Can you buy paraffin at a reasonable price?

[Caecilius]

I was thinking about getting a tilley lamp to use in the garden. A bit
nostalgic I guess, as I used to have one back in the 70s.

You used to be able to get paraffin easily and cheaply (esso blue or
the pink stuff). But now it seems quite rare. B&Q sell it, but they
charge crazy prices for it: about seven pounds for four litres - more
than derv!

Is it possible to get paraffin in the UK for a reasonable price? I'm
guessing that it should be something like 50 or 60p per litre as there
would be no duty on it.

[Bob Minchin]

Try a local family owned filling station, the type that fills the car
for you. Our local one does paraffin but I don't know the price. I use
it as a lubricant when machining aluminium and a gallon lasts me years.
You could try scrounging a bit from someone with light oil heating.
That should have minimal duty and only 5% vat on it.

prices here http://www.heatingoilshop.co.uk/price.php

[meow...@care2.com]

On Tuesday, August 13, 2013 7:37:16 PM UTC+1, Bob Minchin wrote:

> You could try scrounging a bit from someone with light oil heating.
> That should have minimal duty and only 5% vat on it.

Heating oil & paraffin are both 28 second oil.

I dont know if they'd also run on diesel, 35 second oil.


NT

[Fredxx]

I didn't realise that was the difference. I do run mine on diesel for
convenience of supply, but never been happy with it.

[John Williamson]

You could try your local canalside boatyard. Avoid chandlers,they're
generally worse rip-off merchants than B&Q.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

[Caecilius]

On Tue, 13 Aug 2013 12:44:57 -0700 (PDT), meow...@care2.com wrote:
>Heating oil & paraffin are both 28 second oil.

That's useful to know, thanks.

>I dont know if they'd also run on diesel, 35 second oil.

I think diesel might be a bit too smokey and soot up the mantle and
lamp glass.

[ss]

About 6 years ago I bought a gallon of paraffin and then it was about
the same price as petrol, only source I could find was a local garage
and at the time I thought a bit pricey as it used to be so cheap. I
bought for the same reason as I had some old camping stoves and tilley
lamps and a paraffin iron and I wanted to see them working, all was ok
until I tried firing up a blowlamp ....I panicked thinking it would blow
up and chucked it into the drive and it landed under my wifes car :-)
all ended well though.
I was going to sell them off on ebay but with energy prices going the
way it is I will just hold on to them for now.

[SteveW]

You can make life easier for youself (although it means paying duty) and
get a lamp where the fuel is easily available. I bought one from a
camping shop many years ago - it looked just like a Tilley lamp, with
hand pump to pre-pressurise, vapouriser and mantle, just the same but it
was designed to run on unleaded petrol.

SteveW

[SteveW]

Ah, just found it. Coleman do them.

SteveW

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

On Tue, 13 Aug 2013 19:22:47 +0100, Caecilius
<nos...@spamless.invalid> wrote:

>Is it possible to get paraffin in the UK for a reasonable price? I'm
>guessing that it should be something like 50 or 60p per litre as there
>would be no duty on it.

Anyone with 28sec home heating oil has it in a 1000L tank.

[Caecilius]

On Tue, 13 Aug 2013 21:49:18 +0100, SteveW <st...@walker-family.me.uk>
wrote:

>You can make life easier for youself (although it means paying duty) and
>get a lamp where the fuel is easily available. I bought one from a
>camping shop many years ago - it looked just like a Tilley lamp, with
>hand pump to pre-pressurise, vapouriser and mantle, just the same but it
>was designed to run on unleaded petrol.

Coleman fuel, aka "white gas" seems to be more common in the US.
That's pretty close to petrol I think, although the idea of using
petrol in a lamp seems scary to me as I've always used paraffin.

Good idea though. It may be easier to get a coleman fuel lamp and use
unleaded. Probably doesn't need so much pre-heating with the meths
burner either.

[polygonum]

Having had a Coleman stove for many years, it is so much more convenient
not to have to deal with two fluids (meths and paraffin).

Unleaded is OK but doesn't, IMHO, burn quite so cleanly. The critical
difference between white gas and petrol, when I first used such a stove,
was that most petrol was leaded. And that was a "BAD THING".

--
Rod

[meow...@care2.com]

On Tuesday, August 13, 2013 9:49:18 PM UTC+1, SteveW wrote:

> get a lamp where the fuel is easily available. I bought one from a
> camping shop many years ago - it looked just like a Tilley lamp, with
> hand pump to pre-pressurise, vapouriser and mantle, just the same but it
> was designed to run on unleaded petrol.
>
> SteveW

pressurised types have an awful safety record ISTR


NT

[harryagain]

"polygonum" <rmoud...@vrod.co.uk> wrote in message
news:b6vokh...@mid.individual.net...

