CENTER DRAFT LAMP WICKS
WICKS FOR B & H, RAYO, P & A, ROYAL, MILLER, PARKER, ("GWTW"), ADLAKE, DIETZ AND OTHER LAMPS, including RAYO JR, MANHATTAN STUDENT LAMPS and STORE LAMPS - [Flat lamp wicks are here]
My lamp wicks are woven of pure cotton by the oldest (and best!) manufacturer of wicks in the world, Hattersley, in England.
Wick Measurements, International Postage Rates, Burner Venting, Candle Wicking
See also CARE AND FEEDING OF OLD KEROSENE LAMPS
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CENTER-DRAFT LAMP WICKS |
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#0L |
3/4" Center Draft Circular wick (1 1/4" x 7 3/4" flat). For Miller #0; Miniature Table Lamps; some "Finger Lamps" (measure first); Manhattan Student lamp, the tiny Juno, Royal metal miniature lamps, etc. CT Hamm steam engine headlight (makes 2 wicks). Sometimes noted as a #0. These wicks have not been available for 70 years, so I had a small lot made especially for me by Hattersley. $12.95@ Photo of wick below. (Photos of lamps using wick #0L - see Photo Album) |
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| #1L |
1" Rayo Jr. Center Draft Circular wick (1 11/16" flat x 7 7/8" long, 16 "line"'). For Rayo Jr. ,Miller #1, B&H Jr. lamps and other circa 1900 lamps which use a tight 1" wick, such as the French Lempereur & Bernard (L&B) Brevette. Some references call this a #1 wick. These high quality wicks have not been available in decades, and this small lot was made especially for me by Hattersley in England. $12.95@ Photo below Measurements below. Photo of Rayo Jr. lamp. |
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| #2L | 1 1/4" Center draft circular wick (2" flat x 7 1/2" long, 20 "line'''), for Success, Pittsburgh Lamp & Brass Co. (P. L. B. & G Co.), Art Glass lamps; No 1 junior Royal; B&H No 4 Radiant lamp; Belgian lamp. I have a limited number of pre-production samples. Photo of lamp. $12.95 @ | |
| #3L |
1 1/2" Red Stripe wick for Rayo, B & H, Miller #2, Parker, Rochester, Gladstone, Pittsburgh, Bristol, Aurora, Ansonia, Hipwell, Meyrose, Connecticut, Day Light, Keystone, Wheeling, Haida, Princeton, Victor, Wellington, U. S. Trenton, Yale, M&W 97, New Rochester, Rival, Hugo Schneider and other "GWTW" lamps taking a 1 1/2" circular wick, 7 1/2" long (2 9/16" flat, 30 "line"'). Designed for long life and perfect service - they do not tangle in the wick raising wheels or gearing. See photo below. (Click here for Installation help.) $9.95 each Photo of wick below. Measurements below. (Photos of lamps using wick #3L) |
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#4L |
1 1/2" Slightly thicker and 1 1/4" longer than the Rayo wick above, for Beatrice 4012, Handlan Caboose lamps. Nominal 1 1/2" circular wick, 8 3/4" long (2 1/2" flat). 30 "line"'. Special tight weave so it will not tangle in the gearing. Wick gap: central air tube 1 1/4" diameter, outer wick tube 1 3/4" diameter. Slightly smaller diameter than #3L above to fit some of the more obscure lamps. $9.95@ Photo below Measurements below. |
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#5L |
2 9/16" Store Lamp. Center Draft Circular Wick. EXCLUSIVE! Specially made for me by Hattersley in England for lamps such as Rochester Lamp Co, Bradley & Hubbard #89, Miller #3, Juno #3, #3 Banner and Standard store lamps. When measured flat, wick is approx 4 3/16" wide and 8 1/2" long. For use in the The Globe Incandescent, produced by the Standard Lighting Company, the wick should be shortened to 7.5". Wick is pre-charred and ready to install. $9.95@ See photo below. Measurements below. (Photos of lamps using wick #5L) |
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#0L |
#1L |
#2L |
#3L |
#5L |
WICK THICKNESS AND OTHER MEASUREMENTS
With older lamps pay particular attention to the thickness of the original wick. Only a little bit of difference in thickness is often enough to cause the wick to not fit right and foul the wick raising gearing. Measuring the thickness is subjective: I measure using calipers placed at a 45 degree angle across the wick and do not compress too hard. The subjective element in measuring thickness is that old wicks are hard and do not compress, whereas new wicks are soft and supple and thus compress a little when measured. I arbitrarily subtract 1/64" from an old wick to compare it with a new wick thickness. Note: Cheap, loose weave wicks are very difficult to measure for thickness because they compress...and also tangle in the wick raising gears, which can ruin a wonderful old lamp!
