The Ultimate Chimneys for Victorian Era Center Draft Lamps

 

     .    .

World's Largest Selection of Wicks!
      Wicks for virtually every heater, stove and lamp made since 1850

The Ultimate Chimneys
for Victorian Era Center Draft Lamps,
 Student Lamps and Kosmos Lamps

Our wicks, chimneys, other products and packing materials were in stock before the coronavirus epidemic started.  We will continue to quickly ship clean packages and products as long as the US Post Office is open.

The chimneys below are made to my specifications by a commercial laboratory glass manufacturer - beakers, retorts, entire chemical lab equipment.  That is where their primary income is obtained - I am well down in second place.  I am often out of these custom chimneys, hence the less expensive chimneys listed on the Standard Chimney page.  For the chimneys below I chose as molds the best sample chimneys I could find, such as century-old Macbeth chimneys, sometimes using the original patents for dimensions, or I have designed the chimneys myself to be the best possible clean burning chimneys available.

Chimneys listed ascending by size.

Chimneys for the Little Jewel, Little Prince, Little Royal, etc.
Junior / "0" size chimneys 
 Miller #1, Rayo Jr. Chimney
New! 14''' MATADOR CHIMNEY

Success reduced base
Imperial/Vulcan
2 7/16" base
New!  20''` neoVulcan Matador (click here)
CUSTOM small_base Success chimney
2 1/2" base for many Center Draft Lamps  
2 5/8" base for most Center Draft Lamps 
Radiant #5 - Belgian 30'''
2 15/16" fitter
Veritas 30''' Chimney - 3 1/8"
Store Lamp 4" fitter 

Mammoth - B&H #89 4 1/2" fitter

Globe Vulcan Chimneys
Sans Rival Kosmos Chimneys
Student Lamp Sans Rival Chimneys

 If you have questions, please send me an email at  miles@milesstair.com

What size chimney does your lamp require? 
Click here for a list of the most commonly encountered lamps.

How to Identify Center Draft and Kosmos Lamps

Precise measurements of the chimneys in stock, click here.
Center draft chimney dimensions from 1901 Macbeth catalog, click here.
Chimneys by size and the center draft lamps they fit. Large pdf file.

Fitting Chimneys To YOUR lamp

 Principle chimneys & dimensions chart (below)

Custom Wicks for Rare or Obscure Lamps

Special Order Lamp Chimneys

POSTAGE COSTS

Wicks for kerosene space heaters, click here.

Victorian "white light" lamps are a wonder to behold, producing a beautiful white reading light while consuming little fuel.  For decades, though, wicks and the proper chimneys were impossible to find.  I have terrific wicks made in England to the precise dimensions required by the finest wick maker in the world, Hattersley.   I now have excellent chimneys of the correct dimensions made from tempered borosilicate glass for these wonderful rare lamps.  Super smooth and strong Pyrex chimneys!

Original chimneys of the proper original design can be almost impossible to find, and when found are extremely expensive and often very fragile.  Beginning in March, 2009, I had rare chimneys duplicated in sturdy, heat-resistant borosilicate glass so that proper burning characteristics can be achieved.  These absolutely perfect chimneys fit Success lamps, Belgian 20''', Radiant #5's and Miller's Liberty and Dresden lamps,  Imperial/Vulcan lamps and the unusual "mammoth" chimney for the B&H #89, Globe Incandescent #2 and the Pittsburgh Mammoth requiring a wasp-waist 4 1/2" chimney as well as 4" store lamp chimneys. I also have common sizes of center draft chimneys available in Junior ("0") size, 2 1/2"2 5/8" fitter sizes.  In early 2012 I had the fabulous "Sans Rival" 14''' Kosmos chimneys and Student Lamp chimneys made from borosilicate glass. 2014 saw Globe Vulcan chimneys in 24''' and 30''' and the tiny 1.445'' fitter for "Tiny" center draft lamps.

The actual shape of a chimney directs the flow of air and flame around the flame spreader in such a way as to create the most flicker free light possible.  Modern replacement chimneys appear to be made from molds designed for duplex lamps - not a center draft lamp, and certainly not the precise center draft lamps listed below.  The height, width and shape of the bulge was very carefully crafted by the original designers to mold the flame into the desired shape and burn odor-free. Emil Wild patented his chimney design on August 19, 1884. Concurrently, experimental work by Mr. P. Bayle on chimney combustion principles influenced many subsequent chimney designs as his work was published in the Scientific American Supplement No. 458 on October 11, 1884.  My chimneys were designed to put the top of the flame spreader inside the base of the bulge where it should be, with the properly designed bulge and upper cylinder to produce a strong draft for complete combustion, resulting in a clean, "white light" flame with no increase in fuel consumption.  It is costly to have chimneys made which adhere to the precise dimensions required for perfect combustion, but the results are well worth the effort. 

