On a garage sale I was able to buy an old oil lamp. for less than 5 EUR. I have had the idea, to build a Steampunk Plasma Lamp with it.
Regarding the inscrutable´s of Mr. Ravensdale and Mr. Junophor I used an old camera electronics and a Neon E-14 luminescence lamp to light up this oil lamp again.
Due to the copper spiral the whole gas is glowing and gives a nice effect. Sometimes it looks like an orange glowing liquid.

Let´s make it!

Step 1: The Parts

You need:

An oil lamp similar to this
E-14 Neon lamp
Electronics from an old disposal camera
Rotary switch
Brass knop
piece of 1 mm copper wire
some wires

Step 2: Preparing the Lamp

I used the both electrodes of the lamp as a central electrode and the body as the lamp as the counter electrode.
At first you need to eliminate the resistor inside the lamp and bring the two electrodes together.
Carefully remove the metal and the resistor.
Solder two wires and to the electrodes and solder them together.
Insulate it with a shrink hose an make a second insulation with a silicon hose.

Than find the "hot" wire of the electronics. To do so connect ONE of the wires to the lamp and touch the glass. I it lights up, you find the "hot" wire. Mark it for later use.

Step 3: Making the Switch

To switch the lamp on and off I decided to use a switch on top of the lamp.
I removed the ceramic knob and mounted the rotary switch inside of the lamps top.
I drilled a 6mm winding inside the knob and outside of the axis of the switch.

Step 4: Mounting the Lamp

I insulated the electronics and the battery pack with plastic film.
The "hot" end of the electronics was soldered to the Neon lamp, the "cold" to the brass lamp.
I placed the Neon lamp shown on the picture and fastened it with a copper spiral that connects the the housing of the lamp and acts as well as a counter electrode.

Have fun :-)

Horatius Steam