It was a BAD THING because you would be breathing the fine lead oxide
particles.

[news]

On 13/08/2013 19:22, Caecilius wrote:

It might be worth ringing up these people

http://www.paraffinsuppliers.co.uk/

to see if there is a supplier within easy reach of your location.

--
Chris

[Muddymike]

On 13/08/2013 19:22, Caecilius wrote:
>> I was thinking about getting a tilley lamp to use in the garden. A bit
>> nostalgic I guess, as I used to have one back in the 70s.
>>
>> You used to be able to get paraffin easily and cheaply (esso blue or
>> the pink stuff). But now it seems quite rare. B&Q sell it, but they
>> charge crazy prices for it: about seven pounds for four litres - more
>> than derv!
>>

I use a multi fuel Colman lamp and run it on petrol which I always have for
the mower etc. I do have an old Tilley but don't use it simply because of
the poor availability of paraffin in the UK these days.

Mike

[polygonum]

On 14/08/2013 08:49, harryagain wrote:
> It was a BAD THING because you would be breathing the fine lead oxide
> particles.

I felt no need to explain the absolutely obvious to anyone with a couple
of brain cells that are not totally plumbic.

--
Rod

[Rick Hughes]

On 13/08/2013 19:22, Caecilius wrote:

I'm sure if you go to an old Ironmongers they will still sell it.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

On Wed, 14 Aug 2013 08:49:51 +0100, "harryagain"
<harry...@btinternet.com> wrote:

>> Unleaded is OK but doesn't, IMHO, burn quite so cleanly. The critical
>> difference between white gas and petrol, when I first used such a stove,
>> was that most petrol was leaded. And that was a "BAD THING".
>>
>> --
>> Rod
>It was a BAD THING because you would be breathing the fine lead oxide
>particles.

It was a BAD THING for Coleman stoves and lanterns because the lead
formed whiskers which affected the clean burning.

[thes...@gmail.com]

Could try Rest Express.co.uk

[mogga]

About the same price as B&Q and presumably with delivery cost on top.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

[harryagain]

"mogga" <d...@NOSPAMPLEASEmogga.com> wrote in message
news:cmu8g9hlf7e8pcv0v...@4ax.com...

You are being conned.
Just use (central) heating oil.
ie find someone with oil fired heating & ask to draw a bit off the tank
Also TVO (used in some tractors is the same stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene#Heating_and_lighting

[michael adams]

<thes...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4bf550e1-6b0b-478b...@googlegroups.com...

> On Tuesday, August 13, 2013 7:22:47 PM UTC+1, Caecilius wrote:
>> I was thinking about getting a tilley lamp to use in the garden. A bit
>>
>> nostalgic I guess,

There's nothing as evocative as smells IMO, and the smell of a
paraffin heater is quite distinctive.

>> as I used to have one back in the 70s.

It's probably a bit late now, but in answer to your original question
back there in August, would you consider moving to Japan ? Somewhat
surprisingly maybe, given the amount of wood in their houses
- allegedly - according to Wiki anyway


<quote>

In some countries, particularly in Japan, they are used as the primary
source of home heat. Most kerosene [paraffin ] heaters produce between
3.3 and 6.8 kW (11000 to 23000 BTU per hour).

</quote>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene_heater


The high prices being charged nowadays in the UK presumably reflect
low demand and the fact that its simply no longer economical to
maintain an efficient supply chain from manufacturer to retail
customer*. As with a lot of these things, its not the actual
cost of the material that you mainly pay for, but the costs
involved in supplying it to you.

*Saying which, it may be possible to buy it relatively cheaply
by the tank load as maybe supplied to horticultural users.


michael adams

...

[Brian Gaff]

Yes I know we used tohave greenhouse heaters that ran on it. Its silly, the
main issue with them as heaters in the house was always the water they gave
off and it made all the dirt stick to the paint and go yellow.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"michael adams" <mjad...@ukonline.co.k> wrote in message
news:btidnf2UxK_MD5nO...@brightview.co.uk...

[michael adams]

"Brian Gaff" <brian...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:le34f2$3ia$1...@dont-email.me...

> Yes I know we used tohave greenhouse heaters that ran on it. Its silly, the main issue
> with them as heaters in the house was always the water they gave off and it made all
> the dirt stick to the paint and go yellow.
> Brian

In those days also a far larger proportion of people smoked than
do now. Which whatever else it did, also imparted a nice warm
tone to the ceilings.


michael adams

...