Those who want to burn their center draft lamps outside or on a patio as garden lamps find the wind will cause fluctuation in flame height and considerable flickering.  The traditional "garden lamps" used a Punkah top to inhibit excessive draft from wind passing over the top of the chimney.  While not in the class of a Punhak top, an Aladdin insect screen offers considerable help in achieving a steady flame from center draft lamps used outdoors if the wind is not too extremme.  The Aladdin insect screen will fit the 2 1/2 and 2 5/8" chimneys below.  (Photo of a Success table lamp with an Aladdin insect screen outdoors in a 5 mph wind, click here.)

`

Question from a customer:  Could you tell me what the difference is between your chimneys and one you might find at a store somewhere? 

****** Answer:  The typical hardware store chimney is very thin and made from soda-ash-lime glass, the same type of glass used in almost all glass objects.  They are brittle and will not take thermal shock.  For example, a #2 size center draft lamp burning at full curl produces over 4,500 BTU/hr of heat.  A center draft lamp burning at full curl can generate over 600 F at the top of the bulge!  Cheap window glass chimneys cannot handle that heat.  Click on the photo on the right to see the laser measured temperature at various heights on one of my 20''' NeoVulcan chimneys. Note the cool temperature of 90F at the base of the chimney and 660 F at the top of the bulge.  This represents a well designed chimney which keeps the font cooler while providing a good airflow for complete combustion.
        My chimneys are thicker and made from borosilicate glass.  If sold by Corning they would have the brand name “Pyrex.”  Same glass.  I have a kitchen range with a sheet of Pyrex over the burners and it can take the thermal load differences without cracking.  Borosilicate glass is also extremely smooth and will promote a better flow of air past the flame spreader and out the top, resulting in a much cleaner and odor-free burn.  The faster airflow through the center draft tube also keeps the fuel cooler and therefore requires less adjustment to keep the flame at an even height without flame spikes or the flame getting too high as the fuel becomes warmer.  This factor is especially important in small chimneys such as the Miller 0 size because the small fonts can easily overheat.
        The reason that hardware stores sell so many chimneys is because they WILL and DO break from thermal shock.  My chimneys will last a lifetime with proper handling and the glass is so smooth they stay clean for a very long tine..

My chimneys do not crack like this.

My chimneys are made in the USA from borosilicate glass, thick, defect free, and can take the heat generated by these "white light" lamps without breaking. 

  • Borosilicate glass is a type of glass (Pyrex) with the main glass-forming constituents silica and boron oxide. Borosilicate glasses are known for having very low coefficients of thermal expansion (~5 × 10−6 /°C at 20°C), making them resistant to thermal shock, more so than any other common glass.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borosilicate_glass

Rare original chimneys were duplicated in shape to ensure the designed characteristics were retained.  The craftsmanship of these new chimneys is evident in the photo above, showing the polished top edge.  Alex Muzyka, Dick Stauffer and I have tested these chimneys on many lamps.

 

From left to right:  Success chimney; Radiant #5/Belgian 30'''/Dresden chimney; and the Mammoth Chimney with 4 1/2" fitter for the B&H #89, Globe Incandescent #2 and Pittsburgh Mammoth.  The chimneys are hand made and production is limited.

 

Please measure the distance between the chimney fingers before ordering.  I cannot be responsible for incorrect measurements.  (Click above to see directions.)

Chimneys are selected to fit on the chimney "seat," the flat ledge between the INSIDE of the chimney fingers and the burner cone.  A chimney is NOT chosen based on measurements from the outside of opposing chimney fingers - chimneys are chosen to fit the lamp, not to fit what can frequently be incorrectly adjusted chimney fingers.

Hot glass expands.  To reiterate, the chimney is supposed to fit on the ledge between the cone and the INSIDE of the chimney fingers with room to expand.  Then the chimney fingers are adjusted inward to hold the chimney properly.  
               Click on the photo at right to see details more clearly.

 Custom, hand-made "Little" chimneys

LITTLE CHIMNEY - 1.445'' BASE DIAMETER  
"Little" chimneys made from borosilicate glass. 1.445" fitter. For the Bijou, Little Jewel, Little Prince, Little Royal, "Little" chimneys made from borosilicate glass. 1.445" fitter. For the Bijou, Little Jewel, Little Prince, Little Royal, Young America. 3.0''" BULGE    #16Young America. 3.0''" BULGE.   $16.95  Standard grade.

