Looking for DIY Lamp Oil

Hello! I am looking for a recipe for DIY lamp oil for a hurricane lamp. I've read all over that you can't use Olive Oil because it doesn't have fumes to burn. Is there any substance I could use in place of buying oil? I would think there would be some alternative that was used originally, I can't imagine the pioneers buying a lamp oil solution as opposed to something they had on hand.

Tallow and beeswax come to mind for pioneer candles.  I'm not sure what they used in lamps in the olden days, other than whale juice.

Ah, I forgot about whale oil. I can't imagine it having a fume, though. The only other thing I could think of is kerosene, but that seems unlikely as you can't make it on the homestead (can you?)

Almond Thompson wrote:Ah, I forgot about whale oil. I can't imagine it having a fume, though. The only other thing I could think of is kerosene, but that seems unlikely as you can't make it on the homestead (can you?)

It's possible to make a form of kerosene, sometimes called biodiesel, from discarded cooking oil.

The problem with using natural oils directly is that they gum up the wick. If that can be overcome with regular maintenance, note that olive oil has been used in simple lamps since it was invented.

Can your fuel source involve used/discarded fossil fuel materials? I have been meaning to filter and try used paint thinner from the ecostation in a hurricane lamp. I suspect it's more volatile than regular kerosene, so it might burn a little TOO well. Maybe mixed with used hydraulic oil? This will require some careful experimenting.

One year for Christmas I was given a kit that contained some wicks and a metal tray.  The idea was to fill a glass with water then put vegetable oil in the tray with the wick to make a candle.

It was a fun experiment.

You or others might find this thread of interest:

David Said, "I converted a few lamps to run on olive oil but found a light vegetable oil burned better. As laid out above the oil won't travel as far up the wick so you have to get the flame close to the oil. The other thing is you need to keep adding oil to keep the level up in the reservoir again because it does not wick well. I eventually discarded the lamp altogether and used a small 6 oz mason jar with two holes. one for the wick one for easy refilling...

https://permies.com/t/122921/burn-olive-oil-oil-lamps

There are a few lamps called hurricane lamp but what they have in common is a careful mix of air and fuel to create a consistent flame.  

If it burns too hot, the lamp can melt or the glass break.  If the fuel is too sluggish, then it gums up the mechanism and is highly unpleasant to clean (don't ask how I know, it just happened... um, yeh, let's stick with that except to say that years later, I haven't got it working to pre-me standards).  So it needs a fuel that is in a very narrow range.  Given past experiences, I would want to know a lot more about chemistry before attempting to MacGyver a fuel for a hurricane lamp again.  

If you need light in a hurry, making an alcohol or oil lamp is easy.  Put some strong alochol (40 proof or higher) or vegi oil in a small shallow bowl and then put a cotton wick in it (a part of a t-shirt).  leave a bit hanging out of the oil and light that.  

Almond Thompson wrote:Hello! I am looking for a recipe for DIY lamp oil for a hurricane lamp. I've read all over that you can't use Olive Oil because it doesn't have fumes to burn. Is there any substance I could use in place of buying oil? I would think there would be some alternative that was used originally, I can't imagine the pioneers buying a lamp oil solution as opposed to something they had on hand.

In my experience you can make just about any naturally occurring oil burn to produce light. I have tried olive oil, canola oil, tallow mixed with oil, lard. Ancient lamps used to burn all sorts of vegetable oils. The problem you get is the thicker the oil you use the shorter distance up the wick the oil will travel and the wick will burn. When I made my olive oil lamp I used the standard oil lamp wick and had it in a 1 inch tall mason jar. The wick came through the lid in a hole I cut. It burnt fine for the first 1/2 inch but needed refilling after that.  I also tried a seventy five percent mix of tallow with  25 percent beeswax to make a candle in a jar thing. That worked really well...
Cheers,  David

David Baillie wrote:When I made my olive oil lamp I used the standard oil lamp wick and had it in a 1 inch tall mason jar. The wick came through the lid in a hole I cut. It burnt fine for the first 1/2 inch but needed refilling after that.

I wonder if the wick could be held by some sort of float to maintain a constant flow of oil. Hmm.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:
Can your fuel source involve used/discarded fossil fuel materials? I have been meaning to filter and try used paint thinner from the ecostation in a hurricane lamp. I suspect it's more volatile than regular kerosene, so it might burn a little TOO well. Maybe mixed with used hydraulic oil? This will require some careful experimenting.

