1769 A Better Bright Betty - An Emergency Oil Lamps For 2023

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[@joelaichner3025]

Prepare for tomorrow , enjoy today , and don’t worry about yesterday

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

good advice mate

[@keithfloyd1178]

I wanted to thank you. I was in Lowes today buying sand and tile for the sand battery and ended up giving a lesson on them to the cashier and the people in the line behind me. 3 people and the cashier took notes for your t-n-t page here. They also wrote down your name. 😎

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

oh wow - cheers mate - that is awesome lol

[@keithfloyd1178]

@@ThinkingandTinkering My sand battery photos are a hit on gab social . You are getting quite the following there, I share your videos there daily, Thank you again for all you do. May everyone have a Merry Christmas at the T-n-T Robert;

[@jerrywiessner]

What a great man you are!! Been watching for a long time. Helping save humanity one project at a time.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

oh wow - cheers mate - that such a nice thing to say - thank you very much

[@PyroEvil]

Yellow/orange flame and dark smoke mean lack of oxygen for complete combustion. I currently play on my site with this king of setup. I use copper pipe filled with rock wool insulation. Resist to around 1400C of heat. For now , look working good. I have to increase the air supply for bigger heat output.

[@markwarburton8563]

I really love how Rob gets so excited by his creations. They are great to be sure, but made even better by his enthusiasm!

[@kbjerke]

I always enjoy your videos! Thank you! Merry Christmas, Robert!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

thank you mate and have great one yourself

[@DrGreenThumb135]

That must give off a nice bit of heat as well as light! Awesome!

[@matthewellisor5835]

Very young I was taught to fold over the top end of the tube to get more light and heat with less sooting of the ceiling. But the 10 year old, in our house, certainly know better than to question things Before following instructions of his elders. If anything of my nature has shown through in these comments, I expect little surprise that all questions were eagerly greeted After the orders were obeyed. It would be interesting to compare the open to the closed top. If I recall correctly, we also used fiberglass window screening with support of, I assume, stainless wire. But the first lighting had to be performed outside to burn off whatever resin was binding the glass. Thanks for bringing back some fond memories.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - to be honest this was pretty quick and dirty I was really just exploring the idea - the first one I did used glass but I was unhappy with it - I think I will remake a better version of this

[@daviddjerassi]

Excellent you make everything look like a piece of cake but in truth its not that easy you have all ready worked every thing for us subscribers Thank you.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

that is the truth mate lol

[@modelnutty6503]

@@ThinkingandTinkering yup, but tinkering is so much FUN too! a "penny stove" is such a great simple project, stretching one aluminum can to press fit over the other and everything else, neatness counts. I also like the aluminum can stacking passive convection solar powered room heaters that'll fit to a window, can save a lot on heating bills. there's plenty videos about recycling to make either of those units.

[@lagunafishing]

I have some wire mesh which is the perfect size to form a tube so rather than fold it, I just stitch up the seam with copper wire.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice

[@THEGLASSMANSWORLD]

You've given me ideas since I blow glass! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

wow - I would love to be able to blow glass - I stand in jealous envy lol

[@THEGLASSMANSWORLD]

@@ThinkingandTinkering you can! I'm sure you of all people would pick it up quickly! I'll have to start uploading Beginner Glass Lessons for you!

[@ianbutler1983]

Thanks Robert.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@steffipavitti]

The join in the mesh you created is called a flat felled seam 😊

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers

[@mikeshawbrook-selfreliance]

Wonderful !

[@ericstonge3285]

Awesome 👍👍😊

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@neilbain8736]

I'm writing this by the light and heat of an old Bi Aladdin incandescent mantle lamp. Very cosy. Lamp oil is more highly taxed in the UK. The duty on paraffin has been removed or is much less. I've been using White Spirit/Turpentine Substitute from hardware stores for years. It's easier to get and about the same price or cheaper than paraffin. It's excellent stuff but shop around as prices can vary considerably for the same product from the same manufacturer. Be aware than Clean Spirit from Bartoline is water based and does not burn!

[@salilsahani2721]

Thank you :)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

You're welcome!