Custom, hand-made "Little" chimneys made from thick borosilicate glass, copy of the famous Macbeth 2 1/2 (26) chimney.  1.445" fitter. For the Bijou, Little Jewel, Little Prince, Little Royal, Young America.

Custom, hand-made "Little" chimneys -   $44.95

MILLER ''0'' SIZE - 1.55'' BASE DIAMETER

Miller "O" chimneys fit Little Miller/Juno, Tiny B&H #0

See lamps using "0" size chimney:  Miller "0" Chimney, duplicate of the original Macbeth #4;  See Tiny Miller, Tiny B&H; Tiny Juno, Miller Finger lamp; Tiny Miller 0 Table lamp; Tiny Miller Hanging lamp, Miller Home Lamp.  Standard grade.

Miller "O" chimneys fit Little Miller/Juno, Tiny B&H #0,  
Custom, hand-made Miller "O" chimneys made from thick borosilicate glass for the more common Little Miller/Juno, Tiny B&H #0, Little Trenton, Little Wizzard, Meriden "O", Victor "0" & other finger lamps.  1.55" base x 7'' tall.  Copy of the Macbeth #4. $44.95

Standard grade Junior / "0" size chimney  for Tiny Miller/Juno, Tiny B&H lamps, and other finger lamps. 1.55" x 8 1/4''.  $18.95

Chimneys which have their own pages

Globe Vulcan (Central Vulcan) Chimneys - 18''', 24''' & 30'''  Click here

Student Lamp Sans Rival Chimney for 1 7/8" fitter student lamps, click here
Sans Rival 14''' Kosmos chimney, Fabulous chimney.  Click here.
Sonnenbrenner Lamp Chimneys, Click here
Angle lamp chimney top section, click here.

 Miller_#1, P&A Royal #1, Rayo Jr. Chimney

Commercial grade borosilicate Miller #1 & Rayo Jr. chimney - 2 1/8 x 8 1/4" - $16.95 IN STOCK

IMPERIAL and GLOBE VULCAN CHIMNEYS (Click at left)

New!  14'''_MATADOR CHIMNEY (Chimneys with this 1.810" base diameter having a full Matador bulge are extremely rare!  The lamps this chimney fits are an odd size, half way between a US #1 size lamp and #2 size American lamp, and still smaller than a European 20''' burner.  These smaller center draft burners were used in reading lamps and "summer lamps" to provide a lot of light with less heat output than a larger lamp.)

14''' Matador chimney, 1.810'' base diameter, 9 1/2'' tall. NEW, a copy of an original 14'’‘ Hugo Schneider Matador chimney kindly provided by Stanley Monish of Bermuda. Perfect for early 14''' Matador burners and for the odd 14''' Orion burners used on many British lamps such as the Veritas "The Reader," Hinks Coronation Hand Lamp and Silber burner, for example.
< Very bright photo had to be underexposed to show the flame so the chimney does not look like clear glass. Click image at left to enlarge. Flame detail, click here.

 $59.95

New!  20''` neoVulcan Matador & 20''' W&W Agni

20''` neoVulcan Matador & 20''' W&W Agni. Borosilicate glass 2.465" slip, 12" tall. Turns a common 20''' Matador lamp into a brilliant ''white light'' lamp by controlling the shape of the flame and the draft around the wick.  I designed this chimney using the Vulcan principle patented by Emil Wild on August 19, 1884.  The flame is absolutely stable even at a full curl.  These chimneys require the use of a thick wick.  [More info on this chimney click here.) (Limit two chimneys per order/per package.)

$54.95

Success (PL&B), Belgian 20''' Chimneys

Please note that small base chimneys were used on early Success lamps.  Please be sure of your measurements!  Most Success and other lamps use the 2.485" base chimneys below.  Early Success lamps can be identified by burner knobs not marked and font burner threads have a narrow top above threads. (Later model burners have flat topped area above recessed threads and burner knob marked "Success" and use a 2 1/2'' base chimney. Click the blue underlined words above to see photos.

Standard small base Success chimney - $22.95
2 3/8'' x 12 1/4'' (More info, click here) (Limit two chimneys per order/per package.)

The chimney below, designed by Dick Stauffer, is for most of the Success, Radiant No. 4, Belgian 20''', Veritas and Hinks 20''' lamps requiring a nominal 2.5" base chimney.  The chimney below is also excellent for any center draft lamp using a nominal 2.5" fitter, yet still allows for base expansion against chimney finger tension to avoid compression breakage. Ends are ground and polished flat without a "swell" to interfere with proper seating in fitter fingers and without air leaks at the base.

