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Making float lights, any advise |
hellbilly1932
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 20, 2009
Posts: 42
From: San Diego
|  Posted: 2013-03-03 12:42 pm Permalink
Anyone have a good source for the glass globes? I want to make some float lights for my tiki bar and would rather not have to spend a fortune for vintage glass.
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2131 | Posted: 2013-03-03 8:36 pm Permalink
The best way to find a good glass globe to tie is to look
for a rattan hat.
I say this because when you look for a certin thing (glass globe)you will
most likely find some other thing. (rattan hat)
So why fight it, just go beachcombing in the modern beach of today that
is ebay, flea markets, thrift stores,antique shops/ shows ECT....
I look for stuff ALL the time, it takes time to find this stuff.
There is no glass globe outlet I know of AND if there was one they would
not be cheap.
So I say go and find what you find where you find it and build with the things
that you are lucky enough to find at a low cost.
Now you may find a hat that it could take you years to find a matching bottom to,
but this is how I go about making lights.
Look at the Bahooka photos here on TC, LOTS of the things in Bahooka are not tiki.
But put together the place looks great!
I would guess at the time Bahooka was built the stuff they put in Bahooka was found items
that did not cost tons of money.
This is also how Trader Vic's did his first place hinky Dinks as they had sleds and tricycles
hanging in there.
This is the best I can tell ya, if it's round and the price is right, buy it and tie it.
Good Luck.
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TIKISKIP lights worldwide, "over 200 made" next one to you.
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forgotten tikiman
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 18, 2011
Posts: 370
From: Forgotten Tiki Room. Pismo Beach, CA
| Posted: 2013-03-03 8:57 pm Permalink
Yep! TIKISKIP is right. You just have to look around. Or you just have to bite the bullet and spend some cash. But glass globes are around. Just keep searching. 
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Stay Tiki and Aloha!!!
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tikilongbeach
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Aug 05, 2011
Posts: 736
From: LBC via DFW
| Posted: 2013-03-03 9:08 pm Permalink
Home by the Seashore in Seal Beach, CA had the netted basketball sized fish floats for $45-$50 a piece. That's the best price I've seen.
They sell mini float light strings on Amazon with white or natural colored string. They're plastic.
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-Lori
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Hale Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 19, 2004
Posts: 1594
From: Pittsburgh
| Posted: 2013-03-04 09:41 am Permalink
TJ Maxx and Marshalls have had cheap floats, and round vases, on sale from $4-$25 for the last year. I've bought a LOT of them. The floats are really thin, the vases are thick, that's the only caveat.
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Miss Hell
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 02, 2012
Posts: 69 | Posted: 2013-03-05 6:22 pm Permalink
Check the antique mall in OB. They sell glass floats down there.
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hang10tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 18, 2010
Posts: 2059
From: Las Vegas
| Posted: 2013-03-05 6:51 pm Permalink
ocean gifts and shells in OB, then hit the Bali hai for a Mai-tai
Jon
[ This Message was edited by: hang10tiki 2013-03-05 18:55 ]
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hellbilly1932
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 20, 2009
Posts: 42
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2013-03-05 7:13 pm Permalink
Thank you all for the tips. Believe me I am always looking!
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TikiVato
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 03, 2009
Posts: 270
From: Whittier, CA
| Posted: 2013-03-05 7:45 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2013-03-03 21:08, tikilongbeach wrote:
Home by the Seashore in Seal Beach, CA had the netted basketball sized fish floats for $45-$50 a piece. That's the best price I've seen.
They sell mini float light strings on Amazon with white or natural colored string. They're plastic.
You should make it to the International Tiki Market Place for better deals on all things including the netted basketball sized fish floats. I sell mine for $40.00. The next ITMP is April 6th.
At the last ITMP, there were several people that made the road trip from San Diego.
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Mahalo,
TikiVato
[ This Message was edited by: TikiVato 2013-03-05 19:49 ]
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partypanzer
Member
Joined: Mar 23, 2013
Posts: 3 | Posted: 2013-03-23 2:04 pm Permalink
I had the same problem a while back, my solution was clear glass bathroom vanity globes.
i know alot to describe a light fixture.
They may be a little small 6 1/2 inches wide, but they already come with a hole to place a light,
just have to face it to the back.
Also clear is kinda boring,so since i work in the paint biz, i have figured out a way to tint them.
"Water-base polyurethane", with universal colorant added in (not paint)
so what i did was use the water based colorant which is the same stuff they use to tint house paint,
add a couple of drops of green and blue to the polyurethane in a paper cup, mix it together and pour into globe.
i added a little water to it to let it flow a little easier.
swirl it around it will look very solid while wet but will dry semi transparent, let stand over a tray allowing the excess polyurethane to slowly drain out.
let dry, then hang with some netting or try to tie it up like a fish float
[ This Message was edited by: partypanzer 2013-03-23 14:07 ]
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LoriLovesTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 03, 2011
Posts: 508
From: NJ
| Posted: 2013-03-23 7:22 pm Permalink
Party-
Would this work on acrylic globes? I have 2 that I can't return that I'd like to repurpose.
TIA
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:-)
Lori
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Atomic Tiki Punk
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 19, 2009
Posts: 4206
From: Costa Misery
| Posted: 2013-03-23 7:33 pm Permalink
If you have any Nautical Decor stores in your area (usually around the beach areas)
a good source for glass floats both new & old.
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partypanzer
Member
Joined: Mar 23, 2013
Posts: 3 | Posted: 2013-03-24 2:47 pm Permalink
i bought larger acrylic outdoor lamp globes online, and the polyurethane stuck to it just fine.
only bad thing was they are really light, so its hard to tie them up like you would a glass float.
I'm still working on getting a porcupine fish light into one.
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nui 'umi 'umi
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 21, 2011
Posts: 390
From: La Mirada Atoll
| Posted: 2013-03-24 6:25 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2013-03-24 14:47, partypanzer wrote:
i bought larger acrylic outdoor lamp globes online, and the polyurethane stuck to it just fine.
only bad thing was they are really light, so its hard to tie them up like you would a glass float.
I'm still working on getting a porcupine fish light into one.
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If the hole is big enough, drop a baggy or two of sand or a bog of rice in the globe.
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LoriLovesTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 03, 2011
Posts: 508
From: NJ
| Posted: 2013-03-25 3:33 pm Permalink
Thanks Partypanzer!
Can I buy the colorant from Lowes, HD or a paint store?
TIA,
Lori
PS: Those big plastic outdoor globes are exactly what I have. I just need to figure out the type of rope I need to buy to make them into fake fishing floats! There's a lot available on eBay but I'm confused.
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