Mini Lantern

[swissgearlabs]

Hej Everybody

I made my own mini lantern for outdoor use, trekking, mountaineering etc. It runs on lamp oil (ermmm, Paraffin Oil in the UK? Petrol or Petroleum in Switzerland...).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFXX40TKA4Y

I checked some products but was not really happy with what was available. This mini lantern responds to my needs well and is part of my extended backpack kit:
- small and also easy to operate (even with cold fingers)
- long burn time (10-14 hrs on one fill)
- reliable & rugged
- NOT MESSY
- if you buy the right lamp oil not stinky
- if it falls over it will go out (preferably you hang it up on its chain)

It is a small piece of kit that makes outdoor living (especially in bad weather) more comfortable. Let me know what you think.
(I also have some images to show but have not figured out yet how to upload them to the thread....)

Greetings from Switzerland
P@

[Golb]

Nice, well done!

I could use one of those :-p

[Silverhill]

Good work indeed! Are you thinking about putting it into production for eventual release on sale?

[Harvestman]

That is almost exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for. Lovely bit of kit.

[swissgearlabs]

i could let you know when i make one for my outdoor buddy from CH.

if your still interested then (well, it could take a while, lots of commitments at the moment...)

[swissgearlabs]

Good work indeed! Are you thinking about putting it into production for eventual release on sale?

well, why not, if there seems to be some interest? some parts would have to be redesigned when making several.

[SBreen]

cracking, might be interested in one of those

[courtney]

you have some good skills there mate
id love one of these let us know if you make any to sell.

[swissgearlabs]

you have some good skills there mate
id love one of these let us know if you make any to sell.

am a wee bit surprised about the interest in it... but that 's cool!
let me check with the craftsman who makes the glass if he could deliver some more parts and then i'll come back.
cheers
p@

[Toddy]

That is rather nice

Tell me you've got a copyright on it ? Seriously, otherwise someone with a commercial ability will nick your design.

I have to tell you that you aren't allowed to advertise without first contacting the site owner, Tony, but there are a lot of kit buyers on the site

cheers,
Toddy

[v-ness]

Thats brilliant mate!!

I can see a group buy of those coming on

I'd be interested in one of those too, they look like a fabulous handy piece of kit.

Cheers
Ness

[DavidJT]

Very nice. I'd love one too if you are able to make a few. Especially like the bayonet style connector, just like a camera lens.
A very compact practical item. Please also let me know too if you are able to make any more.

[peaks]

Hi,
What a wonderful piece of kit - but as Toddy says I hope you hsve protected the design?
If you are making any more I would certainly be very interested in one if they became available.

[rik_uk3]

Nice but there are similar.

For the UCO lovers out there
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/INDUSTRIAL-REV...255b25ff8469cd

[Robbi]

Rik, thats not a patch on P@'s mate, no comparison at all !

[rik_uk3]

Rik, thats not a patch on P@'s mate, no comparison at all !

Have you tried them both by any chance?, you realise the one I linked is only the burner, designed to fit a UCO lantern don't you?

This http://www.survivaldepot.co.uk/UCO_O...3_1766432.aspx

Fits in this
http://www.heinnie.com/product.asp?P_ID=4581 So they are in fact comparable, there is a certain similarity between the original and the one posted here by the 'inventor'. I suspect he was heavily influenced by the UCO design. I wish the chap luck but its already been done and is available.

[Toddy]

Stamped out tinplate with plastic plugs, or machined from the solid ?

I have the Uco ones, and the knock off brass ones. They do work, but the way the machined pieces seem to twist securely in this one appeals.
Like the difference between an airbed and a down mat iimmc; or a plastic match case and the case one, both similar ideas and both work, just one has more refinement and robustness.

cheers,
M

[Greenbeast]

Very nice!

[rik_uk3]

Stamped out tinplate with plastic plugs, or machined from the solid ?

I have the Uco ones, and the knock off brass ones. They do work, but the way the machined pieces seem to twist securely in this one appeals.
Like the difference between an airbed and a down mat iimmc; or a plastic match case and the case one, both similar ideas and both work, just one has more refinement and robustness.

d

cheers,
M

Great Toddy, buy one and give an unbiassed review, sorry the guy is not far off cloning the UCO insert, tell me they don't look similar?

[Toddy]

The three lugged Uco insert is a right royal pain, especially if you manage to get molten wax on it Been there, done that

I freely admit, I like good engineering, and from the little we've seen of this one, it looks better made, more robust and altogether a more secure fit.
I haven't seen one, none of us has, we're just interested.

The fact that we're showing interest kind of indicates that there's something lacking in the available alternatives though.

cheers,
Toddy

[swissgearlabs]

That is rather nice

Tell me you've got a copyright on it ? Seriously, otherwise someone with a commercial ability will nick your design.

I have to tell you that you aren't allowed to advertise without first contacting the site owner, Tony, but there are a lot of kit buyers on the site

cheers,
Toddy

Thanks, Toddy, for the hint. I checked with Tony and there are no problems. If I decide to make a few more I need to become a "hobby maker" for £30 a year (and not sell more than 8 pieces). Fair enough.

Cheers, p@

[swissgearlabs]

Have you tried them both by any chance?, you realise the one I linked is only the burner, designed to fit a UCO lantern don't you?

This http://www.survivaldepot.co.uk/UCO_O...3_1766432.aspx

Fits in this
http://www.heinnie.com/product.asp?P_ID=4581 So they are in fact comparable, there is a certain similarity between the original and the one posted here by the 'inventor'. I suspect he was heavily influenced by the UCO design. I wish the chap luck but its already been done and is available.

Hi Rik

I said I was not entierly happy with what was available. Which basically means I am not happy with the UCO design. Not with that oil insert (the design you point out) nor with the wax candle.

My wee lantern works for me, I made it for myself. But that is just my view and that's about it.

Greetings from Switzerland
P@

Indeed

[Toddy]

Thanks, Toddy, for the hint. I checked with Tony and there are no problems. If I decide to make a few more I need to become a "hobby maker" for £30 a year (and not sell more than 8 pieces). Fair enough.

Cheers, p@

That's 8 pieces per month

cheers,
Toddy

[bilmo-p5]

Nothing new under the Sun.
QDanT did a walkthrough for making one of these about 4 years ago. No pics any more but the instructions are easy enough to follow,

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/sho...003#post255003

[Toddy]

Uhuh and from post #2 onwards folks were asking if he'd be making them for sale.
Seems it's not a new issue
Though, you'd have thought someone would have had a go at a commercial version in that time

cheers,
M

[rik_uk3]

As you say Ian, nothing new, and this insert certainly is not new. Perhaps because it looks home made is the appeal of this 'new' lantern.

[shaggystu]

new, old, original, copied, i don't care, i think that's a great little bit of kit.
well done P@

stuart

[Chrisj]

That's really nice. I'd be interested in one of those if they went into production.

So what if it is similar to the UCO one? He never claimed to be the inventor of an original idea. He just said hey look what I've managed to make for myself. Hobo stoves have been done a million times in pretty similar ways but we all still like to post when we have just made one for ourselves.

[Spikey DaPikey]

Well done mate. I like that

[Melonfish]

If you do start making these and selling on the site, sign me up! i think its fantastic, its small yet gives off lots of light and looks sturdy, reliable and simple!