat-safe jar (shown is a pint size canning jar), and fill with oil so that the wick is sticking out over the top of the oil. You want the wick to, well, wick the oil. LOL But you don't want the flame right down in the oil. Heck, if you've had other lamps, you know what I mean.

Anyway, let the wick soak up the oil, squeeze out excess if necessary, and light 'er up!

I found Christmas candle jars on clearance after Christmas at WalMart and I'm planning on turning those into olive oil lamps. For those, I have 1" wide wicks (About $1 per 2-3 feet, if I remember correctly.) and some more wire ready. I also have wide mouth quart and pint canning jars to use.

Did I explain that right? Holler if I just talked in circles (like I have a habit of doing).

Oh, and obviously I just use the lid for storing it, not when it's burning.

**forestdale** · 01-09-2006, 01:08 AM

that looks fabulous. Thanks for sharing.

**ACEHearts** · 01-09-2006, 01:50 AM

Diane asked me to post pics of the lamp I made. It's a bit more "fru fru", but still serves the utilitarian purpose of creating light! LOL!

Cindy

**Michele Annette** · 01-09-2006, 02:15 PM

Very nice, Thanks!

**Valerie in WA** · 01-09-2006, 03:00 PM

Okay, I'm lost...

Diane, I love your posts, your free-spiritedness, but I need you to get a bit Type A for a couple of minutes.

IF I've ever seen an oil lamp in real life, I've never taken a good look at it.

Is the wick burning from the middle (where the tight coil of wire is)? Or from the loose end? Why do you squeeze it out? Isn't it sitting in a puddle?

How did you coil the wire so tightly? Did you wind it around something?

Where do you get wicks? Craft/fabric stores? Is yours really an inch wide? Why? Does it make brighter light?

TIA for clarifying. These are really exactly what I'm looking for! Yay!

**owiebrain** · 01-09-2006, 03:48 PM

Typing one-handed, holding baby, so excuse typos.

Before I forget, here's a link that has some good oil lamp info, most importantly how best to trim your wick for various effects. http://www.alpharubicon.com/primitiv...psstryder.html

Is the wick burning from the middle (where the tight coil of wire is)? Or from the loose end?

see the black nub sticking up from the coil? That's the part that burns. The tail just hangs out down in the oil to wick the oil up to the burning part.

Why do you squeeze it out? Isn't it sitting in a puddle?

Just in case you dipped it down in at some point during the process and overly glubbed up and dripping all over. Normally, nothing to worry about, in my (limited) experience.

How did you coil the wire so tightly? Did you wind it around something?

That one is the one I got from Kristin so I don't know how she did it. I'm thinking from the regularity that she must have coiled it around something like a crochet hook. The couple that I've done are not so pretty.

Plus I used a flat wich so they're not coils.

Where do you get wicks? Craft/fabric stores?

I got the 1" one in the lamp/furniture section at WalMart. I've heard that they can also be found at craft stores. Cindy (ACEhearts) made the wick you see in the above pic. Amazing, huh??

Is yours really an inch wide? Why? Does it make brighter light?

The one in the above pics is not the 1" wick. It's the little round one that Kristin sent. I knotted the top of it after I threaded it through the coil to keep it from slipping out, which is why it looks bigger on top.

The 1" wicks do, in general, maker more light because the flame is bigger.

Did I answer it all?

**Valerie in WA** · 01-09-2006, 11:59 PM

Okay, yeah, I think you got it all. I may try this in the next couple of weeks. I'll post if I have more questions.

As far as disaster prep, it would cost pennies to premake a few of this - or at least assure that I have the supplies on hand. I could set aside some non-organic oil - that would be the only significan expense.

Any idea how long a certain amount of oil will burn?

**mom22grls** · 01-10-2006, 12:05 AM

Do these smoke alot? Is there an odor? What is the price comparison to lamp oil? Does anyone know?
I'm relly interested in this.

**owiebrain** · 01-10-2006, 12:41 AM

Mine don't smoke or have any odors.
I don't know about a specific cost comparison but definitely cheaper to make your own and definitely cheaper to fuel for me.

Wick = $1 for 2-3 feet of 1" wide wick.
Wire = Free for us (hangers plus hubby can get free scraps of it from work)
Jars = free if you use what you have or scavenge, cheap if you buy jars on clearance.
Oil = free since I'm using only old olive oil that I found hiding in the back of the cabinet and used olive oil (strained through cheesecloth first to get out any chunks)

I have no idea on how long a certain amount of oil will burn. I've not burned them for long enough periods of time to find out yet but I certainly haven't noticed it using up the oil quickly. Once we're in the new house, I plan on seeing how long a cup of oil lasts.

**Valerie in WA** · 01-10-2006, 10:16 PM

I followed Diane's link about wick-trimming, and then found this:
http://www.alpharubicon.com/primitiv...ilburntime.htm
It covers oil & wick burn times.