OIL LAMPS

From: Samba (das) SDG (Mauritius) Samba.SDG@bbt.se 
Sent: 10 December 1999 16:44
Subject: Lamp Oil

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I sent this text out a while back on Practical Varnasrama, and got no response, so I thought I would try a wider group:

I got some castor oil the other day and decided to try it out in my lamps: dismal failure!

The oil is very thick like honey, I think it is too thick to rise up the wick. Am I doing something wrong, has the oil evaporated somewhat?

Can anyone advise me? I tried using another oil in a lamp I had in India and had the same problem. They work fine with smelly old kerosene, or paraffin, but not with oil.

What to do?

How about diluting the oil with a little alcohol? Maybe freshly pressed oil is more runny?

Are these oils only meant to be used in the simplest of dipa type lamps? Many lamps are known as oil lamps, but it seems that one can only use kerosene or paraffin in them.

Dipas are nice, but nowhere near as bright as a lantern, and easy to blow out.

Can anyone shed some light on this matter!

YS Samba das

From: Tulasi-priya (Devi Dasi) SDG (?) tulasipriya@com.org 
Sent: 11 December 1999 04:21
Subject: Lamp Oil

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I sent this text out a while back on Practical Varnasrama, and got no response, so I thought I would try a wider group:
 
I got some castor oil the other day and decided to try it out in my lamps: dismal failure!
 
The oil is very thick like honey, I think it is too thick to rise up the wick. Am I doing something wrong, has the oil evaporated somewhat?

Are you saying you used the oil in a typical hurricane/kerosene-type lamp? Castor oil is probably not right for those kinds of lamps.

Are these oils only meant to be used in the simplest of dipa type lamps? Many lamps are known as oil lamps, but it seems that one can only use kerosene or paraffin in them. Dipas are nice, but nowhere near as bright as a lantern, and easy to blow out.

On the other hand, dipas with castor or olive oil don't catch fire when knocked over. I think ultimately the idea is to align one's own activities with the day's rhythm and not need to be doing anything that requires so much light. A few candles or lamps lit at the end of the day creates a nice atmosphere for winding down, getting your last few rounds done before going to bed. Reduces the mode of passion so one can rest peacefully and get that better quality of sleep that takes place before midnight.


ys, Tulasi-

From: Carol DGilsen@aol.com 
Sent: 11 December 1999 19:37
Subject: Re: Lamp Oil

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Haribol Samba
I made some caster oil myself and tried to burn it and had a similar problem. It would smoke a little but not burn. I never pursued the problem. 

... I believe that the oil they sell in India that Prabhupada said was the best may not have been the pure oil we are producing. There are materials that burn very well in each area of the world. In the deserts of the American south west it would have to be Joba oil. In the tropics there is the candle nut in the northern. In European countries there is pine oil and so on. What is best for southern India may not be best for southern western deserts. Now if any one can tell us how to make pure caster oil burn brightly I am all ears on the method. I think though we should all be conversant in the local indigenous plants of our own local area. Although caster plants seem to grow world wide from the tropics of Cuba to northern Germany and beyond. I don't think we should cultivate the plant at all, sense it is such a deadly poison! Only the oil pressed from the seed is not poisonous. The entire plant. Leaves, roots, bark and sap all can kill a human. The oil when ingested by humans makes us have diarrhea. It is toxic when burned and an ugly rumor says the decaying plant in water will kill off live stock but I have never found any confirmation that it is fact. 
Carol

From: Tulasi-priya (Devi Dasi) SDG (?) tulasipriya@com.org 
Sent: 12 December 1999 18:42
Subject: Re: Lamp Oil

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Although caster plants seem to grow world wide from the tropics of Cuba to northern Germany and beyond. I don't think we should cultivate the plant at all, sense it is such a deadly poison! Only the oil pressed from the seed is not poisonous. The entire plant. Leaves, roots, bark and

Why is this not mentioned in the many seed catalogs that sell castor seeds? The seeds are always mentioned as toxic, but not the rest of the plant.

The oil when ingested by humans makes us have diarrhea. 

Castor oil is, when properly used, a traditional remedy for constipation. It has been used even for children (Fletcher's Castoria). You can take a good thing and use it for evil, though. The Nazis would forcibly pour _quarts_ of castor oil down the throats of Jews, whose bowels would burst as a result, causing death.

It is toxic when burned and an 

I've never heard of this, what is the source of your infor

From: Carol DGilsen@aol.com 
Sent: 13 December 1999 07:50
Subject: Re: Lamp Oil verses Castor oil and poisonous plants

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Castor oil is, when properly used, a traditional remedy for constipation.  It has been used even for children (Fletcher's Castoria). You can take a I know my mother used to dose us all the time with that stuff whether we needed it or not! good thing and use it for evil, though. The Nazis would forcibly pour _quarts_ of castor oil down the throats of Jews, whose bowels would burst as a result, causing death.