[@davidhayes5382]

Fantastic video

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@connosaurus]

Carbon fiber is hard to find around my area so I use corrugated cardboard. Packed tight and with the channels running upward, works a treat and cheap as chips.

[@markratner4445]

I thoroughly enjoy your channel

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

oh wow - awesome thank you mate

[@davethompson247]

I've just realised why I like your videos so much - apart from us blokes just like messing about in our sheds - you my friend are the new Blue Peter for adults ( without the sticky back pastic )

[@toml.8210]

Ordinary kerosene had a bit of an odor to it, which is why some people use the odorless, purified kerosene.

[@boathemian7694]

Wow you’re really the best! I’m trying to build the simplest waste oil heater ever, one that doesn’t use an electric fan. One that can burn light and heavy oil.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice

[@lolol7110]

That was cool !

[@karlmyers6518]

Nice lamp.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@IainiaI]

Argand lamps have a hollow wick that allows air to access the inside as well as the outside of the wick, if you could make one with the annular or tubular wick and ass a glass chimney, it would burn very bright and cleanly. You've given me an idea! I want to make something like this using Argand's principle with vegetable oil.😊

[@traviswebster4622]

I'd love to see an updated video on best wick material (forever wick still applicable?), best fuel for what it's worth( is vegetable oil the cheapest and cleanest?), and best wick holder construction for the unit (tubular can inside a can, copper pipe inside the pipe). I'm building a prototype with a double outer chamber with strategic holes for abundant oxygen inflow and copper tubes above the flame as a heat exchanger and a flu pipe to top it off. Mainly just curious if you've learned further developments on this topic since the last videos you've addressed this in. Thank you fellow creationist !

[@davereynolds6912]

Always interesting😁😁

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@zfolwick]

I succeeded by using a paper shop towel.

[@angelusmendez5084]

Nice ! 👏

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@malj7890]

65 years ago my dad came home with the new paraffin heater, what I really remember was him messing with the wick trying to stop it smelling, is the fuel better now. Great work

[@Buzzhumma]

he probably liked the wick out for the big flame but to much wick and it smokes !

[@martineleven8179]

If you cut both ends out of the bean can & stand it in the middle of a fray bentos pie tin/dish with the holes at the bottom to let the oil through you can top the oil reservoir up easily , works a treat.

[@TonyM540]

Plus you get to eat pie and beans !

[@paulholden3904]

@Robert, thank you that makes the Mason jar lamps look positively dim

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it does lol

[@paulholden3904]

@@ThinkingandTinkering The other thing I was thinking watching your version ... if you took the bottom off a milk bottle .. would that fit over the can lip and work in place of the mantle? Thinking complete hobo style Also did you try veg oil in that setup? does the carbon have the wicking power to draw enough for a flame?

[@ricksampson6780]

I prefer the original "TnT" logo, it represents the cultural values of the channel far more distinctly than the revised version.

[@normellow]

Brilliant ! I made the 4” pipe rocket stove into a grill. I used two 4” T’s and a 4” X4’ threaded pipe. On top I used a 4” ID to 9” flange and bolted it to a charcoal grill. Turned out nice. If you have a email I can send you pictures of it. Cheers!

[@modelnutty6503]

cool concept, could run a big round Weber BBQ just like a pizza oven I'd think.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I would love to see it mate - [e-mail]

[@normellow]

@@ThinkingandTinkering pictures and a short video sent 👍

[@natanwhite.nd6948]

Cool video

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@NC-vh8pl]

Sensacional! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@musikSkool]

I've always wanted to try putting a lantern mantle on a candle. It is supposed to make it very bright, like an old fashioned limelight.

[@misamsung6191]

Been there done that! It does, you can almost double the light from a candle by simply placing a reflector behind it. It was a trick that I learnt all they way back in my Scouting days (mumble) years ago. LOL We made candle holders out of some tin cans worked a treat.

[@ryanroberts1104]

It's called a "lantern" they figured it out many hundreds of years ago. Even the $7 hurricane lamp you can buy works like this.

