Make an Olive Oil Lamp

It is not widely known, but olive oil will actually burn with a very nice flame and it is, therefore, possible to rig a simple lamp that will burn the olive oil. Such lamps have been used since ancient times. Since the principle is simple, there is lots of room for experimentation and crafting a beautiful lamp.

Things You'll Need:

• olive oil or any other kind of cooking oil
• an empty glass jar or plate to hold the oil
• a candle wick or any kind of string, cord, or wooden object that will hold the flame
• wire or any other contraption that will hold the wick
  

1. It is easiest to experiment on a flat plate, so pour some oil onto a flat plate
   
   
2. 
   
   
   Cut off 2 inches or so of wicking material and soak it in the oil.
   
   
3. 
   
   
    Wrap the wire around the wick so it will hold the wick about 3/8 of an inch above the oil. An easy way to do this is to make a spiral shape where the point holds the wick and the foot of the spiral makes the base. Exactly how high the point should be over the oil depends on the capillary action of the wick which again depends on the type of the wick.
4. 
   
   
   Light the top of the wick. Try adjusting the height of the wick to see how it affects the light.
   
   
5. 
   
   
   Do not worry. The oil on the plate will not burn. What is happening is that the heat evaporates the oil, and it is the oil vapors which burn. In fact, to extinguish the flame, just dip the wick back into the oil.
   
   
   
   
   Tips & Warnings

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     For more light, you can have several wicks burning in the same lamp.
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     The wind will easily blow the light out, so make a lamp out of a glass jar.
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     Raise the jar above the table for more light. Unlike a candle it will shine directly downward too.
   • 
     
     
     If you don't have a wick, cut off a narrow strip of cotton from an old rag.
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     You can use a fork to prop up the wick. If you use a flat plate and lay the fork down with the tines up and put the wick between two of the tines, it will be about the right height over the oil.