Old bicycle lanterns

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mybike1

mybike1

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So, I've been keeping an eye open for an old bicycle lantern for quite a while now and haven't had much luck finding a halfway decent looking one that works for a price I can afford. Anybody have one for sale?
Also, I know how the kerosine and oil ones work but the carbide ones are a mystery to me. how do those work? and which ones are the most practical ones to use? which ones are safest? Thanks.
 
i'm surprised nobody here has made one yet
bunch of mad scientists around here (geez, they make everything else :? )
now i gotta see one for myself and see what all the hub-bub is
where's the google button?
 
Miners carbide lights are cheap and plentiful but have no front lens. Grab a busted one of those, solder on a home made lens and wire up a battery in the carbide tank and there you go!
 
SSG said:
Miners carbide lights are cheap and plentiful but have no front lens. Grab a busted one of those, solder on a home made lens and wire up a battery in the carbide tank and there you go!
Click to expand...

yup.... bingo! that's what i would do. found a home made how to here-->http://www.instructables.com/id/Bicycle_Lantern/ --- but there was lots of talk about the miner's light. good luck to me finding one here in California :? (tree huggers)
i'm gonna duct-tape a road flare to my neck...... just for safety sake :wink:
 
There are also good articles in old popular mechanics mags. There is one that's a tidy handlebar mounted battery tube with an automotive marker light on the end, and there's also one on making a carbon arc lamp!
 
o got this one for $10 on the bay (probably cause it was missing the kerosene can)
IMG_1556.jpg

IMG_1554.jpg
 
Carbide is one of those old time items you don't see much anymore. Might still be available, not sure. Carbide comes from peat bogs. It gives off methane gas, which is what burns. It can be dangerous and explosive if you don't know what you're doing. Gary
 
I thought it gave off acetylene gas, actually.

I remember seeing $5 kerosene lanterns at Wallyworld in years past. I'm pondering hanging a couple of them off the front of my Worksman trike and riding around on Halloween with it. I'll have to check if they still have them. These are the tin-bottom camping type lanterns, not the household glass kind.
 

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