[@musikSkool]

@@ryanroberts1104 I know, but a candle is smaller than a lantern. Also, candles and a bag of mantles is like 10 times cheaper than a lantern.

[@ryanroberts1104]

@@musikSkool You act like this is some amazing new innovation. This has existed for hundreds of years. This laughing idiot isn't teaching you anything new. And no, it's not cheaper, you can literally buy a real oil powered hurricane lamp on Amazon for $7.

[@misamsung6191]

@@ryanroberts1104 I haven't seen an old kerosene hurricane lamp in years. Same goes for Aladdin lamps as well. We have one mostly for decoration.

[@christophersherratt7299]

Robert i mixed 2 of your demonstration to make a heater the Betty Lamp with 1 wick 22mm and steel mesh with reflector at the back But I used 3 wraps of mesh going around the can with mesh spacers found that the single wick didn't use as much fuel as the one you did around the can just as hot with no waste of heat better control once the flame wick was adjusted correct have a go your self it's one you have not done

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice one mate and thank you for sharing - I will give it a go - tbh I love it when folks improve on what I did - and share it - so thank you very much mate

[@jamesross1003]

What a bright idea(wink wink)! LOL, nice Rob thanks!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

boom boom lol

[@HergerTheJoyous]

Intro logo is looking sharp!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it's from Mariam!

[@johne7100]

Awesome indeed! What does your ceiling look like these days? 😉

[@gabrielfunvake7693]

Hi Rob - I recently watched some videos on powering hot water boilers directly from solar. I would love to get your take on that...!

[@traviswebster4622]

Passive solar water heaters!

[@mikelaplante2703]

Have you tried or do you know if the rope used for a gasket on wood stoves would work as a wick and its longevity compared to the carbon felt? I ask this because the gasket rope is readily available and cheap here in Wisconsin. Second question; what is the blind like structure over your shop windows? Love your videos, I've learned a great deal.

[@jeroeneijer]

Thank you for these engenering lamp/heat experiments. To what extent would it be possible to adept the Iron-Mesh-Mantel for a Hurrican/Diets-lamp to "reform" it to a heater? Most of your builds are already done in such a "Alladyn" lamp. I know Japanese, English, France and Belgain heaters use the Alladynlamp priciple. I only have seen the mesh princeple in a Zibrokamine heater: but will it work in a Dietz/Fuerhand.....? Would the glas melt? Will the tank get too hot? Thanks in advence Yours....

[@1973Raido]

I was just thinking today, "What if you put a mantle like one of Robert's on a Bright Betty?" And there you go posting the video about it!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - I am here to serve mate

[@christineplaton3048]

So. Can make a mesh circle for a rehular oil lamp, too!?

[@hvdtoorn]

Still love the new logo!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - me too!

[@docink6175]

that chimney really increases the flame

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

yep

[@joelaichner3025]

It’s snowing , Mannheim Steamroller playing , LIFE is GOOD , buy a shovel ! And dig it !

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - yup

[@christineplaton3048]

Manhattan NY USA could use your stainless steel mesh rat deterrent video). France needs anti bedbug ideas) . I like rhe Betty lamp but not the fumes. Asthma. Anything about making an olive oil or canola oil lamp?

[@woodworks2123]

Does this work as a heater.using maybe 2 or 3

[@Teknopottu]

How about a video about using thick vegetable oil to modify normal candles to burn a lot longer? Our friends in the USA use Crisco-brand vegetable oil, warm it in a jar so it becomes liquid and dump a candle in. Done. A candle that is supposed to burn for many days. I have a problem finding same type of oil here in Finland for prize that is affordable. Could you make a video or give tips what kind of stuff you could use to replicate this?

[@billybrown2134]

Could you use methanol and glass tube?

[@modelnutty6503]

might be brighter and a little less smoke with the tip/top folded shut? the radiant infrared heat potential looks great+efficient, something similar would work with a gaseous fuel that doesn't normally produce much light (gas stove blue flames). I know there was gas lighting days (not the political type like now!).

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@andygold]

I noticed the can had holes around the top. Were they necessary, and if so, what diameter, how many, and at what height from the top of the can?