The fuel of choice of people who collect fine antique lamps is "odorless mineral spirits," which is more refined mineral spirits, which is more refined "paint thinner," so I think it would work.

The typical "kerosene lamp\lantern" we know today did come about after the refinement of crude oil became popular. It's amazing how quickly the technology evolved, but inventing and industrialization was rampant back then, and they couldn't just flip a light switch for light, so they had much motive to do so.

I have also experienced issues with wicking even with kerosene type fuel. You may notice after adjusting the flame as bright as possible without smoking that after about 20 seconds the flame has gone down quite a bit due to lack of fuel. This is generally noticable with low fuel in a relatively deep font. Most people today don't think too much about a lamp wick, but back in their day there was much competition and much emphasis placed on the exact dimensions, materials, even weave pattern to make wicks that would wick well, last, and produce the most light.

As for thick oils not wicking well against gravity, this issue was addressed many, many years ago:

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:
It's possible to make a form of kerosene, sometimes called biodiesel, from discarded cooking oil.

The problem with using natural oils directly is that they gum up the wick. If that can be overcome with regular maintenance, note that olive oil has been used in simple lamps since it was invented.

Can your fuel source involve used/discarded fossil fuel materials? I have been meaning to filter and try used paint thinner from the ecostation in a hurricane lamp. I suspect it's more volatile than regular kerosene, so it might burn a little TOO well. Maybe mixed with used hydraulic oil? This will require some careful experimenting.

I have heard that about natural oils. I'll be trying a regular oil lamp soon.
Sounds like some very interesting experiments!!! Keep us updated

r ranson wrote:There are a few lamps called hurricane lamp but what they have in common is a careful mix of air and fuel to create a consistent flame.  

If it burns too hot, the lamp can melt or the glass break.  If the fuel is too sluggish, then it gums up the mechanism and is highly unpleasant to clean (don't ask how I know, it just happened... um, yeh, let's stick with that except to say that years later, I haven't got it working to pre-me standards).  So it needs a fuel that is in a very narrow range.  Given past experiences, I would want to know a lot more about chemistry before attempting to MacGyver a fuel for a hurricane lamp again.  

If you need light in a hurry, making an alcohol or oil lamp is easy.  Put some strong alochol (40 proof or higher) or vegi oil in a small shallow bowl and then put a cotton wick in it (a part of a t-shirt).  leave a bit hanging out of the oil and light that.  

good to know. I wondered about the cleaning aspect.

Jordan Holland wrote:

The fuel of choice of people who collect fine antique lamps is "odorless mineral spirits," which is more refined mineral spirits, which is more refined "paint thinner," so I think it would work.

The typical "kerosene lamp\lantern" we know today did come about after the refinement of crude oil became popular. It's amazing how quickly the technology evolved, but inventing and industrialization was rampant back then, and they couldn't just flip a light switch for light, so they had much motive to do so.

I have also experienced issues with wicking even with kerosene type fuel. You may notice after adjusting the flame as bright as possible without smoking that after about 20 seconds the flame has gone down quite a bit due to lack of fuel. This is generally noticable with low fuel in a relatively deep font. Most people today don't think too much about a lamp wick, but back in their day there was much competition and much emphasis placed on the exact dimensions, materials, even weave pattern to make wicks that would wick well, last, and produce the most light.

As for thick oils not wicking well against gravity, this issue was addressed many, many years ago:

Great info! So many small things we used to think about that are lost to time.

Almond Thompson wrote:

r ranson wrote:There are a few lamps called hurricane lamp but what they have in common is a careful mix of air and fuel to create a consistent flame.  

If it burns too hot, the lamp can melt or the glass break.  If the fuel is too sluggish, then it gums up the mechanism and is highly unpleasant to clean (don't ask how I know, it just happened... um, yeh, let's stick with that except to say that years later, I haven't got it working to pre-me standards).  So it needs a fuel that is in a very narrow range.  Given past experiences, I would want to know a lot more about chemistry before attempting to MacGyver a fuel for a hurricane lamp again.  

If you need light in a hurry, making an alcohol or oil lamp is easy.  Put some strong alochol (40 proof or higher) or vegi oil in a small shallow bowl and then put a cotton wick in it (a part of a t-shirt).  leave a bit hanging out of the oil and light that.  

good to know. I wondered about the cleaning aspect.