It is toxic when burned and an 

I've never heard of this, what is the source of your information

One of the source's I have Is "Plants that poison" An illustrated guide for the American Southwest By Ervin M. Schumutz and Lucretia Breazeale Hamilton Northland press/Flagstaff, Arizona 1979 Page 38 and 39 "Toxic parts Entire plant especially the seeds" Poisoning: "The seeds, pressed cake, and to a lesser extent the foliage ( but not the oil) are extremely toxic when eaten. The poisonous principal is Ricin, a Photoxin. One to three seeds can be fatal to a child, 2 to 8 to an adult. Handling or swallowing the seeds may induce bronchial asthma and dermatitis, and the flowers may cause respiratory problems in sensitive individuals."

"SYMPTOMS; Burning of the mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting, severe stomach pains bloody diarrhea, excessive thirst, prostration dullness of vision, convulsions, kidney failure, and death in one to twelve days after eating due to circulatory collapse."

Peace sister I did not mean to rile up the troops but I was at a weeny roast as a small child and was severely poisoned by the oleander stick I was heating the weeny on and all of us got sick and one died. Poisoning is a really awful way to die. I will take a bullet to the head any day.
Carol

From: Martin laksmi@datastar.net 
Sent: 15 December 1999 01:50
Subject: Re: Lamp Oil verses Castor oil and poisonious plants

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Dear Mother Tulasi Priya Prabhu

PAMHO AGTSP

I was wondering if you might describe this lamp you used to burn the castor oil and perhaps tell us more of the oil you used. I am growing this spring castor beans and intend to make oil. Srila Prabhupada instructed us here to use this oil for lighting and that it would create a very healthy atmosphere. Please share your experience in this regard as I have studied the toxicity and it definitely is in the seed. In India the oil is pressed and I have a book describing the method. I intend to do it if Krishna allows this sinful soul to remain around long enough. I will be very satisfied the day I accomplish this.

YS
Dvibhuja das

From: Samba (das) SDG (Mauritius) Samba.SDG@bbt.se 
Sent: 15 December 1999 15:53
Subject: Lamp oil

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Dipas are usually small clay shallow bowls with an elongated end, where you normally lay a twisted cotton wick. Fill the bowl with oil and light the wick, and you have light. Dipas can also be made of brass, a bit like a candelabra, there are many varieties.

But I am convinced that the oil lamps, such as hurricane lamps etc, should be able to run from oils, as they were originally known as oil lamps. So the question is, what oil? Maybe the oils we get now are refined less, or too thick or something, and the lamp oil of old had different qualities.

Or maybe as has been suggested we just should be satisfied with dipa lamps. the problem I have with dipas, is that they do not travel well. On a farm there are many reasons to go out at night. Animals often choose the late hours to get ill, or into trouble, rains come when you least expect, and things need to be covered, it goes on, and a reliable outside light is essential.

Ys Samba das

From: Samba (das) SDG (Mauritius) Samba.SDG@bbt.se 
Sent: 16 December 1999 14:39
Subject: Lamp Oil verses Castor oil and poisonious plants

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Gopinatha Acarya has successfully burnt castor oil, he BOUGHT. If you can burn bought castor oil, then what are we doing wrong in the refinement that makes the home-made stuff unburnable? Where in India do they burn castor oil for lighting and how do they refine it there?

I also successfully used the castor oil I bought to light a dipa lamp, it works nicely. It will not work however in a larger 'hurricane' lamp. My theory for this is that either the wick in such lamps is too tight, or the oil is too thick to rise up from the well to the burning end at a rate sufficient to feed the flame.

When I tried it in my lamp, I first soaked the wick in the oil. At first it burned nicely but within a minute or two the flame died. I attributed that to a lack of oil at the burning end of the wick.

In a dipa, the flame is never more than a few millimeters from the oil, and the wick can be very porous and soft, like twisted cotton.

So the problem for me is to make a light that one can take outside on a windy night, if the cow is having some trouble, or for a million other reasons. A light that will not easily spill the fuel, and can be carried without too much care and attention.

What particular type of castor oil plant do they use- a local strain?

It maybe that that the oil is thinner for use in lamps, or maybe another type is used, or maybe a different wick is needed. It seems no one has ready answers, and that the problem needs to be tackled on a practical level.

YS Samba das

From: Carol DGilsen@aol.com 
Sent: 17 December 1999 00:52
Subject: Re: Lamp oil

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Dipas are usually small clay shallow bowls with an elongated end, where you normally lay a twisted cotton wick. Fill the bowl with oil and light the wick, and you have light. Dipas can also be made of brass, a bit like a candelabra, there are many varieties.
 
