Lamps

[Snugglebunny]

Quick Question...

What's the difference between an oil lamp you get at, say Lehman's, and an oil lamp you get at a regular department store (walmart for example)? Oil lamps at lehman's can cost $20 up through $100 and more, where oil lamps at walmart, I've seen as low as $5...

What's the difference?

[dagwood]

In one word: "Quality".

[YoungOne]

Basic Quality. IE; Glass Thinckness, metal welds or joins, cap seal, etc.

[Freeholder]

Quality, although Lehman's prices do tend to be a dab high. I only buy stuff from them that I can't find anywhere else -- but do check and make sure you are getting comparable quality.

Kathleen

[HermitJohn]

I basically spent 80's with just the cheap oil lamps (no electric). They work fine. Keep extra parts on hand such as wicks and spare flues. I even made a couple lamps out of short squat misc jars, just solder a spare burner to jar lid. That worked well too. Some of cheapy lamps were designed more as decoration so small capacity or small effective capacity if base is long and skinny. The wick as it get trimmed wont reach bottom of long skinny resevoir. Oh, and K-1 kerosene works fine in these lamps as does charcoal lighter fluid if you cant find lamp oil. Dont use alcohol or gasoline! Diesel smokes and plugs the wick quickly. Oh another tip, trim the wick in a "M" shape. More light.

[ET1 SS]

We have used the 'regular' oil lamps, and aladdin lamps and finally now we have graduated up to the BriteLyt lamp. Wow What a difference!

It will safely burn any flammable liquid. And it puts out 500CP. It does light up a room, and you can easily read a book from it's light. We have it hanging over our dining room table [8 foot long by 4 foot wide] and it puts out enough light that you can sit anywhere at the table and read.

If you just want something so you are not left in the complete dark, then a regular oil lamp is fine.

If you want to read, or knit, or clean your rifle, or cook dinner, or even play cards, then you may well need something with a bit more light output.

[Jillis]

Where is the best place to get a Britelyt Lamp, ET?

[ET1 SS]

I don't know.

Lehmans sales them.

I went to their website and got our directly.

They also maintain a forum to discuss them lamps and any problems. Not all woven mantles can take the heat, and I had problems with ours sooting up the mantle, but was able to get help and I learned how to fix it. So now it is working much better. [the issue was dealing with the additives they put into fuels and how some of those additives gunk-up the internals of the lamp] If you burn vehicle fuels you have to deal with more problems from the stupid additives, icck.

However do sit down, before you see the price. They are expensive. We believe that it was well worth the price.

If you go to the forum, beware some of the humour is not all tongue in cheek. "My eyes! My eyes! I burned out my retinas!" are not uncommon remarks when folks try to adjust the fuel-air mixture. It is okay, the spots do fade after a few minutes.

[catlyn]

I was told that using olive oil lamps is a very safe type for mood lighting (not to read by) as if tipped the oil will not all catch fire and burn the house down- I have not tested thisyet but plan too (outside). You can get the special wicks and wick holders from Hebrew supply stores. You can use old bottles stuffed with silk flowers and topped by these wick holders to creat very pretty gifts (fairly inexpensively). You can also get 'clear' olive oil that is not green nor brown.

[FarmerDave]

Hi Folks

New here but figured I had to put my 2 cents in at some point.

One of the best places I've found to buy the Britelyt lamp as well as other goods is Walton Feed. They're usually fairly priced but if you're far away don't forget to consider the shipping costs.

Here's a link to the Britelyt lamp page.

http://waltonfeed.com/petromax.html

FarmerDave (Tennessee)