I need to go at it with kerosene to dissolve the oil but I don't like working with that chemical.  It will also be a high risk of damaging the finish of the antique so I hesitate to take the next step.

I have used olive oil with success in my DIY everlasting candles (a steel tube with a piece of carbon felt wick / cut strips from a 1/4" thick welding blanket).

The carbon felt itself does not burn, just the oil that wicks through it.  Carbon felt is sold in sheets and can be cut to any size.

Burns a very long time, and I have made some very wide ones too that I use in a DIY space heater.  

I get a little bit black soot if the wick is too long but overall not too messy.  

Unsure if it is safe for use in a hurricane lamp as it does burn very hot and the inside of the glass may get gummy from the olive oil.  

Safer then most lamp oils as if the lamp gets knocked over the olive oil will put out the flame instead of spreading the fire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZg6hirk9r0
This guy uses gelatin to settle out the nasty stuff in used cooking oil to make a lovely lamp oil.  I think glycerin is the gummy bit that fouls the wick.

Lynne Cim wrote:I have used olive oil with success in my DIY everlasting candles (a steel tube with a piece of carbon felt wick / cut strips from a 1/4" thick welding blanket).

The carbon felt itself does not burn, just the oil that wicks through it.  Carbon felt is sold in sheets and can be cut to any size.

Burns a very long time, and I have made some very wide ones too that I use in a DIY space heater.  

I get a little bit black soot if the wick is too long but overall not too messy.  

Unsure if it is safe for use in a hurricane lamp as it does burn very hot and the inside of the glass may get gummy from the olive oil.  

Safer then most lamp oils as if the lamp gets knocked over the olive oil will put out the flame instead of spreading the fire.

That is pretty neat... Does the candle just have oil saturating the carbon cloth or is it pulling from a reservoir?

Almond Thompson wrote:Hello! I am looking for a recipe for DIY lamp oil for a hurricane lamp. I've read all over that you can't use Olive Oil because it doesn't have fumes to burn. Is there any substance I could use in place of buying oil? I would think there would be some alternative that was used originally, I can't imagine the pioneers buying a lamp oil solution as opposed to something they had on hand.

I know this is an older thread but I'm chasing the rabbit as well!

Olive oil does burn, but it has a higher flash point and more viscosity. Adjustments to be made. Olive oil seems to like 1" to 1.5" of wicking, more and there's just not the flame you want r will just go out. With all burning lamps, the wick should not be exposed below the flame point (burner). You'll get a flame jump! Don't want that!

Lookup both Bright Betty's and Chunk Light lamps. I've built both and have them running on olive oil. Kero is just too stinky for us. Wifey does not like the smell of the liquid paraffin so lead the chase after the rabbit and landing with olive oil. LOL

Working through wick sizes now to find that sweet spot of best flame!


Bright Betty

do notice the copper tube goes in the fuel!!

Chunk Light lamp

These days, I have a hard time thinking of olive oil as a lamp fuel. It's a wonderful food and home cooking staple, and the supply has been hit hard; olive groves are in deep crisis.

OTOH, raw animal tallow is available everywhere. So is restaurant oil/grease -- though I think less so these days (?), as this becomes a reliable input for other industrial processes.

I wonder if we need to invent a lamp that can preheat and use all sorts of discarded oils. I know the Inuit aboriginal peoples in the Canadian Arctic used some form of tallow/oil from seals and perhaps whales to survive -- small amounts of heat and light in the long darkness.

But our waste oil lamps could also be hi-tech / lo-tech, which is consistent with what people are doing here -- including me. If we can use a bit of solar for micro-fans or pre-heating, for example, is that cheating?

Or if we stay lo-tech and add a little home brew alcohol to emulsify the oil fuel?

Not a solution -- just spitballing.

A grease lamp is what most American's used in the 1700's. Most could not afford candles and usually had spare oil/grease in their homes, discarded from other uses.  A grease lamp can be easy to make out of pottery or forge out of metal.  

This historian does a great job of explaining grease lamps and how to make them more efficient, as well as tips and tricks.    

I love the simplicity and going back to the simple roots of our ancestors!