CUSTOM 2 1/2" Chimney for Center Draft Lamps with 2 1/2" fitter

2 1/2" Chimney for #2 Center Draft Lamps - Success LATER MODELS^); Miller Liberty & Dresden, Radiant No. 4, P&A Banner #1; some P&A Royal, B&H (measure first), also fits European 20''' lamps using a 63.5mm (2 1/2") base chimney (Hinks, Veritas, L&B Belgian, etc):
2.470" - 2.485" fitter, 10.5" tall for table lamps. 
          (12" tall for ball shades/GWTW lamps)
Thickness: 3 /32"
Top opening: 1 3/4"
Bulge:  3.060"
Height to bulge: 1.6"
Glass Weight: 5.6 oz. (10.5")
Shipping weight:  1 lb, 2 oz.
Made in USA of
fully annealed heat resistant borosilicate glass.
Notice the pure white light produced by the L&B Belgian 20''' at right. 

Click on photos to enlarge them.

Belgian 20''' >>>>

Also fits: Argand center draft, 60 c.p. Granville Belge, 12 p. Mitraileuse, 50 c.p. Belge, 2 Silber, 54 c.p. Annular, 45 c.p. Hinks, Nusunlite, Duplex, Comet or Tram.  All 20 '''  Wizard, Ariel, Juno, Hesper, National, Venus, Blitz, Imperial, Premier, Clarissa, Matador, Cilaxo, Helios, Sunrise, Marvel, Sunbeam, Triumph, Daylight, English Sun, Sun Pine, Odin, some Rayo, Rayo 22, B & H, and Young's Court 20'''. (measure first).

See lamps using these chimneys:  SUCCESS chimney  (see on Success Stand Lamp) (full curl flame); B&H No 4 Radiant; L&B Belgian 20```Veritas 20''' table lamp, Veritas 20''' Hanging; Hinks 45 CP Annular, my Hinks 45 cp Annular.

Hinks 45 cp. L&B 20''' Messengers Radiant #4 Ideal Brenner 20''' DHR
Center Draft lamp 2 1/2" base, 12" tall, for tall & globe shades including GWTW styles & high altitude. 12" (Limit two chimneys per order/per package.) BACK IN STOCK!

$59.95

For Center Draft table lamps using a 2 1/2" base chimney and 20''' Matador lamps: 10.5" tall (Limit two chimneys per order/per package.)  IN STOCK

$59.95

STANDARD 2 1/2" x 12'' Chimney for #2 Center Draft Lamps - Success LATER MODELS); Miller Liberty & Dresden, Radiant No. 4, P&A Banner #1; some P&A Royal, B&H (measure first), also fits European 20''' lamps using a 64 - 65mm base chimney (Hinks, Veritas, L&B Belgian, etc):  2.54" base. (Later model Success burners have flat topped area above recessed threads and burner knob marked "Success" and use a 2 1/2'' base chimney.) (Limit two chimneys per order/per package.) $19.95

CUSTOM 2_5/8" Chimney for Center Draft Lamps  (Click on image to enlarge.)

P & A Royal #2

 Rochester #2

Juno #2

B & H #2

Parker #2

Handlan #30 Caboose Lamp

The perfect center draft 2 5/8" chimney!
Fits Rayo, Royal, B&H, Miller (GWTW style) #2 Lamps, New Juno, Empress.
Hand made from borosilicate glass (Pyrex) in the USA
Ideal base width = Tapers from 2.570" to 2.600" for easy insertion in fitter.
     (Fits in center of "seat" between cone and finger base without touching either. Adjust fingers for ideal tension.)
Height = 10" for table lamps;  (12" height for ball shades/GWTW lamps)
Top inside = 1.842"; top outside = 2.018"

Height to bulge = 1.1"; The flame spreader is up inside the base of the bulge for a perfect flame!  
     (With the correct shape and proper airflow, the flame is white instead of dull yellow.)

Fits Royal #2, Rayo, B&H, Miller #2 New Juno, Duplex, Aladdin Heelless: MATADOR, GWTW and #1 Queen Ann Burners, Fostoria #2, Rochester #2, Union #2, #2 New & Old Defries, Famos, 11 Aladdin, Handlan-Buck #30 Caboose, Messenger's 54 cp.

Bulge width = 3.60" (10"), 3.55" (12") (#2 lamps generally have a wide flame spreader and need a wide bulge of the correct taper to have sufficient flame height to project reading light. Rayo OEM chimneys had a 3 5/8'' bulge (3.625").
Ground & polished ends = no flame bulges and perfectly flat ends-no air leaks.          
 
