I've been restoring a couple of lanterns from the Frisco and MoPac, and was wondering what fuels could be used in these. I think they originally burned kerosene, but I'm not sure.

I have been suggested lighter fluid and jet fuel (We burn jet fuel in our 12'' steamers), among others from different people.

What do you suggest? I'm sure you would know more from experience, and I'm not to keen on just trying them out, as I wouldn't want to have them explode!

I use lamp oil from Wal Mart- just a bit of an odor but I mostly burn mine outside.

Regards,

Joshua

Stay away from lighter fluid as it is basically naphtha, the base ingredient of gasoline. You will have a run-away fire on your hands if you have a full fount of naphtha.
K-1 Clear kerosene, often called pump kerosene, is available in most areas. Look for a pump that is away from the regular gasoline pumps at a service station. Jet fuel type A can be used as a substitute if the local airport will sell to you. The down side to Jet-A is the size of the hose used to fill the planes. It's larger than the openings on most containers. I have a station close to me that sells K-1 Clear that I use in all of my flat wick lamps and lanterns, so I've never tried to substitute. If you are going to take that route, study the flash points of the fuels, and try to keep the flash point of the substitutes as close as possible to K-1 Clear pump kerosene. Hope this helps.

Thanks, that just what I was looking for.

We get our jet fuel free from the local airport (It's the unusable stuff that they drain from the jets while making repairs). So I think that I'll do some careful testing on a cheap lantern from Wally-world or the likes just to make sure it's not going to go up in flames on me.

Let me guess, everyone who works at that airport owns a diesel car?

I would try B100 biodiesel if anyone around is making it. Anything less than B100 is just that corresponding percentage biodiesel and the rest plain diesel fuel, with all its toxicitiy, fumes and odor.

Here's a site that explains why a person should be using K-1 clear pump kerosene in flat wick appliances: http://www.milesstair.com/kero_fuel_primer.html. Note that the mention of the dye used in diesel and red kerosene will eventually decay the capillary action of a cotton wick. It's not a big deal if the lantern is seldom used.

This is a a very valid question when it comes to restoring and using antique lanterns. Fuel is not something to be chosen willy nilly. There are tried and true fuels, and there are those that are extremely dangerous. I collect, rehabilitate, and operate antique lanterns, both kerosene and electric types, ranging from railroad to mining to construction/utility to general purpose, cold blast hot blast, dead flame, you name it. I am speaking from experience here.

When it comes to lantern fuel, you need to know what your lantern used orginally. Almost all wick railroad lanterns in North America used kerosene. A few earlier versions, however, used signal oil, which was a thicker fuel, similar to liquid candle wax. Signal oil needed to be pre-heated before it could be burned, and so the wick tube on these lanterns extended down into the fount, which transfered heat from the flame into the fount to liquefy the fuel. Kerosene lanterns did not need their fuel pre-heated, and so did not have this tube.

When it comes to wick lantern fuel, the flashpoint is the key statistic. The Flashpoint is the temperature that the fuel will ignite. Too low a flashpoint, and your flame will runaway, shattering your globe and possibly ending in an explosion. Do not go trying fuels that are not designed for your lantern. I've heard all sorts of rumours that anything from jet fuel, to diesel, to olive oil will work in kerosene lanterns. Usually, these rumours are spread by people who have never fired up an antique lantern, and have only gained this "knowledge" because "so and so said", or "I read somewhere". Don't trust that. Go with what is proven.

You can use clear, undyed kerosene in your lanterns. Do not use dyed kerosene, as it will quickly clog your wick. You can get good kerosene from the pump in some places. In my area, you cannot.

Beware of kerosene/ paint stripper products that are sold at hardware stores. Some of these products, though labeled for use in lanterns, have the wrong flashpoint.

I use the Florasense brand lamp oil, clear and unscented. It still has a slight odor when burned, but is far better than regular kerosene. Lamp oil is usually just purified kerosene. Walmart carries this brand in a small and a large size jug. I have never had a problem with this fuel, and it widely accepted as a good fuel within the lantern collecting hobby. I have also heard good things about Lamplighter Farms brand, which is also sold at Walmart.

Links:

Woody Kirkman of W.T. Kirkman Lanterns is the go-to source for all things antique lantern. His company sells new lanterns, as well as a large array of replacement parts for antique makes and models: http://www.lanternnet.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=WKL

Also, on Facebook, there are three major group pages on this subject: Tubular Lantern Collectors, Antique Lantern Collectors, and Railroad and Railway Lantern Collectors. Each page shares many of its members with the others. This is a wonderful resource for those interested in this hobby. If you go to the Tubular Lantern Collectors page, go Info > Files, you'll find the MSDS sheets for many of the available fuels out there.

I hope this helps.

I use a solvent called isopar M. It is a naptha type solvent, with a 96 degree Celsius flash point, you want something with a high flash point. Naptha solvents come in all types of properties. It will not flare up, and burns very clean and leaves very little soot. That is the problem with high paraffin content oils as they leave soot.

Steve

Does anyone have any experience or insight to the citronella based fuel used in decorative lamps used as insect repellant?

I have recently entered into this hobby and was wondering how to use decorative lanterns indoors without the soot associated with kerosene fuels.

