Paraffin oil question

J&K10910 · May 2012

Ok, SOMEONE must know something about this.

We bought this really sweet piece of handmade decor at an art and custom furniture shop awhile ago. It's a glass oil burning...thing. It's really cool. We filled it up with some pure paraffin oil, soaked the wicks for about an hour, and lit it up. Paraffin oil is supposed to be relatively clean burning, but damn if that thing isn't smoky, sooty, and smelly. What the eff is going on?

cheeseandrice · May 2012

How long has it been burning? I wonder if it just needs to burn off whatever was on it before? Is this the first time you've used it?

J&K10910 · May 2012

It's been burning about 45 minutes now. It is the first time. That was what we thought too, but it doesn't seem to be getting any cleaner.

cheeseandrice · May 2012

I googled a bit, and I keep finding stuff on using paraffin oil for smoke machines (like toy trains, to make the engine look like it's smoking.)

That's probably not a good sign

J&K10910 · May 2012

Hahaha! Paraffin oil is supposed to be pretty much the cleanest thing you can use. Obviously it still smokes and is sooty, because how could it NOT be? What's weird is that the ones that they had lit in the store were not smoking and sooty like this. I think I'll call the shop tomorrow and see if they have any insight.

kd.joseph · May 2012

I found this:

Paraffin Oil (Liquid Candle Wax,) in the UNITED STATES is mis-labeled for use in oil lamps, when in fact it is only suited for candles that use small diameter round wick.

99% or 100% Paraffin (Light Farms Ultra-Pure, Northern Lights Fuel, Nowell's Fuel, Oddity Fuel, Tropical Lights, Weems & Plath, etc.) is NOT designed or suitable for use in tubular lanterns or lamps that use flat wick. Further, it burns only 1/2 as bright of any of the approved fuels listed above. Paraffin has a much higher viscosity and a flash point of 200 degrees or higher, as compared to the flash point of 150 degrees for kerosene. These differences inhibit the necessary capillary action of the wick, and will cause Lamps and Lanterns with 7/8" or larger wick to burner improperly and erratic.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL VERMONT LANTERNS ARE 3/4" WICK OR SMALLER Once a extra large wick ( not Vermont Lantern models) is contaminated with paraffin, it must be replaced in order for the lantern to burner properly. If you must use paraffin in a larger wick lamp, it may be mixed 1:10 to 2:10 (one to two parts to ten parts,) with standard oil or kerosene so that it will burn satisfactorily.

J&K10910 · May 2012

It's got small diameter round wicks. It's not really a lamp. It's...a....well, it's a thing. Helpful, I know.

kd.joseph · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_paraffin-oil-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:fc11ecf1-e169-4ce4-8e86-4e55cbe5bb2bPost:437a36de-ddc3-4b3b-9f32-c34cdaec4bf3">Re: Paraffin oil question</a>:
[QUOTE]It's got small diameter round wicks. It's not really a lamp. It's...a....well, it's <strong>a thing</strong>. Helpful, I know.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

Well that explains a lot :)

I think if it keeps smoking I'd get a new wick and find another oil.

cheeseandrice · May 2012

picture now, please.

kd.joseph · May 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_paraffin-oil-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:fc11ecf1-e169-4ce4-8e86-4e55cbe5bb2bPost:5bb6daaa-a6b0-4d56-95c8-c6db518a2179">Re: Paraffin oil question</a>:
[QUOTE]picture now, please.
Posted by Steph+J[/QUOTE]

Seriously!

J&K10910 · May 2012

Ok, hold on!

J&K10910 · May 2012

So, the red piece lifts up, and the oil reservoir is under it. There are 3 holes for the wicks, which are hard to see. On either side, those hold cut glass pieces (currently, I want to switch it to rocks).

Here, you can see where the wicks go better in this one:

kd.joseph · May 2012

Well I have to say that is very interesting, I've never seen anything like it. So, 'thing" is appropriate.

I still think you should get clean wicks and use something else.

Thats all I got!

cheeseandrice · May 2012

That's cool! How big is it?? I have no sense of size from that picture.

J&K10910 · May 2012

Yeah, it's handmade and super cool. They had a bunch of different designs.

Steph, it's about 18 inches by 8 inches or so. It's good sized.

Loopyseven · May 2012

I like that. No advice on the smoking though.

dmiller9274 · May 2012

Other than making sure you keep the wicks trimmed pretty short, and you don't have it sitting in a place that is drafty, the only other thing I know of that causes excess smoke, is wicks that still contain lead. The EPA never officially banned the use of lead in candle wicks, so some wicks still contain a small amount. My sister and I make our own candles and we accidentally bought the wrong wicks, ones that have lead, once and they smoked a lot more that what we were expecting. Check the package for your wicks, and it should tell you. Hope that helps!

J&K10910 · May 2012

Interesting, DMill. The wicks came with it, but we bought some extra yesterday, so if those don't contain lead, we can just switch them out and see if that helps. Thanks!

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