Introduction: Used Light Bulb Oil/Alcohol Lamp

About: I like to make.

I came across the Green Electronics Challenge through TechShop https://www.instructables.com/contest/greenelectro... and thought I would make a little somethin for my first instructable.

If you like the lamp I would appreciate the vote.

I'm a bit of a hoarder especially when it comes to glass, electronics and metal. So I thought I would make something useful for myself with one of the used light bulbs I collected. It's an alcohol or oil lamp that will can be used for doing wax work for making Jewelry models or just for light.

Make at your own risk! and don't incinerate yourself up.

Step 1: Materials

  • Burnt out light bulb
  • Three marbles
  • Metal Washer
  • Small metal nut
  • Wick
  • Two part epoxy
  • Nail
  • Screw Driver
  • Utility knife

Step 2: Remove Center Terminal

I used an utility knife to cut the center terminal off.

You're left with a little hole.

I then used a nail to break the dark glass into pieces you may need needle nose pliers if it's giving you trouble.

Step 3: Remove Glass Tube Inside

After the dark glass is removed you need to break the tube off that's inside the bulb.

I used a screw driver and just moved it side to side chipping away the tube until I reached the top.

Don't go to far with it and crack the top glass.

Step 4: Make a Cap

I had a washer laying around that fit snuggly in the bulb end but wasn't a tight enough fit to keep the wick in place. So I found a small nut that fit snug to the wick and I soldered it to the washer.

Just cleaned them both up with sandpaper, applied a little flux, broke out the torch and soldered them together.

I then cleaned it up and pressed it in to the bulb.

Step 5: Marble Feets

I wanted three legs for stability so I drew an equilateral triangle on some paper.

I sanded one flat spot each marble to prevent rolling and glued them to the corners of the triangle and let dry.

Then set the bulb on the marbles to see where they made contact and removed the bulb.

Mixed up a dab of two part epoxy and applied a dot to where they contacted and set the bulb on the epoxy making sure if was plumb.

When dry just peel the paper off.

Step 6: Testing for Explosion

I was a bit leery to fill it up with alcohol and light it so I first light it in my cast iron tube and hid behind the curtain encase it were to explode in my face. But it worked fine.

Try to get the wick wet to the top or it will just burn up the wick. Also don't get flammable liquid on the outside of lamp.

I only had 50% isopropyl alcohol which sucks. I usually use Methanol in my jewelry lamp which works good.

Thanks for reading.