On 27/04/18 10:14, John B. wrote:


I would be a bit apprehensive about heating any hydrocarbon over an
open flame.... after all their most important property is that they
burn.


So does most cooking oil. The interesting bit is the flashpoint.

Motor oil seems fairly high. 420-485F = 215C.
Similar for paraffin wax at 250C.

Food oil is a bit higher at 315C

But keep in mind, you usually see smoke before fire. If the solution is
smoking hot, turn off the heat source.

Or use a thermometer to monitor the temperature and keep it at or below
150C to be safe.

--
JS