# Homemade Oil Lamp from Canning Jar



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I read somewhere that there is a place to order oil lamps made with pint canning jars. I want to get the directions to make one. I saw a Youtube video, but would like to get written instructions.

Have any of you made one or have one? Evidently you can order pre-made parts to do this.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

The way to do this is really easy. Buy your jars, buy the lamp lids, buy wicking and chimneys.

Fill the jars with oil and screw on the lamp lid.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Grimm, then you have done this? Would you be willing to post a photo of one?

I was just looking on ebay for the metal lamp part, and some are not cheap. I will make a trip to my local hardware store and check out what they have.

I have one lamp that was my grandparents and another one I bought a number of years ago.

I know I need more wicking. I did read that you can make your own wicking, but I have not seen specific instructions in how to do that. I did read that cotton is the best to use. I imagine using anything synthetic can be toxic and make a big mess.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

I've bought these burner/chimney holders from Amazon - they're not always that expensive, you have to watch to see when the price dips. I bought them to put on Ball's nostalgic blue jars, but I still need to get some chimneys.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

weedygarden said:


> Grimm, then you have done this? Would you be willing to post a photo of one?
> 
> I was just looking on ebay for the metal lamp part, and some are not cheap. I will make a trip to my local hardware store and check out what they have.
> 
> ...


Actually, I grew up with Victorian oil lamps in our home. We used them when the power would go out due to storms. I always helped my mom clean and fill them.

Here is a supplier for the burners and chimneys that is not expensive.

http://www.oillampparts.com/mason.html

He even goes to explain that to maintain proper oil depth in the font/jar people add rocks etc so less oil is used.

I am in the market for some of these myself. I want to have a bunch for SHingTF but I am up in the air about what size jars to use. Maybe I'll use quarts and fill them with colorful marbles (I collect them when ever I find them on the ground).


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Grimm, I like that idea of adding pebbles or marbles to the jars - I would think that bottom weight would add some stability.


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

Watch sales at places like Hobby Lobby and Dollar General; They have bags of colored glass marbles and pebbles. I just saw some at DG for about $2.50/bag I think.. and they were in that range or a bit higher at HL; but with a good sale, the price might be much less. I wanted some to go in the bottom of some lidded salsa or jam jars I got at a yard sale. I wanted to use them for votive candle holders..


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

ksmama10 said:


> Watch sales at places like Hobby Lobby and Dollar General; They have bags of colored glass marbles and pebbles. I just saw some at DG for about $2.50/bag I think.. and they were in that range or a bit higher at HL; but with a good sale, the price might be much less. I wanted some to go in the bottom of some lidded salsa or jam jars I got at a yard sale. I wanted to use them for votive candle holders..


The average bag of marbles has one shooter and anywhere from 24-49 smaller marbles in it. I know in the spring the 99¢ Store has the 25 count bags for a $1 in the gardening section. I just don't like how they are all the same in the bags. I like variety.

I actually would use vintage marbles myself. I have a 'thing' for the way old jars full of old marbles look. I started my collection as a kid finding them on the street and even buying the odd shooter or cats eye at the corner tobacco shop. Even as an adult I pick them up when I find them and add them to the jar on the kitchen counter. I feel like a ferret when I find one.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I have used my oil lamps from time to time during power outages. 

In the one video where the guy lights the lamp you can hear a child in the background who is very excited about the fire being lit. I have had a child come visit who touched the chimney and burnt himself. As I look around my house, I have few places up high enough to keep a child from touching or bothering the lamp.

I am also keeping rancid oil for the purpose of burning in the lamps. I think a box or kit of all of this with some canning jars of oil would help to keep all of the parts together. 

In the one video, the guy only filled up the jars part way with oil. I think this would be safer. 

I too have some marbles and some glass beads. I think this is a great idea to help keep them stable. 

My grandparents had two houses burn when their family was young. One fire involved kerosene while they were filling their lamps. I know nothing more about how it happened. I am going to take that lesson to mean to fill lamps during the daytime, even though it may have been daytime when this happened. 

The other time they went to the neighbors to help butcher and when they came home their house was an ashen heap. They never knew what caused it.


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

Grimm said:


> The average bag of marbles has one shooter and anywhere from 24-49 smaller marbles in it. I know in the spring the 99¢ Store has the 25 count bags for a $1 in the gardening section. I just don't like how they are all the same in the bags. I like variety.
> 
> I actually would use vintage marbles myself. I have a 'thing' for the way old jars full of old marbles look. I started my collection as a kid finding them on the street and even buying the odd shooter or cats eye at the corner tobacco shop. Even as an adult I pick them up when I find them and add them to the jar on the kitchen counter. I feel like a ferret when I find one.


