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Lard Lamp - a solid fat burner made by lost wax casting

Lard Lamp - a solid fat burner made by lost wax casting

Here's how to make a very simple little fat-burning lamp that is specially designed to be used with fuels that are solid at normal room temperatures, such as the leftover fats from cooking bacon, sausages, duck, lamb, etc.
The reason it is able to do this is that surrounding the wick, there are protrusions in the shape of petals - these capture some of the heat from the flame, which is then conducted down through the body of the lamp and dispersed through the feet, heating the fat reservoir and keeping it liquid and able to flow up the wick.

It's made by Lost Wax Casting using everyday materials - this method is quite easy and can be used to make a wide range of other small metal objects.

In brief, Lost Wax Casting consists of:
  • Making a wax model of the object you want
  • Encasing the wax model in something heatproof such as clay or plaster
  • Melting out the wax
  • Pouring molten metal into the space left by the wax
  • Removing the mould material and tidying up the finished object
 
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Step 1Step1: Gather the necessary materials

Step1: Gather the necessary materials
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OK, so we'll need some pliable wax.  You might be able to make this yourself by melting candles and blending it with vegetable oil or vaseline, but the easy option is just to eat some cheese - the red wax protecting the rind of Edam cheese (and some other varieties) is perfect - pliable and malleable like modelling clay if warmed in the hand a little.

You'll need something to make the mould.  I used decorating filler.  Patching plaster or plaster of Paris will all work quite well.  Potter's clay can be used instead, but must be pressed into place around the wax model, which isn't easy for delicate work.

You'll need some metal for casting.  You can buy pewter or white casting metal in ingot form at good craft stores and online, but I just bought an old (but not antique) dented petwer tankard from a charity shop - it was really cheap.

And you'll need something to melt the metal in - an old food can is good - as wide and flat as you can find.
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55 comments
1-40 of 55next »
Dec 10, 2011. 7:29 PMcurvy77 says:
since your burning fat dosent it start to stink? or does it smell like your cooking som meat?
Nov 2, 2011. 8:52 AMmmv5004 says:
Very cool instructable! Love the minimalist set-up of it all.
Jan 20, 2011. 8:14 AMtmn8tr says:
In the jewelry industry we "Quench" the plaster mold in a bucket of standing water as soon(or shortly thereafter) as the metal has solidified, this causes the plaster to self destruct, leaving the casting with a slimy film covering it, but no big chunks of plaster. I have never done any pewter work before, but I can imagine this step might decrease your clean-up time a tad, as well as minimize the chance you might scratch or gouge your casting. Test the technique on a piece you don't care as much about, as I suspect timing is the key with pewter, as you don't want to quench it when it is still molten.
Great job on the instructable, by the way!

T>
Jan 22, 2011. 9:06 AMtmn8tr says:
Good idea, and while you are at it, make a mold of a "glue stick" for your hot glue gun. I have a low temp one I made a mold for that I melt candle wax into. I have used the "hot wax sticks" for making extruded shapes, as well as shooting wax into a mold a few times. Keep in mind that the candle wax shrinks when it cools, so you will need to squirt a bit more in after it sets up in the mold.

T
Nov 2, 2011. 8:51 AMmmv5004 says:
that's an awesome idea!
Jan 21, 2011. 7:28 AMmdeblasi1 says:
Don't know if this has been mentioned, but wear a mask when you quench, it releases silica particles in the vapor that are annoying to ones aveolae.
M
Jun 13, 2011. 6:58 AMBarrettkg says:
I'm thinking about using it when i go backpacking. Make bacon i the morning and already have light for the night
Aug 23, 2011. 6:41 PMe.bender says:
they use bacon fat for bear traps, and it's impossible to get that smell off you or your utinsils. Word to the wise if your in bear country.
Jul 27, 2011. 1:29 PMchefbrian says:
Could I use pennies as the metal?, they are mostly Zinc and relatively easy to melt, also i have at least 600 of them drifting about
May 19, 2011. 4:17 PMsnoopindaweb says:
=////=====> The Petals, gOOd thinkin'..! YUP.!
May 26, 2011. 10:50 PMsnoopindaweb says:
I've got a small ball of wax I play with, after It warms up in My hands. It's old Votave Candels. The Tall ones.
Mar 14, 2011. 4:19 AMsypher says:
Awesome... I may try this...
Feb 11, 2011. 8:43 PMGBMorris says:
Great instructable! Who knew casting metal was so easy?

All the same, I was feeling adventurous, so I decided to make it harder for myself by making my own moulding wax out of paraffin and vaseline, as you suggested could be done. It was a disaster. The paraffin is naturally very crumbly, and the vaseline helped it stay together a bit, but it also made it droop and sag very badly. Any suggestions for a better "home-brew" wax?

