Introduction: Hand Grenade Oil Lamp
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About: I like to make things for the internets. I also sell a pretty cool calendar at supamoto.co. You'll like it.
Want to light up the room and give your guests a little scare, even if just for a moment? Then maybe you'd like to have a hand grenade oil lamp. It won't explode, but if you bump into it you could spill lamp oil everywhere and cause a fire.
That's right, this is a novelty lamp that you probably shouldn't make. But if you're like me, then common sense doesn't stop a good idea from happening. Or even a bad one.
That's right, this is a novelty lamp that you probably shouldn't make. But if you're like me, then common sense doesn't stop a good idea from happening. Or even a bad one.
Step 1: Get a Dummy
The term for these safe and empty hand grenades is "dummy hand grenade." Do a Google search and plenty should pop up for about $8-$10. These are metal, come with pins, and have a pretty good heft to them. They're also hollow and have holes in the top and bottom.
Step 2: Plug It Up
To plug up the hole in the bottom, I used half a packet of Sugru. This made the grenade water-tight and made it a little more stable.
Once again, a spherical oil lamp is a bad idea. A base would be way better.
Once again, a spherical oil lamp is a bad idea. A base would be way better.
Step 3: Make a Wick Holder
Something needs to hold the wick on the top of the grenade. I made a holder out of a piece of a soda can. This wasn't so precise, but the approach went something like this:
- cut out small rectangle
- watch it fall back into the soda can
- try not to slice up your fingers as you fish it out
- realize you could've just shaken it out... ah well
- cut slit in middle
- fold sides over to make it stiffer and smaller
- insert wick
- cut out small rectangle
- watch it fall back into the soda can
- try not to slice up your fingers as you fish it out
- realize you could've just shaken it out... ah well
- cut slit in middle
- fold sides over to make it stiffer and smaller
- insert wick
Step 4: Fill It Up!
Fill the grenade about halfway with lamp oil and drop in the wick, resting the wick holder on top of the grenade.
You barely need any wick showing for the lamp to burn with a decent flame. In fact, what's in the picture here is about 3-4x as much wick as I needed.
You barely need any wick showing for the lamp to burn with a decent flame. In fact, what's in the picture here is about 3-4x as much wick as I needed.
Step 5: Light It Up!
Find a nice safe place to set it, such as the table in the office kitchen and light it! Once it's burning along just fine you can tell your coworkers that it didn't explode and they can come back in the room again.
Wait, this was plugged up with Sugru!?! If you're going to be using this for more than a couple minutes at a time, I'd recommend something a little more permanent. As it is, this was meant for a quick laugh. If you're foolish enough to make this, you should make a base for it so you're less likely to burn the house down.
Wait, this was plugged up with Sugru!?! If you're going to be using this for more than a couple minutes at a time, I'd recommend something a little more permanent. As it is, this was meant for a quick laugh. If you're foolish enough to make this, you should make a base for it so you're less likely to burn the house down.