[TheForge] coal or charcoal

[Andrew Vida]

OK, then I guess there are some types of wicked lamps that behave 
differently.  Learn something new every day.  Thanks.

Peter Hirst wrote:
> Andrew wrote:
> 
> "D00d, ANY oil will work in a wicked lamp"
> 
> Not exactly.  In my historic shop, I want to use Aladdin mantle lamps 
> --  because they produce real light, about 60 watt equivalent.  I can 
> tell you from experience that they and other center draft lamps will 
> clog if the right fuel is not used.  I worked as the lamp guy in an old 
> school general store for a year, and saw any number of Alladins, Rayos 
> and similar with wicks that looked like they had been dipped in epoxy.  
> For technical reasons that I can explain if you like, the denser, 
> heavier compounds in certain fuels build up in these wicks and 
> eventually prevent the capillary action that they rely on from drawing 
> any more oil.  Alladin speciies not using "smokeless, odorless" lamp 
> oil, for example, because of its paraffin content, recommending only 
> kerosene.  Which is in fact smokelss and odorless in a properly tuned 
> center draft lamp.  I am currently working on formulation of a recycled 
> veggie based fuel that will not clog a center draft wick.  I'll let you 
> know how it turns out. So far I can tell you, it has to be mechanically 
> filtered pretty fine.