[@joelaichner3025]

Build a Shovel !

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

why?

[@williammcguinness6664]

A tube going through the flame from the bottom outside will bring extra air in and will burn the carbon fumes

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@Flashahol]

Just this week, I was wondering if there was a way to improve the heat output of a kerosene/oil lantern with steel mesh. This is a little more insane, so I will probably make one...

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome lol

[@davesy6969]

Looks like it gives off heat as well.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it does mate - but then you are burning something

[@Tailss1]

My smoke alarms aren't going to like that.

[@felewoverthecoocoo2556]

Are you not a lord yet Mr. Smith?

[@jimdaly5077]

Oh Black Betty not tonight Oh Bright Betty you got it right. 👍🐝🤣

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@aronbraswell1589]

this is off subject but, I like sharing my ideas with you. could you make a wind powered Van de Graaff generator and make usable power with it?

[@maryginger4877]

please cove the argand lamp, its so simple as an idea, but actually hard to make.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

ok

[@robertgaines-tulsa]

A better lamp than a Bright Betty-- a farm house lamp. Are oil lamps and lamp oil also having a shortage in Britain? From my understanding, everything is having a shortage right now.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

everything except ingenuity mate

[@deltonlomatai2309]

Looks like it provide a degree of heat.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it does

[@angrydoggy9170]

That’s beautifully easy to make, but I’ll stick with my antique oil lamps.

[@standfortruth4568]

*hey rob how about showing a methanol burner that lasts for longer* *than a hour many people want to see that ?*

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

there really isn't much point mate - the heat produced is fixed by the amount of methanol you burn - if you burn less so it lasts longer all that happens is there is less heat but for a longer time - but overall it is the same amount of heat because it is the same amount of methanol - if I did something that burnt for longer all folks would say is - well it didn't get hot lol!

[@standfortruth4568]

@@ThinkingandTinkering i agree, i just wanted some clarity as in 1702 you quoted that you could get a hour and a half burn time from less than a quarter of a can. i've read many comments with people not getting longer than 3 quarters of a hour with the high flame in the vid. i have found this to be true but as a lot of people are looking at room heaters to save on fuel bills, i have found using the same burner as in 1702 with a two thirds can filled with floral foam and a few strands of carbon felt stuck in like candles you can get a good over all burn and manage 2 and 3 quarter a hours burn time with 300ml of methanol. thanks for your reply just thought this may be useful to anyone like myself saving money on bills.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

@@standfortruth4568 you make a very good point mate - I will give it some thought - thank you

[@toml.8210]

I bet the mesh gets a bit warm, no? Cheers,

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

oh yeah

[@stevetobias4890]

Is lamp oil as sooty as Kero?

[@FuhrChris]

I wondered when you would get around to that. You can use a mason jar as well and thus be able to see how much fuel is still in the Bright betty.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

a mason jar will never burn as brightly mate - not enough oxygen getting to the flame

[@davadoff]

Can use a mason jar only if you can drill holes in it

[@alexkatsimeros1717]

Hello Rob I just watched 1678 Hahahahaha Please excuse my comment on olive oil burning as a drug induced act of ignorance I now no better than to preach to the master hahahaha

[@Hackbridge1963]

How do you extinguish it?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

snuff it like a candle

[@TheParkAttendant]

Question ❓ Could vegetable oil work in your Bright Betty as an emergency substitute?

[@thedindon]

You can use olive oil, but some say it releases toxic fumes (not sure that’s true though). Made one tonight, smelled like warm olive oil 😊

[@TheParkAttendant]

@@thedindon Thanks, I appreciate your efforts.

[@joelaichner3025]

P.S. when it’s snowing , you get wet dogs , special towel !