[Bob Henson]

On 19/02/2014 8:33 PM, Brian Gaff wrote:
> Yes I know we used tohave greenhouse heaters that ran on it. Its silly, the
> main issue with them as heaters in the house was always the water they gave
> off and it made all the dirt stick to the paint and go yellow.
> Brian
>

One of the main problems, and possibly the reason they disappeared, was
that the fumes, if inhaled for long enough, can cause lipid pneumonia.

--
Bob - Tetbury, Gloucestershire, UK

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. - Mark
Twain

[dr.s.l...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, 13 August 2013 19:22:47 UTC+1, Caecilius wrote:
> I was thinking about getting a tilley lamp to use in the garden. A bit

> nostalgic I guess, as I used to have one back in the 70s.
>
> You used to be able to get paraffin easily and cheaply (esso blue or
> the pink stuff). But now it seems quite rare. B&Q sell it, but they
> charge crazy prices for it: about seven pounds for four litres - more
> than derv!
>
> Is it possible to get paraffin in the UK for a reasonable price? I'm
> guessing that it should be something like 50 or 60p per litre as there

> would be no duty on it.


The more traditional Scout Groups may still use bulk paraffin at Camp, for Tilleys and Primuses. We used to use about a gallon a day, buying five gallons at a time. Consult your local Groups.

--
SL

[meow...@care2.com]

On Thursday, February 20, 2014 10:15:06 AM UTC, Bob Henson wrote:
> On 19/02/2014 8:33 PM, Brian Gaff wrote:
> > Yes I know we used tohave greenhouse heaters that ran on it. Its silly, the
> > main issue with them as heaters in the house was always the water they gave
> > off and it made all the dirt stick to the paint and go yellow.
> > Brian

> One of the main problems, and possibly the reason they disappeared, was
> that the fumes, if inhaled for long enough, can cause lipid pneumonia.

Fire risk & bad smell were the usual concerns expressed. There were also question marks about CO - if you didnt keep a frequent eye on the wick, you got CO produced.


NT

[Bob Henson]

True. Whichever was most important, I was good to see the back of them!

--
Bob - Tetbury, Gloucestershire, UK

A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

[harryagain]

"Bob Henson" <rh54...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:le75pd$2vm$1...@dont-email.me...

> On 20/02/2014 10:58 PM, meow...@care2.com wrote:
>> On Thursday, February 20, 2014 10:15:06 AM UTC, Bob Henson wrote:
>>> On 19/02/2014 8:33 PM, Brian Gaff wrote:
>>>> Yes I know we used tohave greenhouse heaters that ran on it. Its
>>>> silly, the main issue with them as heaters in the house was
>>>> always the water they gave off and it made all the dirt stick to
>>>> the paint and go yellow. Brian
>>
>>> One of the main problems, and possibly the reason they disappeared,
>>> was that the fumes, if inhaled for long enough, can cause lipid
>>> pneumonia.
>>
>> Fire risk & bad smell were the usual concerns expressed. There were
>> also question marks about CO - if you didnt keep a frequent eye on
>> the wick, you got CO produced.
>>

I think the ones with a mantle were OK.
Smells and CO are the result of unburnt fuel.

[John Williamson]

You had heaters with a mantle?

I have some Aladdin laps with mantles and wicks. And yes, you do need to
keep a *very* close eye on the flame when they're in use. I've yet to
see a heater with a mantle.

Incidentally, the mantles contain thorium, which is radioactive, so
that's something else that you'll probably claim needs banning.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

[dennis@home]

They used to make the Geiger counter go pretty quickly when you held the
tube close to a gas mantle, they aren't dangerous unless you eat them or
you blow the house up with the gas.

[meow...@care2.com]

On Saturday, February 22, 2014 10:05:21 AM UTC, harry wrote:
> "Bob Henson" <@gmail.com> wrote in message

The mantles used in lamps dont make any difference to CO content. CO is a real problem with these things, its inevitable they'll produce it, you just have to watch the flame colour each time you light it and adjust or tidy the wick when it begins.

Smells unfortunately were inevitable with unvented paraffin.


NT

[The Natural Philosopher]

Not any more...we resurrected an old mantle lantern and the new mantle
said 'contains no thorium'

Paraffin is available on-line in 5 litre cans for about 7 quid or less.
Lamp oil which smells better is about 2-3 times more expensive.


--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

[polygonum]

On 23/02/2014 04:57, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
<>
>
> Paraffin is available on-line in 5 litre cans for about 7 quid or less.
> Lamp oil which smells better is about 2-3 times more expensive.
>
>

What is the constituent of paraffin that provides the delicate aroma -
the one that seems to permeate the fabric of anywhere that it has been
stored, burned, or even a drop spilled?

