Gear

A couple of weeks ago I stumbled across some lantern glass on ebay and realized they would fit in a Red bull sized can with only a slight bit of spare room. An hour spent in the shed mesuring and hey presto, a lantern. And it's only 40 grams and gives off some good light.

It's the latest Firefox update Robert - if you want OM to work,  roll back to the older version or do a system restore to the day before you updated...

nice lamp - what's the black bit on the lid rim?

Ah I shall have to try and sort that out then.

It's a bit of electrical tape just to give the lid some grip.

Interesting, I had a look at your gallery pics. I bought a couple of lantern glass spares from ebay intending to do something similar but haven't got round to it yet. The ones I bought were from HK and came in 2x.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Glass-Gas-Lamp-Diameter-49mm-45mm-tall-x2-/110427583020?pt=UK_SportingGoods_Camping_CookingSupplies_ET&hash=item19b5ff322c

A couple of questions. How easy is it to light? I see you can only get access from the top and with the narrow diameter I imagine trying to get match in is difficult without the flame coming back and burning your fingers and it will be impossible to light with a lighter. I had been thinking of ways to use a taller one where the lantern glass slid upwards to allow access from the bottom.

Also how hot does the base get? Would it be too hot to stand on a groundsheet?

Have you thought about using panels from the can as reflectors? I think the commercial version has a reflector that can be added to reflect light downwards. Also on your design one could be used to close of one side and direct light to one side. When thinking about my design I wasn't sure whether to have it open all the way round like yours or to only have cutouts in one side to give greater light in one direction.

I didn't see the ordering two option cause that's where I got mine from.

>How easy is it to light?

I light it then drop it in. It works fine and always lands the correct way because there's not enough room for it to flip over.

>Also how hot does the base get? Would it be too hot to stand on a groundsheet?

From the two times I've tested it I don't remember the base getting hot. It's the lid that get's rather warm.

>Have you thought about using panels from the can as reflectors? When thinking about my design I wasn't sure whether to have it open all the way round like yours or to only have cutouts in one side to give greater light in one direction.

Yeah I'm sure you could, I'll try and find the pieces and see what happens if they're stuck back in. Only one opening may give more light in that direction.

I prefer it open all the way around because I made a top reflector from some scraps of ali from building a clone. I hang it above me and it bounces a good bit of light back down. Enough to read or see around you well enough.

Robert Hubbard wrote (see)

I light it then drop it in. It works fine and always lands the correct way because there's not enough room for it to flip over.

Obvious really I always make things more complicated than they need to be. I think I will just try copying your design and then if I think of any improvements after using it I can always build another.

Do you have any useful tips after making yours? I have made a couple of can stoves so I have some experience of 'can craft' and can see how to do most of it.

One question though, I see that the base of yours is obviously the base of a can upside down and pressed into the body. I imagine this would be very difficult if not impossible to do after the windows were cut out. Did you cut the windows afterwards with the glass inside?

Also how have you affixed the wire hanger?

>Do you have any useful tips after making yours?

Drill your air holes in the bottom of the base before cutting it off.

Cut the can to size and then insert the glass then the upside down base, design stolen from a chimney stove.

Use the score and tear method to do the windows after the glass is in.

The wire hanger - Wrap a piece of thin wire around the top, under the lip. Before twisting the ends together to tighten and secure it take a second piece of wire and place both ends between the wire and can. This forms the hanger. Twist the ends of the first piece together to secure it. Move the ends of the hanger wire so they are opposite one another. Twist the ends up and around themselves to secure.

Also don't use a can opener to remove the whole of the inside of the original can lid. The glass will not fit snugly then, it will try to slide out. Instead use a Stanley or hole saw bit to remove most but not all. If you place the glass on top of the can you'll see what I mean and how much you need to keep.