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WICK No. |
NOMINAL DIMENSIONS |
Width, Pushed FLAT |
THICKNESS, approximate |
DRAFT TUBE DIAMETER | OUTSIDE WICK TUBE DIAMETER | Chimney base diameter, outside |
| 0L | 3/4" X 7 3/4" | 1 1/4" |
2/32" |
22/32" | ||
| 1L | 1" x 8 1/2" | 1 11/16" |
3/32" |
3/4" |
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| 2L | 1 1/4" X 8" | 2" |
4/32" |
1 1/32" | 1 9/32" | |
| 3L | 1 1/2" X 7 3/4" | 2 1/2" |
4/32" |
1 1/4" | 1 11/16" | |
| 4L | 1 1/2" X 9" | 2 1/2" |
5/32" |
1 15/32" | 1 3/4" | |
| 5L | 2 1/2" X 8 1/2" | 4 3/16" |
5/32" |
2 15/32" | 2 3/4" |
CENTER DRAFT LAMP CHIMNEYS
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. To avoid breaking the brass fingers which hold the chimney in place, use a smooth bladed paddle pliers to bend the fingers, holding the base of the finger with needle nose pliers.
Many P & A Royal lamps used a 2 1/2" fitter for the chimney, whereas B & H usually used 2 5/8" chimney fitters. The fit of the chimney to a center draft P & A lamp is quite critical. The height of the glass chimney from the base to the bulge should be 1 1/4" and the opening at the top of the chimney should be 2" minimum. There are quite a few cheap 2 1/2" chimneys for sale which have a height from the base to the bulge of 1 5/8" and an opening of 1 3/4": the flame spreader is not in the bulge, but within the 2 1/2" base diameter. These lamps generate a considerable amount of heat, and the combination of a restricted airflow with a 1 3/4" top opening 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 $4.10 chimneys that 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 chimneys which cause a "spike" of flame is to flat sand the base of the chimney. 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.
ADDITIONAL MEASUREMENTS AND COMMENTARY BY ALEX MUZYKA
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Lamp Type |
Draft Tube OD |
OW Tube ID |
Chimney |
Sub OK * |
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Rayo Jr. |
7/8" |
1 1/8" |
2" X 8" |
Yes |
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Miller Juno Jr. |
1 1/32" |
1 9/32" |
2" X 8" |
No |
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B&H Junior |
1 3/32" |
1 11/32" |
2 1/8" X 8 |
Yes |
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P&A Royal Finger Lamp Size #1 |
1.00" |
1 3/8" |
2" X 8"or 2" X 6 ¾" |
No |
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Miller Junior Lamp |
2" fitter |
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* As far as chimneys are concerned, most Junior size lamps are not picky when it comes down to chimneys. The Rayo Jr. gallery and burner are the most tolerant. The lamp burns well with both vintage chimneys, modern Czechoslovakian chimneys and cheaper Chinese imports with the longer than normal necks. The B&H Junior uses an unusual 2 1/8" X 8 ½" chimney. The only replacement that I could find that fits is an cheaper Chinese import. Fortunately, the chimney fits perfectly and burns perfectly with the taller neck since the flame spreader is quite tall in the B&H junior. The Plume & Atwood Royal #1 burner works the best with a vintage 2" X 8" junior chimney. The lamp burns with a very bright, clean and steady flame. The longer neck of the cheaper Chinese import causes the flame to flicker. The P&A flame spreader is short and does not have a stabilizing disk. The long neck of the chimney results in over-drafting and flicker. Modern Czechoslovakian chimneys don’t fit. The lamp gallery only accepts a chimney with a 2" fitter. These chimneys are ever so slightly bigger at the fitter…. No good. The lamp would probably burn well should the chimney fit. There is enough draft in the lamp design that a shorter 6 ¾" chimney burns