As it said in the title.... I've found I do very little if any collecting in the winter months and as the garage is cold and the garden even colder I also do little in the way of restoration. Does this make me a fair weather lamper? Possibly not as I tend to light them a lot more, although not so much the pressure lamps.
Winter is my lamp time since for several reasons: Summer is busy (I farm and cut firewood for winter) Winter is cool, and I like the extra warm that the hobby has. Winter is dark, the better to appreciate a fine light Pump kerosene (paraffin) is fresher in the winter because of the increased consumption.
My lamps will get less use during winter because they won't be used in the garden, on my boat, or camping. They are still used regularly indoors in the fireplace though. Luckily my shed is dry, not drafty and doesn't get too cold as its insulated to some extent
Once a week I go to a woodwork-shop, where we work wood and work lamps, hafl and half. In the breake we eat applepie with whipped cream in the light of a pressurelamp. We here spreaded the lampbug to 3 other members and new-finished lamps is often tested here. Very cozy it is. Back home Winter is my season, specially now around Christmas. I often light a pressurelamp (user) and leave it on the porch-table to enlight the courtyard instead of the Electric light. Visitors finds it very nice and we can see the lamp(s) outside the window giving the feeling of "old days". Our house is build in 1920 so the lamps fits perfectly - Damn I love lamps Claus C
Lamp season? Absolutely. And it's right now! The winter is the period when I use the lamps the most, and as a result also the period when I tinker with them the most. Just like Claus I like to place a user lantern outside to burn during the weekend evenings so I can see it from inside, but also so I can see my way if I need to go up to the tractor shed for something. And the fettling is also best this time since it's pitch black both when leaving home for work and when returning, meaning more free time to go down to the warm and cozy work shop and fiddle around with new projects that has heaped up. ...Heaped up because the other half of the year is when most of the stuff is acquired and stocked, so in that term summer also is a lamp season, but for other reasons. But there is a period in the late summer when the lamps come in much use too. Late August nights when it start to get darkish again, but still warm, give many opportunities to use a lantern or two outside. Now I'm off to hang the old experiment 1020 on the backside of the house.
Usually at spring and summer I'm often sitting on the veranda, reading a book or just listening to the gentle hiss of a pressure lamp. I also enjoy when days get shorter, so more time to sit there by lamplight. But now as days get colder I've switched over to my ol' Wickies. At the moment I'm using an Aladdin 11 with its original half clear shade which perfectly serves me indoors: warm and cozy, absolutely no smell and quiet. My fettling season is all over the year although I must admit that my stock has a bit increased recently. Next bigger project will be a nice Standard 590 hanging lamp (I've got two of them and will just combine the best of both )
To me summer is lantern season and I often light up a few in the garden in the evenings when I play with the dog or for a braai (BBQ) In winter the table lamps provide light, heat and ambience inside the house. Buying and fettling happens all year round.
Late summer is when my pressure lamps see the most use. The rvenings are still warm enough to sit outside but it's not midnight before it gets dark... In the winter it's the indoor lamps which for me are exclusively wick lamps. I do have an indoor pressure lamp, but for me it's a touch too much indoors and I prefer the more subtle and controlable light of the Aladdins. Late spring through to autumn is my collecting and restoration time, it's also when I attend the few shows I now do.
