Oil Filter Stove?

I am attempting to burn used motor oil.

I keep looking at the design of throw away engine oil filters. There must be some "Rube Goldberg" modification that would make this into a GARDEN TORCH, SIGNAL LAMP, STOVE or some other useless toy. Most have a threaded exit hole for the oil to return to the engine. They have many return holes around the exit hole for the oil to get into the filter. The local lub shop offered me a free barrel of them if I would take them.

There has to be some wick, heater concept that could be screwed into the exit hole and act as a wick/generator. I think some of the heat must be refocused back into the filter body to aid in driving the oil up the wick. Done properly, return air can enter all of the holes around the center exit hole. I am thinking of the GENERATOR concept as used in the coleman lamps.

If nothing else, the people driving by our remote store slow down at midnight to see what the flames are about.

I will keep testing.

I like the way you think! On one hand I love the idea of repurposing oil filters, an item that currently is disposed of as hazardous waste. On the other, I shudder to think of used motor oil with all the contaminants being burned off into the atmosphere. Of course, now they probably sit in a landfill somewhere and leach into the local water supply.

You are right - it feels like the way oil filters are manufactured should lend well to repurposing. If not cleaning and reusing in another filter application, than some other apt use.

I'm a backpacker, and it strikes me that the design is close to alcohol stoves. Both my Trangia stove http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trangia and my beverage can jet stoves http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage-can_stove have a similar configuration. But again, I would worry about high heating the residue.

It looks like there's a business in collecting for a fee, crushing and cleaning, then recycling at weight:
http://www.usedoil.com/filter1.html

I look forward to hearing other ideas!

Don't know about where you live, but here the recycling fee is paid upfront when purchasing the oil, and they definitely don't end up in the landfill (unless you dump it there).

But burnt motor oil is nasty, definitely not something I want to use.

I'm curious to see what you come up with. Good luck.

I cut mine open (using an oil filter cutter) to examine them for debris then let them drain further for several weeks before discarding. Not much oil in them.

Our landfill has a dumpster for everyone elses. I expect they get squeezed of their oil at some recycling center as part of a "proper" disposal.

I think you could find better items to serve as candle holders.

Perhaps you could add a wee bit of fuel to ignite easier,& use em' for Tiki torches or haste landing lights for a clandestine airstrip or advertisement purposes for the remote store-light up that Homemade Beef Jerky or Pure Clover Honey sign,All remote stores have at least 1 of the 2 !I don't want to advocate hurting the environment but,If you have a Gopher problem,I think they could be adapted to such appropriately!Mosquito's/Fly's won't hang around,Either!