How to make a lamp out of oil and yarn
Making an oil lamp with just a few simple things
Here’s a quick and easy way to use common household materials to make a real oil lamp – one that can keep you warm through the coming winter nights.
Materials and reagents
- sunflower oil;
- wool yarn;
- glass jar;
- foil;
- screwdriver.
Step-by-step instructions
Use some foil to make a small lid. Poke a hole in the center of the foil with the screwdriver. Draw the wool yarn through the hole. Fill the glass jar with sunflower oil and cover it tightly with the foil, keeping the yarn in place. Wait 15 minutes for the yarn to absorb some of the oil. Light the oiled yarn.
Processes description
The thick wool yarn – the thicker the better – serves as the wick for the lamp. It easily absorbs substances such as oils and other liquids, drawing them upwards. When the oiled wick is lit, the oil evaporates quickly and its vapor begins to burn. Oxygen from the surrounding air supports the combustion of the oil vapor. This same vapor keeps the oxygen from reaching the wick itself, so the oiled wick chars slowly rather than burning outright. Such a lamp will burn as long as it has oil in it!
Be sure to observe all relevant safety precautions when working with fire.