Oh, you mean REAL marbles...I haven't seen those in a long time.I was always afraid my kids would be the ones sticking them in their mouths..

PS: if you ask the right people in my family, they'll tell you I lost my marbles a long time ago..


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Glad I decided to read this thread, I never would have thought to use canning jars.

If the lamps are to be used long term, guess you could use quart and half gallon jars to keep from having to refill them as often. I have no idea how long a half gallon would burn for and hope I dont have to find out but its a nice idea to have in contingency.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Davarm said:


> Glad I decided to read this thread, I never would have thought to use canning jars.
> 
> If the lamps are to be used long term, guess you could use quart and half gallon jars to keep from having to refill them as often. I have no idea how long a half gallon would burn for and hope I dont have to find out but its a nice idea to have in contingency.


The burners made for canning jars only fit regular mouth jars. I have been looking for wide mouth burners without luck.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Davarm said:


> Glad I decided to read this thread, I never would have thought to use canning jars.
> 
> If the lamps are to be used long term, guess you could use quart and half gallon jars to keep from having to refill them as often. I have no idea how long a half gallon would burn for and hope I dont have to find out but its a nice idea to have in contingency.


You are right, you wouldn't have to refill them as often if you had larger jars. I have never been a part of doing that regularly so it might be a pain. I was thinking that if there were an accident and one got dropped or spilled, I would want to have less oil in it so there was less waste, less, mess, less clean up.

I like the idea of using jars because they are such a common prepper item. If one were to get broken, it would be much more easily replaced than a lamp.

No matter what kind of lamp, the chimneys are the most fragile part and the part that is most likely to get broken. I suppose you can't have too many of them in the long term.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Here is a link to some parts to make an olive oil lamp where the jar is the chimney.

https://www.lehmans.com/c-29-olive-oil-lamps.aspx?pagesize=100


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Grimm said:


> The burners made for canning jars only fit regular mouth jars. I have been looking for wide mouth burners without luck.


I have small mouth quarts and small mouth half gallons, the quarts are easy to find, most of mine are small mouth.

I also have small mouth half gallons, got them from my grandmother before she passed, have never seen them for sale locally but I'm sure they are available somewhere, "maybe". lol


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Davarm said:


> I have small mouth quarts and small mouth half gallons, the quarts are easy to find, most of mine are small mouth.
> 
> I also have small mouth half gallons, got them from my grandmother before she passed, have never seen them for sale locally but I'm sure they are available somewhere, "maybe". lol


Ball and Kerr don't make small mouth half gallon jars.

http://www.freshpreserving.com/products/canning-jars


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

A few years ago, I bought some of the jar topper lamps off of ebay. Then, at a flea market, I bought some pint jars that had handles for the jars to be "*******" drinking glasses. Now my oil lamps have handles for easy carrying. 

I have close to 50 oil lamps. Anytime I'm at a flea market or yard sale, and there is one that looks nice for cheap, I buy it. 

I also have a large stock up of wick. One day I was on ebay looking for wick replacement for a lamp and ended up buying a bunch of different kinds so that I have refills for any kind of lamp I have.

A couple of times a year, I go to rural king and buy a few bottles of oil when they have a sale. I have almost 10 gallons of oil stocked up.


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## AdmiralD7S (Dec 6, 2012)

Grimm said:


> The burners made for canning jars only fit regular mouth jars. I have been looking for wide mouth burners without luck.


What about making your own adapter? I've seen (but haven't tried) how to turn a beer bottle into a drinking glass by dipping a string in lighter fluid, wrapping it around a bottle, lighting it, and then submerging the bottle in cold water. The thermal shock supposedly breaks the bottle with a nice, clean edge.

If you could do that at the right place with a regular mouth jar, you might be able to use the top half as an adapter. The bottom flange would fit under the wide mouth ring, and the top part with the regular threads would stick up for your lamp stuff.

Haven't tried it. Just thinking of how it might work.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but...
Other than for nostalgia reasons, why would you want to do this? 

I am speaking from a purely practical standpoint - LED bulbs (for me) work far better than oil lamps - no risk of fire and I can turn the bulb to shine in the direction I need the light. 
If I need a small flame for light, I can get Catholic candles at the Dollar Tree for $1 each. They will burn for several days!


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Grimm said:


> Ball and Kerr don't make small mouth half gallon jars.
> 
> http://www.freshpreserving.com/products/canning-jars


I looked at one of my small mouth half gallons, it's "Ball", never noticed it before but they do look a bit older than most of my other jars.

I tried to look up the "Ball" logo and the closest thing I could find to it is one from 1960-1975.