(See photo above right.)            [Add wicks to chimney order.]   

Standard grade, borosilicate 2 5/8'' base chimneys in heights from 10'' to 14'' heights, -  IN STOCK     CLICK HERE

Premium, Custom-made Center Draft Chimney 2 5/8" base, 12" tall, for tall shades or high altitude - (Limit two chimneys per order/per package.)  Temp out of stock

$59.95

Premium, Custom-made Center Draft lamps 2 5/8" x 10" chimney (Limit two chimneys per order/per package.)   IN STOCK

$59.95

Belgian 30''' - B&H Radiant #5 - P&A Plumwood - Miller's Dresden #3 & Liberty #2 Chimney (2 15/16", 76mm); also fits the 30''' Young's Court & Hinks 80 cp.

Belgian 30'''; Dresden-Empress-Liberty; Radiant 5; P&A Banner #2 & Plumwood chimney. Also for the Young's Court 30''' Center Draught lamp.   (Belgian 20''' and Radiant #4 use the 2 1/2" base chimney above)

One of the finest "white light" lamps ever made was the "Belgian."  They were expensive lamps, however, so the "big three" of B&H, P&A and Miller produced their more affordable versions of the Belgian as close to the original as possible.  These lamps were perhaps the culmination of center draft lamp design, using a thick 1 1/2" circular wick to produce an incredible amount of nice, white light, very close to the light output of a full sized store lamp, but with 1/3rd the fuel consumption.  To produce that light, however, the bulge had to be in the perfect location to produce a nice, tight "tulip" ball, as shown at right below. 

Note the position of the flame spreader right at the base of the bulge, as shown on my Miller Dresden.  The fit is the same on B&H Radiant #5's and P&A Plumwood lamps.  The chimney is 12 1/2" tall to fit through ball shades and large dome shades, and provides the proper draft for odor-free burning.

Far right is a full "tulip" flame on Alex Muzyka's Belgian. 

Click on any photo to enlarge them, then click "back" to return.
[Add wicks to chimney order.]

See lamps using this chimney: BELGIAN 30'''; B&H Radiant #5; P&A Plumwood; Miller's Dresden, Empress and Liberty 2/0 Chimney - flame at full curl on Belgian - chimney on  Dresden lamp, lighted on Dresden.

"Superb chimney, perfect flame, just as nice as it can be.  My 5 star, unqualified recommendation by actual test."   Dick Stauffer  3/7/09

CUSTOM Belgian/Dresden/Radiant 5/Plumwood chimney
2 15/16" (2.940", 76mm) fitter, 12 ½" tall
Thickness: 3/32"
Top opening: 2 3/16"
Glass Weight: 10.3 oz.
Made in USA of fully annealed heat resistant borosilicate glass.
(For lamps using wick #2B - the large Belgian, and Radiant #5.  Smaller 20''' Belgian lamps and Radiant #4 use 2 1/2" chimney above.)

At right, my Miller Dresden at full "tulip" flame, lighting up the entire living room.

Belgian 30'''/Radiant #5/Dresden chimney (2 15/16" base),
(Limit two chimneys per order/per package.)  $89.95
IN STOCK

Veritas 30''' Chimney

CUSTOM 30''' Veritas Chimney (also for British Tri-plex lamps)
Base fitter diameter: 3.155" (78mm)
Throat diameter: 2.242"
Base to bulge: 1.5"
Height: 12.5".
Glass Weight: 10.4 oz.
Made in USA of
fully annealed heat resistant borosilicate glass.

 

Veritas 30''' Chimney, 3 1/8" base, - $89.95  - IN STOCK
Limit two chimneys per order/per package.)

 

The Perfect 4"_Store Lamp chimney!!!

The first store lamp was produced by Rochester in 1884, utilizing the Jan. 15, 1884 Henkle patent flame spreader. Between 1884 and 1905, Rochester sold hundreds of thousands of store lamps, the first being made by Miller and after 1892 made by Ansonia. By 1886, every large lamp manufacturer was selling store lamps, and over a million were sold before WW I. That was a time before electricity was commonly available, before cars and trucks, even before wide-spread mass transit. There were no big box stores, no strip malls or mini-malls. People shopped at small "mom and pop" stores within walking distance in their neighborhood. The "store lamp" was revolutionary, both lighting and heating a small store by hanging a lamp near the cash register. Between 1885 and 1900 well over a million store lamps were sold. With a 2 ½" diameter wick of 0.113" thickness, a store lamp can produce over 10,000 BTU/hr of heat along with 300 cp of light. The glass chimney can get very hot. Even a cold draft could shatter the chimney!  Any "stress raisers" in the form of "flea bites" can cause the chimney to crack, which is why my chimneys have polished ends. Today we can still use those old store lamps for both light and heat. A chimney that can safely harness that heat for decades is a wise investment.

