Make This: DIY Vintage Electric Camp Lantern

bryson in How To

1/11/17

[updated: 5/15/20]

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Autumn is the perfect time of year for camping, pumpkins, crunchy leaves and hurricane lamps. Ok, maybe it's just me, but I love these lamps. They bring a certain sense of camp-like nostalgia to my heart and I have a couple around the house. There's nothing new about using oil lamps in your home. However, it didn't seem like the safest option these days. So, I recently had the idea to retrofit one with a cool Edison vintage bulb. Here's a fairly easy tutorial on turning your own oil lamp into a beautiful electric lamp.

I originally set out to build this project thinking it would take me forever. To my surprise and your benefit, this entire task, from start to finish will take you less than an hour and cost less than $30 (if you buy a brand new lamp).

Here's what you'll need:

Outdoor Hurricane Lamp. I got this one from Amazon.
Vintage-style T-6 Bulb Get it here.
Tin snips or a Dremel with a metal cutting bit
Candelabra socket with a threaded bushing and wires attached
6 feet of electric wire (or however long you might want)
Electrical tape
Wire cutters and strippers
Male plug kit
2 wire twist caps
Pliers
Drill and drill bits
Phillips screwdriver

If you plan on using an old hurricane lamp, please make sure there is no fuel residue inside the tank. I recommend avoiding used lamps all together. Electricity and fuel fumes don't mix. I used a brand new lantern for this project to avoid a surprise fire in my shop.

First, remove the cap that holds the wick above the oil well. This particular brand has one that removes with a twist.

Using pliers, remove the shaft in the middle of the bracket. This removes the wick dial.

Using a Dremel with a cutting bit or tin snips, remove the cross bar to create an opening to house the socket. Sand and bend any protruding pieces that might cut you.

Slip the socket through the hole and twist on the threaded bushing. I had to wrap some electrical tape around the socket to help it with tighter in the opening.

Insert the socket back over the well and place the glass base back on top. Using a marker, make a line where the wick guard should be cut to reveal the socket and free up space for the bulb. Use tin snips or a Dremel to cut at the line. Be sure to sand and smooth out the cut so you don't hurt yourself.

Now you can drill a hole with a bit that's large enough to fit a wire through. I would love to have found a rubber bushing to go in the opening. If you are really crafty, I'd recommend putting one over the opening. Doing so will prolong the life of the wire.

Fish your line through and tie a knot to keep it from slipping back out. Then, strip the ends with wire strippers.

Twist the two sets of wires together and stuff everything back into the oil well.

I grabbed an easy plug kit at the store and followed the instructions for attaching the wires.

What's a good lamp without an on/off switch. I picked up this switch at the store too. You have to cut one of the lines and fit it snuggly in this space. There are vampire teeth (technical term) that bite into the cut line and the switch uses that feature to cut the circuit.