The lamp that works best for me is a floating cork holding a cotton wick, covered with alluminium foil to prevent the cork from burning. I use this lamp in a glass filled with olive oil. It needs to be trimmed before using it, if the lamp was left to light off on its own.

About the fuel, fresh normal olive oil (not extra virgin) is the best, but it is expensive. Canola oil works well, but it smells like fries. Our discarded olive oil sadly smells like fried fish, because that's what we use it for. I guess I could use it in case of emergency, but it's not a pleasant smell for the house.

Has anyone tried Moringa oil?

Douglas reminds me of something I don't think I ever got around to posting. In the span of time between whale oil and kerosene, the most common fuel for lamps was called "Camphine." It was a mixture of three parts highly refined grain alcohol mixed with one part turpentine. It appears there may have been some safety issues, but I have yet to try and myself. It does seem interesting and could technically be made entirely on the homestead. I wonder how low the percentage of turpentine can be and still give a bright flame, as it would be the more difficult item to make in quantity.

Plumbers fabric or Carbon Felt can be used as a wick that not only doesnt burn, but will also handle wicking thicker oils from container bottom to the top burn location. Just something i learned this last year. I am currently looking to convert a 100 year old kerosine heater into a olive oil heater with the carbon felt wick. Wish me luck. Keep ya posted on progress. Also it is said the olive oil burns cleaner so less toxic smoke or emission. Oh yeah supposed to be 100 times less dangerous  i.e. when knocked over it does not turn into house fire. It just goes out.

Jordan Holland wrote:Douglas reminds me of something I don't think I ever got around to posting. In the span of time between whale oil and kerosene, the most common fuel for lamps was called "Camphine." It was a mixture of three parts highly refined grain alcohol mixed with one part turpentine. It appears there may have been some safety issues, but I have yet to try and myself. It does seem interesting and could technically be made entirely on the homestead. I wonder how low the percentage of turpentine can be and still give a bright flame, as it would be the more difficult item to make in quantity.

Interesting! I'd never heard of that. Wikipedia has a page giving more info on camphine and burning fluid: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camphine It sounds like both required specific lamp types and weren't the safest fuels!

Late to the party as this is my first time seeing this thread. I'm not sure what the original poster is hoping to use this for, but I would be apprehensive of a homebrew fuel used routinely for light in the home. I suspect it would be challenging to get a clean-burning flame, and there would likely be a substantial impact on indoor air quality. You can still find soot stains in the brickwork of old UK buildings where oil lamps were mounted on the walls.

Clean burning fuels require a delicate balance between airflow, fuel gasification, and temperature. Less than ideal fuels are highly unlikely to burn cleanly, especially in a device like a hurricane lamp that was originally optimised for a different fuel.

First post on this forum but I've done my looking at this topic too!

The best I've personally found through a lot of research seems to be either thinned biodiesel (ideally thinned using small amounts of methanol or fully dried grain alcohol) or sunflower oil. Apparently either works but requires a lot of tuning. Be careful about things like Camphene, if used in the wrong application they can and will create a lot of very flammable vapor that's prone to catch because there's a fire above it- Not saying don't use it but be careful. I think sunflower oil would be the most accessible, though, it's fairly low viscosity compared to other oils and can get very hot before reaching its flash point (around 600F). It burns clean if there's enough fuel and it's hot enough to keep it evenly vaporizing.

Cheers, and good luck!

Welcome c.
Great first post, by the way!

Abraham Palma wrote:Welcome c.
Great first post, by the way!

Thanks! I've lurked here for the last six months and have been slowly building my own knowledge thanks to the contributions of you fine folks, and figured I'd offer up some of my own for the generosity.

Back on topic, the best oils for making decent biodiesel are usually thinner unsaturated oils, these being your typical liquid oils (canola, peanut, olive, sunflower, and castor, potentially more exotic oils like jojoba and palm). I'd recommend sunflower in most places unless you can grow peanuts for oil thanks to the extra nitrogen fixation they provide and the green manuring you can do with the unharvested bits such as the leaves. If not, just about anything will work but fully saturated oils and fats will tend to make a thicker biodiesel and thus might be better for farm equipment fuel (should be drop in if you use tractor oil for them) and home heaters using home heating oils.

Grow what you can, test, see what'll work best for you and your area. Be careful of the fuel temperature, too cold and you won't get any wicking whatsoever, especially close to cloud and gel point. Good luck!

Hello C

Welcome to Permies!