Is lamp oil just paraffin without that constituent? Or are the
differences more substantial?

--
Rod

[Dave Liquorice]

On Sun, 23 Feb 2014 08:45:20 +0000, polygonum wrote:

> Is lamp oil just paraffin without that constituent? Or are the
> differences more substantial?

At a guess I'd say lamp oil is desulphurised(*) and a narrower
fraction of paraffin with added "nice perfume" and colourant.

(*) On the basis that sulphur produces some pretty smell compounds.

--
Cheers
Dave.

[dennis@home]

IIRC they sometimes add perfume to various fuels for enforcement reasons..
I can smell cars and trucks where someone has put red diesel or paraffin
in the tank as they drive past so I am sure the C&E people can too.

[polygonum]

Isn't it a bit dangerous putting fuel in while moving?

--
Rod

[dennis@home]

What are you on?

[polygonum]

It was you who wrote that they were put the fuel in as they drive past
your nose, was it not?

--
Rod

[dennis@home]

I don't think I said any such thing.
But the perfume survives passing through the engine and you can smell it
as they drive past, I can't smell it before its burnt but I don't have a
good sense of smell these days.

[bm]

"dennis@home" <den...@killspam.kicks-ass.net> wrote in message
news:530a8369$0$46463$c3e8da3$a909...@news.astraweb.com...

Never mind, Rod. I got it ;)

[The Natural Philosopher]

On 23/02/14 23:25, dennis@home wrote:
>> someone has put red diesel or
>> paraffin
>> in the tank as they drive past

>I don't think I said any such thing.

yers you did.

[polygonum]

On 24/02/2014 00:05, bm wrote:
> Never mind, Rod. I got it;)

It was a pathetic enough attempt by me at drawing humour from a very
slightly ambiguous statement. Having got to this stage it has become
gobsmackingly ridiculous and I thought it must have been only me. So
thank you very much! :-)

--
Rod

[The Natural Philosopher]

It was a classic example of the missing comma leading to a completely
asinine meaning.

I.e.
(I can smell cars)(that fill up with illegal diesel) (as they drive past)


Those are the phrases.

Without punctuation it becomes

(I can smell cars)(that fill up with illegal diesel as they drive past)

the comma turns that into:

(I can smell cars that fill up with illegal diesel) ,(as they drive past)

It's basic English Grammar, as taught in any 'English as a foreign
language' class.

Sadly its not taught in any 'English as my native language' classes..any
more..

[ajwebd...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, 13 August 2013 19:22:47 UTC+1, Caecilius wrote:
> I was thinking about getting a tilley lamp to use in the garden. A bit
>
> nostalgic I guess, as I used to have one back in the 70s.
>
>
>
> You used to be able to get paraffin easily and cheaply (esso blue or
>
> the pink stuff). But now it seems quite rare. B&Q sell it, but they
>
> charge crazy prices for it: about seven pounds for four litres - more
>
> than derv!
>
>
>
> Is it possible to get paraffin in the UK for a reasonable price? I'm
>
> guessing that it should be something like 50 or 60p per litre as there
>
> would be no duty on it.

We use paraffin from a local hardware shop for one of these heaters.. http://norfolkchillifarm.co.uk/shop/parasenes-big-red-heater/

[Tim+]

> http://witlessspammer.co.uk/shop/parasenes-big-red-heater/

No spam please.

Tim

[bert]

In message <42b50602-13a5-4157...@googlegroups.com>,
ajwebd...@gmail.com writes

I believe it can only be sold in sealed plastic containers now hence the
price. Blame the EU
--
bert

[Graham.]

He's posting from Wales and the company is in Norfolk. That doesn't
rule out spam of course.



--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

[Tim+]

He's added nothing to the thread other than a link to his chilli farm. Did
the same in another thread.

[Andy Burns]

Graham. wrote:

> Tim+ <timdow...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> <ajwebd...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> We use paraffin from a local hardware shop for one of these heaters..
>>> http://witlessspammer.co.uk/
>>

>> No spam please.

>
> He's posting from Wales and the company is in Norfolk. That doesn't
> rule out spam of course.

This seems to rule *in* spam

http://ajwebdesigns.co.uk/directory/listing/the-norfolk-chilli-farm/

[Tim+]

Andy Burns <usenet....@adslpipe.co.uk> wrote:
> Graham. wrote:
>
>> Tim+ <timdow...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> <ajwebd...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> We use paraffin from a local hardware shop for one of these heaters..
>>>> http://witlessspammer.co.uk/
>>>
>>> No spam please.
>>
>> He's posting from Wales and the company is in Norfolk. That doesn't
>> rule out spam of course.
>
> This seems to rule *in* spam
>

> http://witlessspammer.co.uk/directory/listing/the-norfolk-chilli-farm/

What's the point in me munging his spam address if you go and repost it?

