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Carbide lamps have been around since the late 1800's and are still lighting the way in many mines and caves across the world to this day. While the introduction of LED's is changing the scene these wonderful old lamps are still functional, practical and useful. (This isn't a polish them up and make them pretty Instructable but rather a get them working again Instructable. Polishing metal isn't too mysterious if that's what you're after.)
With a little creativity they can also serve purposes beyond what most flashlights can achieve. There's also just something cool about having a lamp that makes it;s own fuel via a chemical reaction. There are a lot of these old lamps to be had and many that may look down for the count can be resurrected with a relatively small amount of time and effort.
If you are looking for a lamp, there is a good article at Caves.org. I do think they are a little prone to writing off usable lamps as throwaways or bad equipment when some many can be repaired or tweaked a little and used just fine. www.caves.org/member/mfraley/buying2.htm These are not complex machines once you understand them but they can be finicky and they do burn acetylene. So, be careful.
I like old Auto Lights and Guys Dropper lamps but there are a lot of types to choose from. The only things I really avoid are lamps with plastic parts and Butterfly/Safesport or Minex brand lamps. Though, the Mike Light is a thoroughly modern lamp made from plastic and it seems to work well. Really popular with the Amish of all people. Good endorsement though. Those guys like their stuff to work. In the end it's all personal preference and even a bad lamp can be good for parts or tweaked and upgraded into something worthy.
This Instructable will be updated soon as it turned out to be a bit more complex than I had originally planned. I've tried to note where certain things will be added or amended soon but please let me know if something is unclear or confusing so I can answer your questions or adjust the Instructable.
With a little creativity they can also serve purposes beyond what most flashlights can achieve. There's also just something cool about having a lamp that makes it;s own fuel via a chemical reaction. There are a lot of these old lamps to be had and many that may look down for the count can be resurrected with a relatively small amount of time and effort.
If you are looking for a lamp, there is a good article at Caves.org. I do think they are a little prone to writing off usable lamps as throwaways or bad equipment when some many can be repaired or tweaked a little and used just fine. www.caves.org/member/mfraley/buying2.htm These are not complex machines once you understand them but they can be finicky and they do burn acetylene. So, be careful.
I like old Auto Lights and Guys Dropper lamps but there are a lot of types to choose from. The only things I really avoid are lamps with plastic parts and Butterfly/Safesport or Minex brand lamps. Though, the Mike Light is a thoroughly modern lamp made from plastic and it seems to work well. Really popular with the Amish of all people. Good endorsement though. Those guys like their stuff to work. In the end it's all personal preference and even a bad lamp can be good for parts or tweaked and upgraded into something worthy.
This Instructable will be updated soon as it turned out to be a bit more complex than I had originally planned. I've tried to note where certain things will be added or amended soon but please let me know if something is unclear or confusing so I can answer your questions or adjust the Instructable.
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Taking apart an old carbide lamp requires some degree of finesse. They are usually brass and therefore bend and break easily but within a certain range of care they'll last indefinitely. So be careful and don't get heavy handed.
Most parts should come free with just your hands or very gentle use of tools. Using something like pliers or a multi-tool is probably going to mar or score the metal. Avoid that and use small adjustable wrenches or box end wrenches. You can also use screwdrivers on some things once you get a feel for what you are doing.
Just look at your lamp and note where it comes apart. A wing nut on the reflector, finger tight cap on the striker, small retaining nuts here and there and a base shaped for hands to grip and turn. Easy enough.
You may have to deal with corrosion as well. Don't use a wire brush, it'll scratch up our lamp. Try soaking it in some white vinegar or maybe just running it under hot water. It shouldn't be too bad.
Note, the bottom of the lamp will most likely contain residue that has oxidized into calcium carbonate. Harmless and good for your lawn. It might also still contain volatile calcium hydroxide, aka, caustic lime. This can cause serious chemical burns. Be careful. If you think the lamp has been operated very recently avoid getting the powdery residue on your skin. This is probably unlikely with anything you will obtain from eBay or an antique shop but chemical burns are really annoying so be careful. Once the residue has had some time to oxidize it becomes harmless enough to dump on your garden and actually do some good.
Most parts should come free with just your hands or very gentle use of tools. Using something like pliers or a multi-tool is probably going to mar or score the metal. Avoid that and use small adjustable wrenches or box end wrenches. You can also use screwdrivers on some things once you get a feel for what you are doing.
Just look at your lamp and note where it comes apart. A wing nut on the reflector, finger tight cap on the striker, small retaining nuts here and there and a base shaped for hands to grip and turn. Easy enough.
You may have to deal with corrosion as well. Don't use a wire brush, it'll scratch up our lamp. Try soaking it in some white vinegar or maybe just running it under hot water. It shouldn't be too bad.
Note, the bottom of the lamp will most likely contain residue that has oxidized into calcium carbonate. Harmless and good for your lawn. It might also still contain volatile calcium hydroxide, aka, caustic lime. This can cause serious chemical burns. Be careful. If you think the lamp has been operated very recently avoid getting the powdery residue on your skin. This is probably unlikely with anything you will obtain from eBay or an antique shop but chemical burns are really annoying so be careful. Once the residue has had some time to oxidize it becomes harmless enough to dump on your garden and actually do some good.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk5YUQPNkEw 3300 L of acytelene gas...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jYrrMU7s_c
way more fun :)
(gonna do it myself this year, but with a normal "milk can")