 Maximum ONE chimney for each order. Send me an email for details.

The Perfect 4"  Store Lamp chimney!!!
Width base = 4.095";  Height = 12 1/2"
Top inside throat = 2.567"
Height to bulge = 1 1/4";  Bulge width = 5.75"
Note: base taper from 4.095" to 4.06" for easy insertion in chimney fingers.
Polished and flame smoothed ends.
Glass weight: 12.5 ounces
Thickness: 3/32"

Made in USA of
fully annealed heat resistant borosilicate glass.
 (Photos right: Rochester Store lamp, first model.  Second model lighted.) 4" BASE STORE LAMP CHIMNEYS FIT Ansonia No. 3, B&H 92, 95 & 96, Banner No. 3, Bristol No. 3, Gladstone No. 3, Haida No. 3, Juno No. 3, Meriden No. 3, Meteor No. 3, Meyrose No. 3, Miller No. 3, Mogul No. 3, Parker No. 3, P&A Banner #3, Rochester No. 3, Victor No. 3, Yale No. 3.

Commercial grade borosilicate glass 4'' store lamp chimney IN STOCK   
[These are large chimneys and shipped one per box/per order.] 

$26.95

PREMIUM, CUSTOM-MADE Store Lamp in thick Borosilicate Glass Chimney - 4" base  NOW IN STOCK!!! 
[These are large chimneys and shipped one per box/per order.] 

 $124.95

Mammoth chimney - B&H #89 - Globe Incandescent #2 -
     & Pittsburgh Mammoth

The three real "Mammoth" lamps were the Globe Incandescent #2, Pittsburgh Mammoth and the most common, the B&H #89.  Whereas most " store lamps" utilized a 4" fitter chimney, these three lamps used a 4 1/2" fitter chimney with an unusual wasp waist and tall flame spreader. 

The 2 1/2" diameter wick used in these mammoth lamps produced over 10,000 BTU/hr of  heat: Essentially the same wick was later used in the Perfection heater!  With that heat came a price to be paid, however - fragile chimneys.  Original chimneys were made with a soda lime glass and only 1/16" thick.  My new chimneys are 3/32" thick and made from annealed borosilicate glass, and they can take the extreme heat without cracking.  

B&H 89, Globe Incandescent #2, Pittsburgh Mammoth, Standard #2

4 ½ fitter (4.476''), 11 ½" tall
Thickness: 3/32"
Top opening: 3 11/64"
Bulge:  6"
Glass Weight: 1 lb, 1 oz.
Base tapers gently from 4.542" to facilitate quick insertion between chimney fingers.
Made in USA of fully annealed heat resistant borosilicate glass.

The photo at right shows the new chimney on a Globe Incandescent #2.  The brilliant light from the chimney distorted the apparent shape of the bulge and the flash of the camera had a reflection off the extremely smooth surface at the top of the chimney.  My photography needs serious help, sorry.

These large chimneys are shipped one to a box.   Send me an email for details.  

Borosilicate Mammoth Chimney for 4 1/2" fitter - $159.95
[These are large chimneys and are shipped one per box/per order.] 

 IN STOCK!!!

Special Order Lamp Chimneys

Some Victorian Era lamps are so rare that demand for chimneys to fit them is very low.  The moulds to make those chimneys have been produced at great expense, however, so it is possible to special order one or two at a time.  Delivery is slow because they are hand made, just like the chimneys listed above, in borosilicate glass.  Putting the lamps back into use, however, is worth the hassle.  The chimneys below are $69.95 each.

 

English Sun
Fitter 3.250" OD
Total height 13 3/4"
Bulge diameter 105mm OD
Tapered throat.
Matador
Fitter: 46mm OD to 52mm OD
Height: 10"
Top opening 38mm OD
Bulge diameter 64mm OD

POSTAGE COSTS:

US POSTAGE RATES:  $1.00 to $20.00 = $4.95;  $20.01 - $36.00 = $6.95; $36.00 - $46.00 = $8.95; $46.01 - $69.90 = $10.95;  $69.91 up - $12.95 - (EXCEPT chimneys, for safe shipping - limit 3 chimneys up to 2 5/8'' base diameter per order, limit 2 chimneys up to 3 1/8'' base diameter per order, and 4'' and 4 1/2'' chimneys ONE per each order).

