BILL & VIVE MOHL

Vive and I have made our oil lamps since 1970 with high heat-resistant clay on a potter's kickwheel, with a pulled handle. I hold a chopstick in my teeth to form the spout.

We recommend using Ultra Pure Candle & Lamp Oil liquid paraffin from Lamplight Farms, Plenomonee Falls, WI 53051. Fuel is available at most major discount, hardware, gift, candle and drug stores. Candle oil-based scent may be added to the fuel. Fill your lamp to 1" below the lid opening taking care there is no overflow when you replace the lid. Depending on the reservoir and flame sizes, your lamp will burn for up to 55 hours per filling.

The flame height is set with a nail or similar pointed object. Before lighting your lamp, set the wick level at the spout opening. After the wick is saturated with oil from the reservoir and lit, you may adjust it by snuffing out the flame then pushing the wick in to produce a smaller flame or pulling it out for a larger flame.

The wick is a strand from a cotton mop-head and serves only as a vehicle for the vapors to burn and does not burn itself, therefore should never need to be replaced. Unless the oil is completely used from burning your lamp, the wick need only be set once and lit repeatedly without readjustment.