# The Great Oil Lamp Bounty **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 9, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970 "2008-02-09T23:07:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/1 "2008-02-09T23:07:36Z")
OK, for those who’ve been following my thread in the ATMB forum, here is a copy of the e-mail I sent TubaDiva: > [@](#): > > I’ve been looking for a special type of oil lamp for years now that as far as I can tell simply doesn’t exist or is vanishingly rare. I did post an open request for info way back on the board ( [Please help me find (oil lamp) - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=241224) ) but no one could help. Here’s another post on the same subject that I replied to: ( [lamp oil - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=258150) ) I was considering offering a finder’s fee, because it may be necessary to find some craftsperson willing and able to build one from scratch, and the reward was to encourage the depth of search finding someone like this might require. > > What I want is an oil lamp or lantern that burns vegetable oil. The closest thing I’ve ever found available are either floating-wick candles that can use vegetable oil, reproductions of ancient lamps in terra cotta, or homemade camping-out/survival lamps. Those are all fine but they’re not what I’m looking for. I’m looking for a lamp with glass chimney and adjustable wick that burns vegetable oil. Regular lamps designed to use kerosene or liquid paraffin lamp oil can NOT use vegetable oil because it’s too thick to move more than a fraction of an inch up a wick. Back in the early nineteenth century they did have lamps expressly designed to use vegetable oil; they worked by using a gravity-feed system similar to those pet water dispensers you see in pet stores, and were variously called Argand, Rumford, or Solar lamps. They ceased to exist once refined kerosene replaced vegetable oil as the fuel of choice after the mid-19th century. So there you have it. I have no idea how much to offer as a reward, partially because I have no idea just how much expense obtaining such a lamp might involve. For starters, let’s say $20 or 20% of the lamp’s cost, with haggling allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/2 "2008-02-09T23:28:40Z")
What you want is called an [Argand lamp](http://www.goantiques.com/detail,argand-lamps,1495763.html). This one is a bit pricey, but it’s a genuine antique and absolutely beautiful. I suspect that, knowing what it’s called, you can likely find a modern reproduction that’s somewhat more affordable. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/3 "2008-02-09T23:34:49Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] What you want is called an [Argand lamp](http://www.goantiques.com/detail,argand-lamps,1495763.html). [/QUOTE] And I see you _knew_ that already. Shoulda read to the end. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/4 "2008-02-10T00:29:29Z")
[http://www.theoillampstore.com/antique\_and\_collectible\_oil\_lamps.html](http://www.theoillampstore.com/antique_and_collectible_oil_lamps.html) Pricey and no need for a bounty if its what you are looking for just glad to help. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/5 "2008-02-10T01:14:17Z")
[QUOTE=Lumpy] … 20% of the lamp’s cost, with haggling allowed. [/QUOTE] So for Q.E.D. haggling starts at $2900? (And you apparently need a supply of spermaceti oil.) Gives me renewed appreciation for my fluorescent desk lamp. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/6 "2008-02-10T01:52:44Z")
[QUOTE=RyJae] [http://www.theoillampstore.com/antique\_and\_collectible\_oil\_lamps.html](http://www.theoillampstore.com/antique_and_collectible_oil_lamps.html) Pricey and no need for a bounty if its what you are looking for just glad to help. [/QUOTE] Unfortunately, a genuine period antique is beyond my price range; if anyone makes modern duplicates of those, the example you linked to would be great. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/7 "2008-02-10T02:00:52Z")
[QUOTE=Lumpy] Unfortunately, a genuine period antique is beyond my price range; if anyone makes modern duplicates of those, the example you linked to would be great. [/QUOTE] A lot on ebay some may be what you’re looking for under student lamps. ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/8 "2008-02-10T02:42:16Z")
[Lehman’s](http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=474&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=682&iSubCat=894&iProductID=474) has a small collection of “olive oil lamps”, which will burn any vegetable oil. They don’t look like they would be as efficient as some of the antique lamps in the other links, especially without any kind of reflector to concentrate the light. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/9 "2008-02-10T03:38:08Z")
