Trimming The Aladin Wick

[RangerRick]

OK, I bought an Aladin a couple months ago and I received a real funky cheapo plastic wick trimmer that did a poor job regardless of how carful I was and left me a bit unhappy. After trying numerous ideas I have finally hit on something that is simple and actually works so I thought I'd share it with ya'll if ya haven't hit on yourselves.

I remove the wick spreader from the refrigerator/burner and as it happens, a wooden mop handle trimmed to about 3" slides perfectly down the burner tube. Thereby I adjust the wick down to the level I want to trim at and use a razor blade cutting level into the wooden mop handle and in a clockwise only direction. If you're not happy with the wick trimmer you might want to give this a try, it works great for me.

;D

Rick

[Mac_Muz]

I once had and lost a brass trimmer which worked ok, I agree the plastic ones suck...

What are you doing for clean and clean oil? I refuse to pay 35 bucks for a 5 gallon barrel and so run red dyed and wash wicks in gasoline on occasion. That dammned red dye cloggs the wicks and seems to make a hard coating of carbon at the burnt edge and fast. This leads to trimming often.

I have run thru 10 gallons in 2 lamps since heating season came on, and just bought 5 gasllons more.

That red stuff sucks too, as you just read that, and it is steep. Should I say thanks Gummyminy for TAX free crap now?

WTF The dammned gummymint comes to "help" and frig stuff right thru the roof over greed... SOB! this pisses me off.

Seems to me we all would be better off with a lot less help huh?

[Mac_Muz]

bump... I am hoping to find clear K-1. anyone know where?

[12vman]

Originally Posted by Mac_Muz

bump... I am hoping to find clear K-1. anyone know where?

They sell it at SuperAmerica (Speedway) stations around here but it sure ain't cheap.. >

[RangerRick]

I'm using K1 in the Aladdin and my cheap-o walmart specials. The red stuff puts off too much smell for me and really clogs up the works so I live with the K1 cost and the Aladdin puts out really good light with the K1.

Rick

[Mac_Muz]

You guys put out 35 bucks for a 5 gallon can of k-1? That is homodepo's idea of pricing and double the red dyed stuff...

My alldins don't smell till after they are blown out, but that red dye is a powder and gags up the wicks in the font, and carbons as a crust at the burn, making a crusted mess of a wick. I can't say I like that much, but I won't pay 35 gallons for clear.

There is no such thing here as SuperAmerica, never heard of it..

[RangerRick]

I bought6 gal from a local company here last year at $4 a gal. Looking for a 20 cal plastic barrel to lay in a better supply for the Coleman stoves/lanterns.

Rick

[jott]

if you have a sheetz near by they sell clear K-1 thats where I always get it. not sure why they sell it but all the other gas stations sell red.

[Mac_Muz]

Never heard of sheetz, err well maybe I saw that in the deep south on a trip. Anyway I can't find any clear kero at anything like a reasonable price as compared to red..

Just another way the grubbymint helped me...

Rick check out plating companies local to you. Often times they have plastic containers about that size. These are odd, seemingly, as they can be semi pleated, are not rectangles and are not round either.

I am just guessing that pleating is for expansion.

My travels take me to places that do chrome, and do other processes as well to industrial stainless steels. I really just noticed these the last time I was there, but I will be going there again soon. I will ask what comes in them, and get a better look.

[jott]

Sheetz is based in Altoona PA and has stores as far south as NC. and west to Ohio. but they are growing fast so you mite get lucky soon.

people have told me that mineral sprits is a much better fuel i never tryed it since I can get clear karo for cheap. have any of you ever tried it dose it work better?

[Mac_Muz]

Mineral sprits is a paint thinner which I might guess would work. That makes me wonder if mineral oil might also work?

One thing I have noticed in operation is that the mantel can make a difference.

I find that if I have white flame spikes, sometimes moving the lock on base 1/3 rd turn and or 2/3rds turn can tame them, during the warm up time before they get screechin hot.

[RangerRick]

"Moving the lock on base"??

You talking about the burner unit that screws on the tank or maybe the flame spreader?? Not sure what part you're talking about.