cleanly. The smaller chimney looks nicer on a finger lamp, more proportional to its small size. Notice that the P&A Royal burner, even in the #1 size, uses a wick that is slightly thicker than the rest, as is the case with the P&A size #2 burners! In my opinion, the lamp manufacturers did not standardize the junior size at all. Just look at the draft and wick tube diameters. Finding a wick for each lamp is nearly impossible. Finding chimneys for them is not that much easier either. For example, the Rayo Jr. wicks do not fit any other junior lamp. Fortunately for Rayo Jr. owners, Miles Stair’s #1 wick is a perfect replacement for the Rayo lamps…. but to my dismay aren’t wide enough for any other lamp. The B&H junior lamp not only boasts an oddball wick, but chimney as well. I could not find any vintage 2 1/8" X 8 ½" chimneys. Fortunately the cheap 2 1/8" cheap Chinese import chimneys fit perfectly. Their longer fitter neck mates well with the tall flame spreader of the B&H junior lamp, resulting in a tall, bright and clean burning flame. On a positive note, junior lamps are beautiful in their own right. Their small size makes them attractive almost anywhere. They put out a good amount of light while being thrifty on fuel at the same time. They are brighter than 15’’’ Matador lamps. The Rayo Jr. is certainly no "fuel hog" as its full sized cousin. They do not put out a tremendous amount of heat but radiate enough infrared heat to keep you cozy on a cold day. The few junior lamps that I have come to own burn very cleanly. The Miller junior and Rayo junior burn better (IMHO) than their full sized cousins. Unfortunately, they are not as common as their full sized counterparts, even on Ebay. If you’re lucky enough to own one of these gems, consider making it work if it doesn’t. You will not be disappointed with them! Alex Muzyka |
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POSTAGE FOR LAMP WICKS (Back to top of this page)
| Larger orders, please contact me at Miles@RuralOregon.net | ` | ` |
Photo Images of center
draft lamp wicks
Click on any image to enlarge it
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#0. 3/4" Center Draft Circular wick (1 1/4" x 7 3/4" flat). For Miniature Table Lamps, some "Finger Lamps," Manhattan Student lamp, the tiny Juno, Royal metal miniature lamps, etc. Click on any image to enlarge it. |
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#1. 1" Rayo Jr. Center Draft Circular wick (1 11/16" flat x 7 7/8", 16 "line"'). For Rayo Jr. lamps and other circa 1900 lamps which use a 1" wick. Some references call this a #1 wick. |
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#3. Red Stripe wick for Rayo, B & H, Miller, Parker and other "GWTW" lamps taking a 1 1/2" circular wick, 7 1/2" long (2 1/2" flat, 30 "line"'). |
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#4. Slightly thicker and longer than the Rayo wick above, 1 1/2" circular wick, 8 3/4" long (2 1/2" flat). 30 "line"'. |
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#5. 2 9/16" Store Lamp. Center Draft Circular Wick. EXCLUSIVE! Specially made for me by Hattersley in England for lamps such as Rochester Lamp Co store lamps. When measured flat, wick is approx 4 3/16" wide and 8 1/2" long. Pre-charred, ready for installation. |
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Click on images to enlarge |
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Pages on this web site:
Accessories: mica windows, Breathe Easy Catalytic filters, etc.
Alphabetical list by model of all kerosene heaters - and wicks to fit them, including the price of the wicks.
List of wicks by their number and the heaters they fit.
List of igniters and the heaters they fit.
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