 

~~~~~~~~~~~ Principle Lamp Chimneys ~~~~~~~~~~

FITTING CENTER DRAFT LAMP CHIMNEYS

Victorian Era lamp manufacturers were experimenting with a new way to efficiently light homes. Innovations were constantly being patented. Literally thousands of different styles and sizes of center draft lamps were produced. Those lamp makers were also in intense competition with one another, each trying to produce the best "white light" lamp at the best price. It was inevitable that variations in chimney base sizes would appear even among the lamps produced by the same maker. The proper chimney is one that fits in the center of the chimney seat. The chimney fingers are adjusted to hold the chimney - a chimney is not selected to fit the "fingers."

The chimney holders should be adjusted (bent) so they only gently hold the chimney in place - NOT TIGHTLY!  These lamps produce a lot of heat and glass expands with heat - if gripped too tightly, the base of the chimney will break or the fitter will split.  Bending the chimney "fingers" is best not done using your own fingers - the pressure cannot be uniformly applied in the right places.  If the chimney fingers/prongs are bent in too far, a teaspoon can be used to gently push them back out from the inside - where your own fingers will not fit.  If the chimney does not fit tight enough, a teaspoon pressed against them from the outside surface will apply uniform pressure to bend the fingers without breaking them.  If  the adjustment (bending) is begun directly above the wick winder knob, you will know where you began the adjustment and therefore where to stop.  Then check the tension on the chimney and gently bend the fingers until the tension on the chimney is correct.  Go slow and easy and you won't break the chimney fingers.

Some P & A Royal and B&H lamps used a 2 1/2" fitter for the chimney, while others used 2 5/8" chimney fitters - but there are no firm "rules" here.  Almost all Rayo lamps used the 2 5/8" x 10" chimney, as did #2 size lamps made by P&A and Rochester.  (An oddity of time and measurement is that most of the "2 5/8" chimneys listed in early Macbeth catalogs were actually 2 9/16'' slip-fit base diameter to allow for heat expansion of the glass.  Many modern chimneys are actually 2 5/8'' (2.625") base OD and have no room to expand...and will crack with heat. My chimneys follow the time-honored tradition of allowing room for heat expansion and must be fitted to the chimney fingers as mentioned above.)

The fit of the chimney to a center draft P & A lamp is quite critical.  There are quite a few cheap chimneys for sale which have a height from the base to the bulge of 1 5/8": the flame spreader is not in the bulge, but within the diameter of the "slip fit" base of the chimney.  Center draft lamps generate a considerable amount of heat, and the flame spreader not up into the bulge often results in the chimney cracking horizontally at the base of the bulge on the first burning!   Those cheap chimneys which appear to be a good buy turn out to be not so charming when they break the first time you use them!

"The chimney HAS to be right. Your wicks won't perform properly if the chimney isn't exactly right. I have experimented with several chimneys hat ''fit'' the Success burner base, but there is a vast difference in how the flame works. I wish I could be more descriptive, but there were major differences. One chimney produced a perfect flame while another produced ''spikes'' of flame that prevented the wick from being raised properly."  Dick Stauffer

Any air leak at the base of the chimney will cause excess oxygen to enter a gap and upset the delicate air/fuel balance, resulting in "spikes" of flame.  One potential "cure" for cheap chimneys which cause a "spike" of flame is to flat sand the base of the chimney.  (This is not necessary for my borosilicate chimneys - the have flat-ground ends.) Most modern chimneys are made pretty cheaply, and often the base is not level.  Using 400 grit emery paper on a perfectly flat surface, gently and carefully hold the chimney base flat on the sandpaper and gently stroke straight away from you.  Lift the chimney, return it to the front of the sandpaper and make another stroke.  Then look at the base of the chimney.  If you see a dull spot, that is a high place that got sanded.  Sand the base again until all the gloss is gone, and therefore all the "high" places are sanded down even with the "low" places. 

 