Thanks!
Feb 1, 2011. 7:48 PMNostraquedeo says:
great thanks
Jan 31, 2011. 1:59 PMjeffryfontaine says:
I have often wondered what was involved in the lost wax casting process and your instructable has managed to explain it all in a well thought out and easy to understand article. I must also add that your preference for recycling or use of materials in creating this lamp is most impressive. The use of the red wax hull from the cheese was brilliant. Too often we ignore or overlook useful resources that are part of the packaging and often tossed without any thought to other uses.
Jan 27, 2011. 8:45 AMincorrigible packrat says:
Beauty!
Jan 16, 2011. 9:54 PMDarwinfish says:
That's a very cool piece, and a great overview of lost wax casting. Does the burning lard smell much?
Jan 17, 2011. 1:30 AMironsmiter says:
I wonder... would bacon grease smell more?
I can honestly say, being served breakfast in bed, by the light of a bacon candle or two, would be a GREAT way to start a romantic winter day.
And if breakfast was Bacon and eggs, you could use the very grease from breakfast, for the candles!
Jan 19, 2011. 12:38 AMichbinoadie says:
I've used bacon grease before. It's not a particularly clean flame, so give it plenty of vertical space and airflow or expect soot. As was mentioned, it's the smoke that smells strongest, so the odor is only really noticeable when lighting and especially when extinguishing. I didn't find it unpleasant, but I still relegated them to outdoor use, only.
Jan 22, 2011. 9:15 AMtmn8tr says:
I wonder if you could use coconut oil.
it sits at room temp, looking like lard, but quickly turns to liquid in your hand.
I also have no idea if it burns or not. I will just stick to bacon grease, since we have a tendency to make the most of that.
Jan 22, 2011. 1:32 AMCrusaderSerg says:
very good
Jan 21, 2011. 4:00 PMnoel0leon says:
cool idea. it reminds me of Indian Diyas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diya_%28light%29
Jan 20, 2011. 7:55 PMDELETED_kage_no_akiri says:
(removed by author or community request)
Jan 20, 2011. 1:29 PMbryan3141 says:
this begs to be combined with a 3d printer loaded with low temp wax....
Jan 20, 2011. 8:58 PMsrainsdon says:
yes it does!!!
been working on gettting a mendel put together this looks like a good first project lol ill make an ible on it cool project man. btw how much heat can something like this put off.
Jan 20, 2011. 9:21 PMchefnick says:
Find a restaurant nearby where you are a regular and on friendly terms. Ask if you can get a gallon or two of their used fryer grease. It is usually of no use, and it can also be turned into bio-diesel. I used to give mine to a customer for that use in particular. Now I have 7 gallons a week of useable fuel for a lamp/candle!
Jan 20, 2011. 1:46 PMtwighahn says:
use a dremel to take off the uglies
Jan 16, 2011. 11:36 PMkill-a-watt says:
lucky you for the pewter score. I've had an inexpensive lesson of the difference between pot metal and pewter from a local thrift store. I haven't yet seen any pewter. I suspect someone knows what scrap tin goes for, and never puts the stuff out for sale.

While the pot metal should work for casting, I think the temps are a bit higher.

I really wish you were using something more substantial than a tin can with a crimped on bottom.


Jan 17, 2011. 1:27 AMironsmiter says:
You should be able to reproduce this project pretty closely with two copper discs.

First, drill your wick holes in the center of each disc.
File the notches into the discs.
Use your fingers(or possibly pliers or a hammer even) to give them their dished shape.
Solder together.

If even soldering is beyond you at the moment, a piece of copper tubing, used as a hollow rivet, should serve admirably.
Jan 18, 2011. 3:05 PMironsmiter says:
I must have been VERY tired. I made it SO difficult.

Take a disc of copper (copper penny anyone?).
Drill the wick hole.
Use a fine saw blade or dremel disc to cut 3 or 4 slits from the circumfrence to near the wick hole.
Bend away.
No solder. no rivets, and cost only a penny!

although I don't have a [roper scale reference in the pictures.
Penny may not be big enough, and may need to use a scrap piece of copper plate instead.
Jan 20, 2011. 7:58 AMgirlcousin says:
Actually, a smashed penny will work. Plus, since it is already thinner, it is easier to cut, plus makes a jazzy eye-catcher!
Jan 20, 2011. 7:54 AMGrumpyOldGoat says:
Swing by your local heating-Air conditioning-sheet metal shop, and ask if they have a few small pieces of scrap copper.
Take a picture of what you want to build to show them, and most will have some pieces and give the scraps to you.
Jan 20, 2011. 7:30 AMTim Temple says:
Pennies are copper clad zinc slugs! Sawing notches will allow moisture to start electrolysis and make them look cruddy.
Jan 20, 2011. 8:43 AMm.hutchinson says:
If you use a penny dated between 1946 and 1982, you'll have a 95% copper penny, giving you either a brass or a bronze metal that should alleviate the zinc issues Tim Temple mentions above. Plus, the copper won't have a tendency of peeling off the zinc as you are cutting/bending it.
Jan 17, 2011. 11:33 AMkill-a-watt says:
I has solder-fu.

From copper water pipes to SMD.
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