thegregstyles
Carbide lamp, B and W
An old Lucas branded bicycle/miners lamp.
Backstory:- I had it out to clean and check as I had finally managed to track down some Calcium Carbide to load into it and actually see it working. Back in the day these lamps put out a brilliant high quality white light which was far superior to oil lamps and candles and much more portable for bicycles, motorcycles, and with much larger lamps ...on cars. The top chamber meters out water droplets onto the carbide granules in the bottom chamber, which reacts, creating acetylene gas, which is then burnt and creates a very bright flame.
The colour version of this pic is elsewhere here so that you are able to see it without the retro effect ;-) but I much prefer the B & W.
I took this photo as the weathered windowsill, spiderwebs and flywire all seem to amplify and lift the presence of this interesting piece of vintage tech.
Carbide lamp, B and W
An old Lucas branded bicycle/miners lamp.
Backstory:- I had it out to clean and check as I had finally managed to track down some Calcium Carbide to load into it and actually see it working. Back in the day these lamps put out a brilliant high quality white light which was far superior to oil lamps and candles and much more portable for bicycles, motorcycles, and with much larger lamps ...on cars. The top chamber meters out water droplets onto the carbide granules in the bottom chamber, which reacts, creating acetylene gas, which is then burnt and creates a very bright flame.
The colour version of this pic is elsewhere here so that you are able to see it without the retro effect ;-) but I much prefer the B & W.
I took this photo as the weathered windowsill, spiderwebs and flywire all seem to amplify and lift the presence of this interesting piece of vintage tech.