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The image below was scanned from a reproduction of an old Success catalog.  Sorry it is blurry, but the image from the catalog itself appeared to be a reproduction.

 

 

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HEATER WICKS,
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Lamp Collector’s Resource Library: Old Lamp Catalogs on 3 CD's in SEARCHABLE Adobe  -  NEW!!! Click Here

 

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Lamp Wicks

Center Draft Wicks - many available only from this Wick Shop. #0C, #0S, #0L, #1B, #1M, #1R, #1S, #2M, #2L, #2R, #2 P&A, #2B, #3L.

Flat lamp wicks:

Aladdin Lamp Wicks, parts & pieces, Aladdin history, exploded burner views - every model

Kosmos Lamp Wicks history, photos & information.

Kindler Wicking for stoves and heaters, 3/4'' to 1 1/2'', 5 1/2 foot rolls.

Lamp Chimneys:

Pixie to Kosmos, Duplex, center draft lamps up to store lamps, Den Haan and Angle lamp chimneys.

Premium Custom made Center Draft Lamp chimneys in borosilicate glass from Junior "Tiny" to Mammoth lamps.  2 1/2", 2 5/8", 2 15/16", 3 1/8", 4", 4 1/2"

20''` neoVulcan Matador chimney

Wild & Wessel Globe Vulcan (Central Vulcan) Chimneys
- 16''', 18''', 24''' & 30''' CHIMNEYS AND WICKS

Fabulous "Sans Rival" borosilicate chimney for 14''' Kosmos lamps

Student Lamp Sans Rival Chimney with 1 7/8" fitter!!!

Victorian Era Student Lamps

Sonnenbrenner Lamp Chimneys

Incredible list of chimney sizes and the lamps they fit, from an early Macbeth catalog

Lamp Chimneys - Dimension of nominal base diameter by make, model and "line".

Information on lamps:

Aladdin Lamp History

Aladdin Lamp Wicks & Chimneys,

Aladdin - Exploded burner views

Beginning Lamp Restoration

Lamp Repair & projects

Center Draft Kerosene Lamps
(Photos, information and history, etc)

Center Draft Lamp manufacturers and brand names

Kosmos-Brenner lamps

Miller Lamps - a photo album

Photos of restored center draft lamps 

Victorian Era Student Lamps

USE, CARE and WICKING of CENTER DRAFT LAMPS

Early American Metal Font & Specialty Lamps

Flame Spreaders and "Smoke Consumers" from Alex Marrack

  • Vulcan, Imperial, Veritas, Belgian, Hinks, Messenger's, Young's Court, etc.

    Articles by Alex Marrack:

Registered Design Numbers For British Lamps

GERMAN PATENT LETTER CLUES - DRPs AND DRGMs, 1877 to 1945

Home Page

Site Index

Site Index for all things Perfection

Links to web sites for parts, information and restoration. 

Sizes, grades, units of measurement: a very useful site!

Site Index

Site Index for all things Perfection

Kindler Wicking For Oil Stoves & Ranges

Kerosene Heaters

Alphabetical list of most kerosene heaters and the proper wick, & cart checkout.

List by wick number and the heaters that fit them. (A helpful guide for buying on eBay)

Measurements needed if you have an unlisted heater.

Care and Maintenance of Kerosene Heater Wicks

Installing Kerosene Heater Wicks - generic for unpinned wicks

Owner's_Manuals & information for many kerosene heaters

Kerosene Heaters - General types, how they work, recommendations for some good ones - and those I would avoid.

Economic Benefits of Kerosene Heaters

Kerosene Heater Safety

Regular maintenance   

Troubleshooting kerosene heater common problems

Breaking In New Kerosene Appliances

Burning Kerosene Heaters at Night

WATER IN KEROSENE causing "dwindling" and poor performance.

Flame Spreader Heaters and Lamps -
A Century of Excellence

Kerosene Heater Carts -
why carry your heater around?

Kerosene Fuel Primer 

Sweet Smelling Kerosene

Kerosene tank cradles (photo) Building a Cradle

HALLER "ORIGINEEL" STOVES

KEROSENE HEATERS MADE IN THE NETHERLANDS

Beatrice Boiling Stoves & Mini kerosene heaters you can make

Sad Iron stoves; Wicks & Installation instructions

Wicking For Oil Burning "WICKLESS" Stoves & Ranges

Photo Album

Photos of Wicks

Mail Order Form

Kerosene Stoves, Lanterns and Ovens

Kerosene Stoves -

 Recommendations on different models 

Kerosene Stove Maintenance and Storage
  


Butterfly A-822, 22 wick
, all-aluminum premium stove.   

Butterfly #2487, 16 wick stove Butterfly #2412 Pressure Stove; instructions for virtually any pressure stove.

Butterfly #2418 Double Burner Stove; good with any gravity flow stove.

Butterfly #2421 Oven for Kerosene Stoves

Butterfly #2641, 10 Wick Stove -
the least expensive emergency stove.

Butterfly #2698 Cook Stove -

THE Best Heavy Duty Cook Stove.

 
Butterfly #828R Pressure Lantern;
same for most pressure lanterns.

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