Is there a suitable fuel for indoor use?

No experience in use, but apparently it is a petroleum-base fuel with some citronella oil added as a repellent, rather than being mostly citronella oil.

http://www.fireflyfuel.com/blog/whats-really-in-tiki-torch-fuel

Here is a good source of info on lantern fuel: http://www.bigrocklanterns.com/index.php?selected=articles&aid=7

Beware. Many brands of "kerosene" sold today in hardware sto0\res etc have flashpoints less than 124 degrees F. This is a lantern explosion waiting to happen. Read the MSDS (also known as the SDS = Safety Data Sheet) to be sure.

- Doug Debs

Text copied from the above website:

"OIL LAMP and LANTERN FUEL

Standard Lamp Oil, Synthetic Kerosene or Kerosene Substitute are recommended for indoor use.

Clear K-1 Kerosene with a flash point of 124 to 150 degrees is recommended for outdoor use.

The minimum recommended flash point for kerosene used in oil lamps and lanterns is 124 Degrees Fahrenheit.

The approved fuels for INDOOR or OUTDOOR use in Tubular Lanterns and Flat Wick Oil Lamps are:

1. Lamplight Farms Clear Medallion Brand Lamp Oil. Flash Point: 145 Degrees Fahrenheit
2. W.M. Barr & Co. Klean-Heat® Kerosene Substitute. Flash Point: 145 Degrees Fahrenheit
3. Crown Brand Clear Lamp Oil. Flash Point: 141 Degrees Fahrenheit
4. MVP Group International Florasense Brand Lamp Oil. Flash Point: 142 Degrees Fahrenheit
5. Recochem Clear Lamp Oil (Sold in Canada). Flash Point: 124 Degrees Fahrenheit

The approved fuels for OUTDOOR use in Tubular Lanterns and Flat Wick Oil Lamps are:

1. Non-Dyed (Clear) Kerosene with a Flash Point Between 124 and 150 Degrees Fahrenheit
2. Sunnyside Brand 1-K Kerosene. Flash Point: 125 Degrees Fahrenheit
3. Coleman Brand Kerosene Fuel. Flash Point: 130 Degrees Fahrenheit
4. Crown 1-K Fuel Grade Kerosene. Flash Point: 150 Degrees Fahrenheit
5. Crown® Citronella Torch and Lamp Fuel (OUTDOOR USE ONLY, cut 50:50 with kerosene to extend wick life.) Flash Point: 141 Degrees Fahrenheit
6. Tiki Brand Citronella Torch Fuel (OUTDOOR USE ONLY, cut 50:50 with kerosene to extend wick life.) Flash Point: 145 Degrees Fahrenheit

NOTICE: Dyed kerosene or lamp oil will eventually clog the wick and inhibit proper operation. It can also permanently stain the lamp or lantern.
If you purchase kerosene from a gas station, make sure that it is from a "blocked" pump so that it is clear and not dyed red. (Un-blocked kerosene pumps by law must dispense dyed kerosene which will clog lantern wick, and cause it not to burn properly.)


FUEL SOURCES:
Standard clear lamp oil (Lamp Light Farms Medallion Oil,) is available nationwide at: Target, K-Mart, Ace Hardware, True-Value Hardware, Sentry Hardware, and HWI Do-It Centers.

"Klean-Heat" Kerosene Substitute is available at most hardware stores and home centers.

WARNING: DO NOT USE GASOLINE or ETHYL ALCOHOL

NOTE: Never use the following in any wick lamp or lantern of any type: Gasoline, Coleman Fuel, White Gas, Paint Thinner or Mineral Spirits, Wood Alcohol, Naptha, Turpentine, Benzene, or any other Explosive fuel with a flash point under 124 Degrees Fahrenheit. Use of any of the above fuels in a wick lamp or lantern can result in property loss, serious injury or death.

NOTE: Diesel and Aviation fuels should not be used in any wick lamp or lantern as the fumes from the fuel additives can be FATAL if inhaled.

NOTE: DO NOT USE PARAFFIN OIL IN TUBULAR LANTERNS WITH 5/8" or LARGER WICK. (Use Paraffin only in lamps with 1/2" or smaller wick.)

NOTE: DIESEL, BIO-DIESEL AND OLIVE OIL ARE NOT SUITABLE SUBSTITUTES FOR ANY OF THE APPROVED FUELS AS THEY HAVE A FLASH POINT OVER 200 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT"

Simply put, use ultra pure lamp oil. It burns cleaner than kerosene. It's not as bright as kero. You can add a couple drops of potpouri oil if the smell is offensive. I've restored plenty of lamps with no issues using it. As for wicks, order a few extras. They're cheap.

-Joe

From our research, we use an amalgam of 100 year-old recipes for signal oil:

Eighty percent coal oil (ultra-pure lamp oil, also known as liquid paraffin); twenty percent white K-1 kerosene; with a dash of camphor for brightness.

The coal oil burns clean but is susceptible to drafting blowout; the kerosene mitigates the blowout and facilitates wick flow. The kerosene can also aid in keeping the coal oil liquid in low temperatures <15F

Your mileage may vary ...