> [@RyJae](#): > > A lot on ebay some may be what you’re looking for under student lamps. I’ll keep looking through those from time to time, but apparently virtually all such lamps were electrified and no longer can burn oil; or they are “student lamps” in style but have always been kerosene burners. > [@MisterThyristor](#): > > Lehman’s has a small collection of “olive oil lamps”, which will burn any vegetable oil. They don’t look like they would be as efficient as some of the antique lamps in the other links, especially without any kind of reflector to concentrate the light. Nice, but not what I"m looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/10 "2008-02-10T18:24:13Z")
A couple of vegetable oil lamps here [http://www.artofpewter.com/02\_pewter\_kerosene\_and\_oil\_lamps1.htm](http://www.artofpewter.com/02_pewter_kerosene_and_oil_lamps1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Dottygumdrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Dottygumdrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dottygumdrop)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/11 "2008-02-10T19:03:21Z")
[These guys](http://www.jptinsmith.com/SolarHarpLamp.html) may be able to help - still not cheap, but they can make to order! ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/12 "2008-02-11T07:46:16Z")
No fancy glass chimney, but it’s cheap and you probably have one in your cupboard. Can of tuna in oil, awl for pokin’ a hole and a piece of wrapping string for a wick. Burns for 4 to 5 hours. Fairly pathetic flame and smells surprisingly…like fish. But hey, you can still make a sandwich afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/13 "2008-02-11T10:12:43Z")
[QUOTE=bare] No fancy glass chimney, but it’s cheap and you probably have one in your cupboard. Can of tuna in oil, awl for pokin’ a hole and a piece of wrapping string for a wick. Burns for 4 to 5 hours. Fairly pathetic flame and smells surprisingly…like fish. But hey, you can still make a sandwich afterwards. [/QUOTE] This is a brilliant idea. Do you mind if I do a video tutorial on this method for my website? ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/14 "2008-02-11T13:20:50Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] This is a brilliant idea. Do you mind if I do a video tutorial on this method for my website? [/QUOTE] Pretty sure it isn’t a patented idea, have at it. A link to the video would be fun. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/15 "2008-02-11T14:26:35Z")
[QUOTE=bare] Pretty sure it isn’t a patented idea, have at it. A link to the video would be fun. [/QUOTE] Great! I’m going to do it this evening. ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/16 "2008-02-11T16:15:18Z")
You can also make a lamp out of a tangerine: Cut a round hole in the skin of the tangerine in the bottom. This will officially be the top. To determine hole size, imagine you are working on a tiny jack-o-lantern. Extract the orange segments\* but leave that pulpy stem thing attached inside. This is your lamp’s wick. Pour in two or three tablespoons of vegetable oil and let set a bit. Then light your wick and you have a cute little lamp. It smells good too! \*You get bonus fun points if you can get all the segments out without damaging them. It is possible if you’re careful. ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/17 "2008-02-11T16:26:25Z")
Meant to add for **Lumpy,** I’m wondering what if you just bought a wick that can be used with vegetable oil and put it in a lamp of your choosing? [This site](http://www.wickstore.com/fiberglass.html) says some of their fiberglass wicks can be used with biofuels. They might have other alternatives but I don’t have time now to look. Hope this might be of some help though. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/18 "2008-02-11T17:04:55Z")
[QUOTE=bare] No fancy glass chimney, but it’s cheap and you probably have one in your cupboard. Can of tuna in oil, awl for pokin’ a hole and a piece of wrapping string for a wick. Burns for 4 to 5 hours. Fairly pathetic flame and smells surprisingly…like fish. But hey, you can still make a sandwich afterwards. [/QUOTE] Now THAT"S Macgyvering! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/19 "2008-02-11T17:46:44Z")
[These folks](http://store.britelyt.com/servlet/-strse-500CP-Lanterns/Categories) will sell you a 500 cp pressure lantern for a very reasonable price. The thing is advertised as burning everything from kerosene to gasoline to biodiesel and diesel fuel - I think veggie oil would be OK. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970/20 "2008-02-12T00:43:46Z")
[QUOTE=bare] Pretty sure it isn’t a patented idea, have at it. A link to the video would be fun. [/QUOTE] It works like a charm. Here’s the video: [http://www.atomicshrimp.com/tuna/](http://www.atomicshrimp.com/tuna/) Thanks for the idea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-oil-lamp-bounty/436970.md?page=2)