Hurricane lamps were used as a leading source of lighting in days gone by. Once they were replaced by electric light bulbs, many of them ended up in attics, while many others found their ways into antique stores. Realizing their value as an alternative light supply when there's a power outage, many other people held onto their hurricane lamps. They are a little safer to use than a candle because there's no hot, dripping wax to burn you or a tabletop. And, they stay lit better since the wick is protected by the chimney. So, today, there are still a number of this type of lamp in use.
As with any other working item, the parts of a hurricane lamp sometimes need replacing. Fortunately, this lamp isn't complicated to use, or, hard to repair. A few replacement parts can sometimes be found at craft stores, but you'll probably have a better chance of finding what you need by performing a search on the Internet.
Starting at the bottom of a basic hurricane lamp, there is the oil bowl. This is the container that holds the oil that fuels the lamp. Some oil bowls are made of metal, while others are made of glass. A metal bowl is obviously sturdier, and usually only gets dented if it is dropped. A glass bowl can easily get cracked or broken and need replaced.
To replace a glass or metal bowl in your hurricane lamp, you should work in a well ventilated area. You'll need to carefully unscrew the bowl from the burner. If there's oil in the lamp, you'll need to set the burner aside on some folded up paper towels. Don't set the burner near any open flame as there will be flammable oil on the fabric wick. The next step is to align the threads on the new oil bowl with the bottom of the burner. Screw the two pieces together securely, but not too tightly, because the glass can become cracked or broken from the pressure.
Moving up the hurricane lamp, the next part is the burner. This is an important part of your hurricane lamp because it can't work without it. A burner has more than one function too. The bottom of this metal piece screws onto the oil bowl, as we have just found out. The outer part of the top holds the glass chimney onto the lamp. And, the inner part of the top has a slot in it to hold the fabric wick in place. It also features a small rolling device and a knob that allows the wick to be rolled up or down in the slot.
The burner almost never needs replaced, but if the one in your lamp does, you'll need to carefully remove the chimney from its top. Then, unscrew the oil bowl from its bottom. Remove the existing wick by turning the knob and rolling the wick until it's completely out of the slot.
Now, take the replacement burner and place the wick into the slot underneath; roll the fabric wick up. Align the threads and screw the oil bowl back onto the bottom of the burner. Carefully replace the chimney onto the top of the burner, and your hurricane lamp is ready for use again!
The final part on a hurricane lamp is the glass chimney or globe. This part is usually made of a thin glass. Therefore, it's very fragile and will crack or break easily. The chimney sits on top of the burner, and it stays in place because the burner has flexible metal tabs around its perimeter. So, to replace the chimney of your hurricane lamp, all you need to do is to carefully remove the existing one. Just slide it up and off of the metal tabs. Position the new chimney, and slide it down onto the flexible tabs so it will be held securely into place.