[Andy Burns]

Tim+ wrote:

>> This seems to rule *in* spam
>

>> http://ajwebdesigns.co.uk/directory/listing/the-spammy-spam-farm/

>
> What's the point in me munging his spam address if you go and repost it?

Because the domain being spammed is the chilli farm one (which I did
leave munged) not the web designer/SEO company.

When I point out someone as being a spammer, I do it in the hope that
someday, someone searching for the idiot will find out he's a spammer
and avoid doing business with them ...

[Muddymike]

> I was thinking about getting a tilley lamp to use in the garden. A bit
>
> nostalgic I guess, as I used to have one back in the 70s.
>
>
>
> You used to be able to get paraffin easily and cheaply (esso blue or
>
> the pink stuff). But now it seems quite rare. B&Q sell it, but they
>
> charge crazy prices for it: about seven pounds for four litres - more
>
> than derv!
>

You could try contacting a local bulk paraffin supplier and ask who they
supply that sells it from a pump. I seem to remember our local farm fuel
supplies place does so, or did when I was last there which admittedly was a
year or two ago.

Last time I bough it from a pump was in Lesotho in place of petrol for the
Land Rover I was driving. All petrol was sold out in the area.

Mike

[Nick]

In message <wqudnfbPmZZqjarJ...@brightview.co.uk>, Andy
Burns <usenet....@adslpipe.co.uk> writes

Probably not worth using ajweb... for your website either, with a bottom
of page like that:
Footer Text 1
Footer Text 1 content area
etc.
--
Nick (=----)

[drew.i...@googlemail.com]

Iv just been setting up 2 Aladdin Blue Flame Heaters 1 is like new the other just needs a good clean and service iv found a Place on the out skirts of Edinburgh selling Paraffin (ie) Kerosene for 0.65 a Litre B&q want £6.97 for 4ltr so I'm sure iv bought the cheapest around and a ready supply

[john...@googlemail.com]

I have two Tilley lamps which will only run on paraffin, I also have two Petromax 500 pressure lamps (available new, direct from Germany www.Pelham.de) which will run on paraffin and quite happily run on car diesel.
Now tilleys have a lower light output to that of a Petromax so for garden use a Petromax wins hands down.They use about 100 mls of fuel per hour, whereas a Tilley uses a bit less, but at time of writing (Sept. 2015) Tilleys are only available second hand and nearly always need a good service before use so if you are not familiar with pressure lamps this could be a problem, although, there is plenty of information available online. I have uploaded two videos to YouTube one on how to light a Tilley and one on how to change a mantle on a Petromax

Elderly Tilley

http://youtu.be/NuffCbU4Vw0

How to change a mantle on a Petromax

http://youtu.be/IRy7aT3uEtY

[Andy Burns]

john...@googlemail.com wrote:

> at time of writing (Sept. 2015) Tilleys are only available second hand

But this place

<http://stores.ebay.co.uk/hootflipflopandfly-at-kibworthdiy/TILLEY-LAMPS-AND-SPARES-/_i.html?_fsub=9678765&_sid=206140857&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322>

has probably got enough spares to build one from parts ...

[johnraymo...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at 7:22:47 PM UTC+1, Caecilius wrote:
> I was thinking about getting a tilley lamp to use in the garden. A bit
> nostalgic I guess, as I used to have one back in the 70s.
>
> You used to be able to get paraffin easily and cheaply (esso blue or
> the pink stuff). But now it seems quite rare. B&Q sell it, but they
> charge crazy prices for it: about seven pounds for four litres - more
> than derv!
>

> Is it possible to get paraffin in the UK for a reasonable price? I'm
> guessing that it should be something like 50 or 60p per litre as there
> would be no duty on it.

I paid £6-50 which is more than petrol it use to be half as much.

[Muddymike]

I use a multi fuel Coleman Tilley style lamp. It happily runs on red diesel.

Mike

[newshound]

My red diesel supplier sells it from the pump, I'll check the price next
time I am there.

[Another John]

In article <e8CdncLccYLnVgHF...@brightview.co.uk>,

The OP was posted in 2013 [1] -- I smelled a rat when I saw he talked
about 4 litres for as little as 6.50: the thieves have it up to 7.99
around here by now.

J.

[1] Not that this kind of topic ever loses currency.