Thanks Andy. Like a thermometer then. How high will capillary action lift? Is it dependent upon air pressure or wick diameter?
Regards,
J. Kim Siddorn,
>
>>Never one scared to show my higgorance, what powers a wick oiler, surface
>>tension alone? No formulae please ;o))
>
> Capillary action. It's similar to surface tension, but it's the
> attraction between the oil and the fibre, rather than just the oil to
> itself (as surface tension is).
>
> That's why the choice of fibre is important to making a useful oiler
> wick. Synthetics don't work worth a damn. Plant fibres (cotton or linen)
> can lift a light oil, so they work for lamp wicks, but if you want to
> lift a heavy lubricating oil then you need an animal fibre like wool. >
> Long fibres (worsted, not knitting yarn) make for a more efficient wick
> that's mechanically easier to install in a confined oiler pipe.