Rick

[Mac_Muz]

My chimneys are 3 tabbed to lock in the burner base. I have found a mantel can tip and lean at uneven angles.

In the case of a uneven flame, where you get a long white spike flame, it is possible to turn 1/3rd parts of turns and get better buring conditions where the white flame won't be there, or as much.

I almost never have a perfect blue ring.. burning red dyed K-1, I get a crusty build, a sort of glazing, and to trim it would kill wicks to fast.

All you need to do is light the lamp and install the chimney, and look for a tell tale white taller flame. once the locks are engaged.

Maybe you don't have locking tops, but I have 3 in my 4 lamps.

[RangerRick]

Tks, got it now.

;D

rick

[LeatherneckPA]

So how do these pricey Aladdin lamps compare to a Coleman lantern for light, or to an old oil lamp. Are they worth the money? Especially for a couple living in a 16' x 24' temporary quarters on the homestead while I build the real house.

[bookwormom]

Originally Posted by LeatherneckPA

So how do these pricey Aladdin lamps compare to a Coleman lantern for light, or to an old oil lamp. Are they worth the money? Especially for a couple living in a 16' x 24' temporary quarters on the homestead while I build the real house.

I have wondered the same thing

[Mac_Muz]

I mainly occupie a room 25x 12. "The Command Center" LOL.

This is a lot in one room. The far end is two office areas, for computers, and Madams art studio area. Yables I made are mounted on top of other tables i made.

Our tv and the deviceas that run it are over my side, above the computer. Over her main table is a lamp and her fuferaw.

Behind me is the bed, central in the room but more towards me, but the head is pretty well centered. At the head of the bed is a dresser where I run the 2 Aladans as Primary heat!

It takes a while, but these side by side can heat this room to better than 65 if we wanted.

Mine burn for apx 12 hours before a refill, but I don't run them that long ever.

There is also a propane wall mounted heater which I hate hearing go on.. if it does and it is set to 55 then I fire up the lamps, to prevent that heater from going on a 2nd time.

I run the lamps at about 40 watts light out put, but they can do 60 like watts in light.

I don't care much about the light part as we have electric lamps with energy savers and other for my silver bench which is also in this room.

There is other stuff in here too, but pretty much all stacked in the vertical, and not on topic.

One thing though is I will place a 5 foot tall and 3 foot wide book shelf on a dresser to save room.

I have banked snow outside on the walls too and that cuts the breezes down to nil.

Today it hit nearly 50! So we opened windows for a change of air. Yhis is the January Thaw.

I never owned a coleman because I like old things best..

Once K-1 was far cheaper and not dyed red like it is now.

So my points are under wanting heat, and heat I get.

I have other old lamps and don't use them. They don't make near the heat and dam little light.

[bookwormom]

so they are not very suitable for summer lighting. And in a small area they serve dual function, heat and light. Swell. too bad you can not run them on wood chips, got plenty of those.

[RangerRick]

Originally Posted by LeatherneckPA

So how do these pricey Aladdin lamps compare to a Coleman lantern for light, or to an old oil lamp. *Are they worth the money? *Especially for a couple living in a 16' x 24' temporary quarters on the homestead while I build the real house.

They will put out approx 60 watts of light apposed to 15 watts from a storm type lamp. Not sure what a Coleman puts out but probably closer to 100 watts however they are under pressure so there is an additional safety aspect to consider plus a little noise if using indoors and while they both produce heat the Coleman would run you out of a small place in most seasons.

Rick

[Mac_Muz]

Well mine are antiques which float my stick. 60 watts is all I need for reading, and in summer the light is protected by bug screens.

You can get taller chimneys and to that you can add a device of metal I never had, but it will add more length to the chimey and give better than 60 watts of light.

I never had a coleman lamp but have seen them in use and they are brighter.

If I were to own one the gallons cans would have to be somewhat less that a gallon of k-1, and they are not.

With 100+ watts of light I could do surgery so I don't need that much light.

These are far better than any k-1 lamp with no mantel. Right now I use these for heat, but I could get more light for no more than twisting that wick up.