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

hmmmm - nice smell lol

[@marcfruchtman9473]

The idea of a "Lamp" is generally to create a brighter light tho right? So, would it create more light if you used a mantle / mesh similar to the kind that gas lamps used, ie the ones that were coated with thorium dioxide?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

probably if you could coat them in thorium dioxide

[@duncanmit5307]

💜👍💜👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@jamest.5001]

Will that not work with alcohol also? Ethanol, methanol, rubbing alcohol over 70% , preferably 91%+ the 70% tends to get waterlogged if it's not hot enough to evaporate the water, someone said to put salt or sodium on the wick to. Get a more red flame from the alcohol any ideas? 💡?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

don't methanol and ethanol burn a bit blue for lighting? - I will have a think - cheers

[@justtinkering6713]

Robert, Did you forget to pay the heat bill?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nope - but the bill was really high

[@justtinkering6713]

@@ThinkingandTinkering This too shall pass, painful as it is.

[@tinkerfreak4602]

😁👍🏽

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@InterdimensionalWiz]

STAINLESS TEA STRAINER AS A SMALL MANTLE PERHAPS.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

good idea

[@monk1100]

Does it produce a lot of smelly fumes

[@StevenHudakdotcom]

Can you make it with a John Wick?

[@willywantoknow2563]

What is the most efficient way to create cost efficient fuel.

[@thomaswilliams2273]

Depends what you mean by most efficient. The most cost effective way is probably to plant a tree, but that way is certainly not very time efficient.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I don't know enough to help mate - want do you want the fuel for? What criteria do you have for efficient? When you say cost do you mean just the money you have to spend or the time you have to spend doing it too?

[@willywantoknow2563]

@@ThinkingandTinkering the goal is heat to stay warm. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so it would be challenging to create fuel from scrap without spending equal amounts of energy to produce said fuel. Fire wood is an obvious consumable source along with other organic fuels like peat. So to refine the question: what efficient fuel can be most easily fabricated with little spent energy to produce? (Granted of course what is most commonly available: waste oil, methanol, syngas, method to keep hydrogen powered generator fueled with electricity...etc)

[@beakytzw]

Out of interest, how much heat will that produce?

[@oddjobbob8742]

Whoaaa Bright Betty, bam-a-lamp

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lolol

[@pattiannepascual]

can you show the holes in the can. It's hard to see on the phone screen. You said 3 holes? but it looked liked there were more around the top. I want to get this right so if power goes out,I can quickly assemble for 2 seniors I watch over in my area.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

holes all round the can and 3 layers of holes - 12 holes per layer - so 36 holes in total

[@pattiannepascual]

@@ThinkingandTinkering thank you so much!♥️

[@philware1546]

Don't put it in your living room and knock it over!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - no indeed - but that's true of any open flame - even a candle

[@velcroman11]

It’s not a ruler, it is a RULE. A ruler is King Charles III of other such personage that governs. That RULER laws, rules by which we live and or work by. They are the RULER,and “we the people” follow that rule. A measuring stick (a rule not ruler) is one such tool which show lengths that have been laid down but the Ruler of Measurement, hopefully not the French.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome example of how to split a hair mate lolol - I hate to tell you this - no one but you cares

[@ifell3]

Do you realise how fecking difficult it is to find an all metal coat hanger these days 😂

[@misamsung6191]

My dry cleaner has them. Perhaps they are harder to find in the UK than in Canada where I live. You of course could use welding rod from your local DIY store.

[@ifell3]

@@misamsung6191 yes I've got a load of tig rods in my garage. But before that, so many projects where you need a old wire coat hanger and then you realise you've already used the last one in your house. Honestly they are like collector items for me.

[@YourOldPalFernbark]

Especially that thick. I wondered where he found it.

[@misamsung6191]

@@ifell3 When we bought our current house 30 years ago one of the basement closets had a ton of them. I've used them for various projects over the years and still have a ton of them. The dry cleaner we use keeps giving them out. I suspect that they are breeding in the basement closet. LOL

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lolol - for sure - try fence wire

[@couchninja2997]

kinda creepy all you been doing is stuff if power wet out ! mainly heat source !

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

that's because I am expecting it to happen - plus I just like making things and I was asked to make this

[@couchninja2997]

@@ThinkingandTinkering Ok >>You did say this wouldn't happen Aswell correct in UK?

[@oddjobbob8742]

Does the heat of the mesh improve combustion so it will smoke less?