The pic below is similar to my jars but the "Mason" is larger and more blocked and is the only other writting on the jar - they also have the "gripper" lines on the jar sides.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

LincTex said:


> I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but...
> Other than for nostalgia reasons, why would you want to do this?
> 
> I am speaking from a purely practical standpoint - LED bulbs (for me) work far better than oil lamps - no risk of fire and I can turn the bulb to shine in the direction I need the light.
> If I need a small flame for light, I can get Catholic candles at the Dollar Tree for $1 each. They will burn for several days!


I get that, LinTex. I am thinking about the potential of when there is no electricity. It is another layer of preparedness. You have heard the saying, "Two is one and one is none." I believe that is talking about having backups and alternatives.

My boyfriend has taken to buying me flashlights when he travels and is trying to come up with gifts for me. The latest one is a small flashlight that is on a ring that is now on my key ring. I have a solar charged flashlight and several more for my various bags. I have one in my first aid kit, one in my BOB, and on and on.

I have batteries, but they deteriate over time. I have rechargeables, but anyone who has ever been into recharging batteries knows what a pain in the behind that can be. Maybe that is when one person is in charge of recharging batteries while others are not as responsible about keeping the stock of batteries together. In a grid down situation, a solar charger would be a God send.

I also keep collecting solar garden lights when I see them on sale. They can charge during daylight, and be used inside when it is dark out. I could imagine them disappearing during a grid down situation if they were not closely guarded.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

jeff47041 said:


> A few years ago, I bought some of the jar topper lamps off of ebay. Then, at a flea market, I bought some pint jars that had handles for the jars to be "*******" drinking glasses. Now my oil lamps have handles for easy carrying.
> 
> I have close to 50 oil lamps. Anytime I'm at a flea market or yard sale, and there is one that looks nice for cheap, I buy it.
> 
> ...


I had one of the canning jars with a handle on it. This summer I took a bunch of excess dishes to a local thrift shop and that odd jar went too. I now regret that. I was thinking having jars with handles would make them much less likely to get dropped and broken. I have seen them around from time to time, so now I will put them on my "watch for" list.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

LincTex said:


> I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but...
> Other than for nostalgia reasons, why would you want to do this?
> 
> I am speaking from a purely practical standpoint - LED bulbs (for me) work far better than oil lamps - no risk of fire and I can turn the bulb to shine in the direction I need the light.
> If I need a small flame for light, I can get Catholic candles at the Dollar Tree for $1 each. They will burn for several days!


Personally, I like the option should SHTF and batteries run out. Tallow and other fats can be used in the lamps when the oil runs out.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

AdmiralD7S said:


> What about making your own adapter? I've seen (but haven't tried) how to turn a beer bottle into a drinking glass by dipping a string in lighter fluid, wrapping it around a bottle, lighting it, and then submerging the bottle in cold water. The thermal shock supposedly breaks the bottle with a nice, clean edge.
> 
> If you could do that at the right place with a regular mouth jar, you might be able to use the top half as an adapter. The bottom flange would fit under the wide mouth ring, and the top part with the regular threads would stick up for your lamp stuff.
> 
> Haven't tried it. Just thinking of how it might work.


An easier solution might be to make a collar out of the regular mouth burner like they use for the mason jar soap pumps.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

LincTex said:


> I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but...
> Other than for nostalgia reasons, why would you want to do this?
> 
> I am speaking from a purely practical standpoint - LED bulbs (for me) work far better than oil lamps - no risk of fire and I can turn the bulb to shine in the direction I need the light.
> If I need a small flame for light, I can get Catholic candles at the Dollar Tree for $1 each. They will burn for several days!


I hear what you're saying. I bought the items mainly to decorate my porch. I love the idea of oil lamps scattered around on the porch (we're in the process of painting and fixing it up). But I also like the idea that the items can serve another purpose in a SHTF situation. Win-win.

And I like the new avatar.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

weedygarden said:


> I get that, LincTex. I am thinking about the potential of when there is no electricity. It is another layer of preparedness.


Almost every LED lamp that exists in "my world" is powered by a 12 volt DC system that is charged with solar panels - - so, as far as the "availability of electricity" goes, I'm way ahead of ya!

My B-O-L cabin is 100% 12 VDC power, charged with solar panels. I run a generator on the very rare occasions when I need charge the batteries up, or to run the window unit A/C. 

At our "main house" on the edge of town, I have a dual system: both grid power and 12 VDC. Many of the lights are run strictly 12 VDC charged with solar panels. When the power goes out, I have lights at the simple flip of a switch that is already on the wall. I can use an inverter to run the computer or watch TV/DVD... or if the cable internet is still working; Netflix and even surf the web. It's a great system to have.

We have some oil lamps, but they are only for decoration and nostalgia.


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