But I am convinced that the oil lamps, such as hurricane lamps etc, should be able to run from oils, as they were originally known as oil lamps. So the question is, what oil? Maybe the oils we get now are refined less, or too thick or something, and the lamp oil of old had different qualities.
 
Or maybe as has been suggested we just should be satisfied with Dipa lamps. the problem I have with Dipas, is that they do not travel well. On a farm there are many reasons to go out at night. Animals often choose the late hours to get ill, or into trouble, rains come when you least expect, and things need to be covered, it goes on, and a reliable outside light is essential.
 
Ys Samba das

Samba old boy, ever thought of making a lantern of an old plastic one gallon (four liters) milk or water bottle. Leave the handle on and cut down to about two inches leaving strips to reach the handle If you place a Dipa lamp in the bottom with some sand in the bottom to stabiles the lamp. To get more light place a mirror in the back of the milk jug if the front is cut out it won't starve for oxygen, It will be protected from the elements and is cheap and simple to make
Carol

From: Pancaratna ACBSP Pancaratna.ACBSP@bbt.se 
Sent: 18 December 1999 15:15
Subject: Re: Lamp oil

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Dandavad. Prabhupada kijaya!

Just a thought -
what about candles from beeswax for your emergency night outings? If you put them in a glass sided lantern you get a kind of "hurricane lamp"?

What are the various kinds of material one can make candles from?

Your servant,
Pancaratna das

From: Carol DGilsen@aol.com 
Sent: 18 December 1999 18:10
Subject: Re: Lamp oil

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Just a thought -
what about candles from beeswax for your emergency night outings? If you put them in a glass sided lantern you get a kind of "hurricane lamp"?
 
What are the various kinds of material one can make candles from?
 
Your servant,
Pancaratna das

Pancaratna Old boy
Depending on your location on this tired old earth there are tons of material to burn from each country. Coconut oil and candle nuts (impale the nuts on a sharp pointy stick or wire and light the top one they burn quite well and brightly, deep fried they taste good, raw they give diarrhea and stomach cramps. Banana oil, jahoba oil, pine sap, pine oil, takes some effort to make it, got to melt lots of trees. Bees wax, most nuts when pressed for their oil make a burnable oil, which will make a good light. Peanut butter oil smells good and if you still have some oil left in the morning you can cook with it. Castor oil, but I have not personally been able to get pure oil from my press to burn, Dvibhuja DAs, said he was able to get it to burn in a Dipa lamp. Any oily fruit or nut can usually burn with some decent light. I liked banana oil nearly burned down the kitchen with that discovery. Corn oil, sun flower oil, My stinky all time favorite is Carbide it stinks! You add water, in a slow drip onto the rocks and it releases acetylene gas, which burns with a stinky, hot, pure blue light and you can use it to wield with. Yes, I know it is a manufactured product and not a real rock at all. But Carbide brings back many fond memories of my misspent youth! 
The list goes on and on do you want more? Lately I have been eyeing avocado seeds and fruit they are pretty oily hummmmm? When I get some time I will gather up some seeds and see if they burn. Seed that big should be 
great for something.
Carol

From: Madhava Gosh (das) ACBSP (New Vrindavan - USA) Madhava.Gosh.ACBSP@bbt.se 
Sent: 19 December 1999 03:14
Subject: Re: Lamp oil

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Just a thought -
what about candles from beeswax for your emergency night outings? If you put them in a glass sided lantern you get a kind of "hurricane lamp"?

What are the various kinds of material one can make candles from?

Your servant,
Pancaratna das

Bayberry berries, but I think it is an alternative host to wheat rust diesease.

From: Pancaratna ACBSP Pancaratna.ACBSP@bbt.se 
Sent: 20 December 1999 03:13
Subject: Re: Lamp oil

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Dear Carol,

How do you make candles from oils? Or do you just let the wick float in the
oil?

Your servant,
Pancaratna das

From: Carol DGilsen@aol.com 
Sent: 20 December 1999 07:47
Subject: Re: Lamp oil wicks

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Dear Carol,
 
How do you make candles from oils? Or do you just let the wick float in the oil?
 
Your servant,
Pancaratna das

Haribol Pancaratna old boy
I cheat I make a dent in a scrap of tin foil about the size the tip of my index finger then punch a pin hole in it, and stuff a length of kite string through it. You have to tie a knot in the string to keep it from falling through though. The tiny tinfoil cup will float and the wick burns merrily. I have never tried a home made cotton wick but I would suggest that if you try one you make it very skinny. The fat wicks I saw in the temples seems to burn a lot of oil. I can do some experiments for you if you like? I also saw a tiny glass pipette(glass lab tubing) cut off in 1/2 inch lengths with a small blob of candle wax formed in a cup shape around it. Like the tin foil cup I used. The wick was threaded through the glass tube which floated in the oil and kept the wick upright! They were reusable also.
Hope this gives you some ideas!
Carol