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TIKISKIP : How to make tiki light, Lamp 101 |
KAHAKA
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 03, 2003
Posts: 756
From: San Jose, CA
|  Posted: 2011-05-27 12:06 pm Permalink
Awesome thread, Skip! I get a lot of my chain from swag lamps friends find at the flea markets for around a $1. Brand new chain at the hardware store can be expensive ($1 or more per foot).
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Custom Tapa Swag Lamps and Sconces Built By Kahaka
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-05-27 2:14 pm Permalink
Good point KAHAKA!
You need to get all of your parts when you can.
Go out looking for a hat but find a basket.
Try to find chain and get hats.
Buy it all bring it home and wait till you have things that match.
Plus the old stuff is kronkie and rusted just right.
It can take years to find a hat basket that work together!
Or there is ebay, tpye chandelier chain in and see what you get, 16 pages today.
You can find some deals on ebay.
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-05-28 09:43 am Permalink
Ok so we are going to make the basket light first.
But what is a basket light?
The light can be large or small.
Most of the time it is nothing more than a basket with
a rattan hat on top.
People mostly find a basket and hat and put them together
to make this light.
But you can also make both the basket and the hat.
For this light we will use found objects, ie ones aready made.
On the big lights shown here you must make the hat as you will
never find one big enough.
Here are some basket lights I have made in the past.
Home made hat.
Home made hat.
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-05-29 12:12 pm Permalink
Here are some hats and baskets that would be good
to make your light with.
And a few that would not work.
Why do you have sooo many?
You need to find just the right hat to go with just the right basket.
I have seen here that some people try to take the first basket and hat
they find and make a light even if the two items don't work together.
Don't do it! wait to find two that match.
Remember back when these bars were made the hats, baskets and rattan things
needed to make these lights were very popular so you could find them easily.
The first photo is of baskets that won't work.
Why? because they don't let light shine through the side you need a basket that
will let the light shine through.
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-05-29 12:34 pm Permalink
Ok so remember those three baskets that would not work?
Well lookie here we can fix em!
If we take out some of the rattan.
And get rid of the ribon on the one basket these are
good to use.
In fact the on with the ribon is old school rattan.
You will find it's the hats that are hard to find
at least at a price low enough to buy.
These antique dealers think they are rare and worth $30.00 - $40.00 bucks.
Just wait you will find em.
But on that large ottoman you must make that hat.
What a cool light that will be!
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-05-29 12:58 pm Permalink
This is the basket we will use.
Now let's find a hat for it.
The first one no not good.
Next, we can do better.
Last one,perfect!
This is the hat and basket we will use.
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spiked
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Dec 10, 2008
Posts: 83 | Posted: 2011-05-30 7:52 pm Permalink
Very cool, Skip! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us 
It is pretty hard to get those hats and sometimes it will be a while before you get lucky and find one at thrift store or it will cost an arm and a leg trying to get them online.
You may be able to find several styles at Halloween store during the season or year-round Costume store you may have near you, they are a bit more pricey, about 6-8 bucks, but a great alternative if you don't want to wait.
-Lena.
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ka'lenatiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 13, 2009
Posts: 184
From: redding ca.
| Posted: 2011-05-31 08:13 am Permalink
Great thread tikiskip as i've been basket hunting for the hat I found. I know of 3 vintage ones in thrift/ant. stores and the highest is 75.00!! I have one from the spirit halloween store that will work and one that's either a hat or a ratan bowl liner. Still looks good.
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-05-31 12:29 pm Permalink
You are right Lena.
But those hats are made with plastic binder cane.
So this means you can't flame the hat.
Plus the last time I used them they were $11.00 bucks each.
I like the old patina of the used hats too.
But if you need a matched set like I did for this light I made shown below
they work well.
And ka'lenatiki Just put the hat on and see if it works.
Like to see photos of your light when it's done.
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spiked
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Dec 10, 2008
Posts: 83 | Posted: 2011-05-31 1:50 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2011-05-31 12:29, tikiskip wrote:
You are right Lena.
But those hats are made with plastic binder cane.
So this means you can't flame the hat.
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Ahhhhh.. Good to know! 
-Lena
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-05-31 2:06 pm Permalink
Hope all is well with you and Jim.
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spiked
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Dec 10, 2008
Posts: 83 | Posted: 2011-05-31 3:33 pm Permalink
Things are good thank you for asking!
I have been working on a few things, keeping busy, mostly for the bar. Jim tries to make me keep everything I make, lol
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-06-01 08:36 am Permalink
I do miss some of my lights too.
But I sell almost all of them.
There is just no room for them all, to date I have made over 100 lights.
Now take a torch and lightly burn the basket, this will give it an old look
plus put some variation in the colors on the basket.
Don't go over board on the burning!
If you do go too far with the flame you can lightly sand it out
with steel wool or a light sand paper.
Here is the Basket after flaming.
Shown is the torch that I like to use , find at hardware store.
Next we need to put on the fire retardant, you can buy this at a place that
sells stuff for theatrical supplies, I would guess on line as well.
Just spray the basket well and let dry.
on thatch you would need to soak the thatch in the solution.
Then let it all dry.
On this date Flamex is $60.00 a gallon.
[ This Message was edited by: tikiskip 2011-06-01 08:45 ]
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2011-06-01 08:43 am Permalink
Here is a link to a online source for flame retardant.
You need to use this stuff!
http://www.stagespot.com/product/ROSPNT-FLAME-PC/Rosco%20Flamex%20PC%20-%20Paper
Applying Flamex
Dipping:
This is the most efficient method of impregnation. Immerse completely for complete saturation, and hang to dry. Some wrinkling and shrinkage of thin paper products or paper covers may occur
Brushing:
Using a wide lay-in brush, brush the Flamex solution into the fibers of the material being treated. Brush in the solution using a criss-crossing pattern to insure adequate absorption.
Spraying:
In a spray application, it is very important that an adequate amount of the Flamex be absorbed. In calculating the amount of solution needed, remember that a substantial portion of the spray will not fall on the material. Use a Hudson-type sprayer with a medium nozzle setting. To insure adequate penetration of Flamex allow material to dry after first application, then reapply a second time.
Over saturating the fabric may cause it to stiffen or otherwise alter its hand. ALWAYS treat a test sample to determine how the fabric will react and to test for effective flame retardance.
Certification and Testing
Flamex PC has been approved for use by the California and New York City Fire Marshall and has been tested according to NFPA 701.
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Sneakytiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 31, 2003
Posts: 1795
From: Boise, Idaho
| Posted: 2011-06-01 09:23 am Permalink
Fascinating thread Skip! I dunno if I'll try my hand at lamps soon but this is just too cool not to read! Great pix and info!
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