Storing Oil Lamp / Bellows

[triton318]

I'm putting away a bunch of things for a couple of years while I do some work on my boat.

1. I have an oil lamp that still has some oil in it. Does anyone know if you should empty the oil before storing one for that long? Would there be any reason NOT to empty it?

2. I have an old bellows that came with an Avon inflatable dinghy. It's a large foot type, with a wooden top and bottom and rubber sides. I think there's a metal spring of some type inside. Here's the question: If you store a spring in a compressed position, will the spring lose some of its "spring" over time? As opposed to storing it uncompressed? I'm inclined to think over time it will lose a little "spring" if stored compressed. But maybe the metal doesn't care if its compressed or not.

Thanks!

[jollyboat]

Hello Jay - Those are good questions - I will start with the oil - yes you should store this empty - this is also a good time to trim the wick. Oil can spill out of lamps as well as just evaporate. I doubt that any harm would come to your lamp if it sat for 24 months undisturbed but I can say for certain that nothing will come to it by way of storing oil in for that period if you empty it. In as far as the air bellows is concerned - I would store this with the spring relaxed. A cool, dry place is best. Maybe clean it well before storing. Cheers.