Better outdoor lighting? - Home Tiki Bars

T TorchGuy Member Renton, WA Joined: Apr 24, 2008 Posts: 242	T TorchGuy Posted posted on Sun, Oct 24, 2010 6:31 AM Agreed re: the LED bulbs at that website. You can get color-changing ones, which can be good if used in just the right spot; these are good on actively-moving water, like a down-light on a really sparkly fountain spray. The dark blue LEDs make green plants look lush and mysterious. The UV ones could be used as up-lights or down-lights on items with UV paint, and you can make glowy fountains and waterfalls, too. To get neon green, like poison, pull the ink-soaked felt cartridge out of a hi-liter marker with a screwdriver and wring it out repeatedly in a bucket of water. Beware that this will stain porous surfaces brown with time, and any water added in the future will get some dye in it. A subtler effect with less in-your-face glow is blue; buy big bottles of cheap tonic water, let 'em go flat (the bubbles will slow down a pump) and dump it in. Looks clear and ordinary by day; turn on the UV light and you get a subtle icy-blue glow. The quinine sulphate that makes tonic water "tonic" is fluorescent. Notice that the LEDs on these bulbs point outward in a circle; these are good for tier lights with illuminated casings, like Malibu path lights. If you're using mushroom-type path lights where there's a hood or pagoda roof with a white, reflective underside on top, or if you're using a spot/flood, gently bend the LEDs until they all point generally forward; leave them splayed out slightly in a narrow cone unless you really want a concentrated spot of light from a direct-aimed fixture or are trying to send a narrow wash along a surface. I find that the hood-type deck lights (semi-circular hood, surface mount) are great for mounting to flat surfaces, anywhere, as up- or down-lights. They can be painted to blend in, or can be mounted up under permanently-fixed benches or under overhangs. Don't buy 'em for $12 a pop at the hardware store; I bought a box lot BIN on eBay for cheap. http://cgi.ebay.com/20-MALIBU-ROUND-SURFACE-MOUNT-LANDSCAPE-DECK-LIGHTS-/350330646036?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5191556e14 There's 20 fixtures for $35 plus shipping; I bought one of these. They don't come with instructions, but you shouldn't need 'em. They're not individually boxed, either, each is in a bubble wrap bag with its two screws and there's a bag of bulbs. Craigslist is a good place to look for used outdoor light sets and random, interesting lights. I usually search "landscape lights" or "landscape lighting", or put "yard" or "garden" in place of "landscape". http://www.mainlandmart.com/ledmart.html This site sells a few oddball items. First, faux rocks that glow from the inside. Second, LED "stick lights" - LEDs on long black stems, that could be used to put little random sparkles in planting areas or put tiny glimmers inside or behind a big plant or in tight spots. Both, especially the first, are a bit garish for most gardens, but in a tiki space, they might have their uses in the right place. And I wouldn't be TorchGuy if I didn't mention tiki torches. Got a few of those standard bamboo or rattan ones they sell these days? Or another container that could hold the oil canisters from those? http://colorflametorch.com/service.htm Sigma Services sells these. Their order page is always broken, call 'em up to order. Yeah, they're a bit pricey and they're one-use-only. But in just the right application, for those times when you've got guests over, maybe you're about to serve the Mystery Drink. Get a bunch of these lit - if you're subtle, guests may not notice - then turn everything else way, way down, put on the mysterious music, and the mood is made! They sell red, green, blue and gold. Okay, okay... These are all new. We love vintage stuff. There's an item I want very much, but just can't spot in my budget right now. It's been on eBay for a month or so with a BIN of $99.95, it's vintage and nifty, and it really belongs in a tiki-phile's patio, especially one who likes mid-mod stuff. Feast your eyes, 'cuz you won't see one of these every day; I'll bet hundreds wore out and got tossed in the garbage: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Eames-Era-Green-Fiberglass-Yard-Lamp-Lawn-Light-/380279805057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588a715481 Beautiful and funky green fiberglass spike-mounted mushroom light. Don't put this out in the rain, and keep the wattage under 15, is my opinion. But if there's a little spot, maybe a big bowl planter full of lush greenery or a little corner with some dirt that feels a little empty, this'll draw eyes. ~ TorchGuy

Agreed re: the LED bulbs at that website. You can get color-changing ones, which can be good if used in just the right spot; these are good on actively-moving water, like a down-light on a really sparkly fountain spray. The dark blue LEDs make green plants look lush and mysterious.

The UV ones could be used as up-lights or down-lights on items with UV paint, and you can make glowy fountains and waterfalls, too. To get neon green, like poison, pull the ink-soaked felt cartridge out of a hi-liter marker with a screwdriver and wring it out repeatedly in a bucket of water. Beware that this will stain porous surfaces brown with time, and any water added in the future will get some dye in it. A subtler effect with less in-your-face glow is blue; buy big bottles of cheap tonic water, let 'em go flat (the bubbles will slow down a pump) and dump it in. Looks clear and ordinary by day; turn on the UV light and you get a subtle icy-blue glow. The quinine sulphate that makes tonic water "tonic" is fluorescent.

Notice that the LEDs on these bulbs point outward in a circle; these are good for tier lights with illuminated casings, like Malibu path lights. If you're using mushroom-type path lights where there's a hood or pagoda roof with a white, reflective underside on top, or if you're using a spot/flood, gently bend the LEDs until they all point generally forward; leave them splayed out slightly in a narrow cone unless you really want a concentrated spot of light from a direct-aimed fixture or are trying to send a narrow wash along a surface.

I find that the hood-type deck lights (semi-circular hood, surface mount) are great for mounting to flat surfaces, anywhere, as up- or down-lights. They can be painted to blend in, or can be mounted up under permanently-fixed benches or under overhangs. Don't buy 'em for $12 a pop at the hardware store; I bought a box lot BIN on eBay for cheap.
http://cgi.ebay.com/20-MALIBU-ROUND-SURFACE-MOUNT-LANDSCAPE-DECK-LIGHTS-/350330646036?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5191556e14
There's 20 fixtures for $35 plus shipping; I bought one of these. They don't come with instructions, but you shouldn't need 'em. They're not individually boxed, either, each is in a bubble wrap bag with its two screws and there's a bag of bulbs.

Craigslist is a good place to look for used outdoor light sets and random, interesting lights. I usually search "landscape lights" or "landscape lighting", or put "yard" or "garden" in place of "landscape".

http://www.mainlandmart.com/ledmart.html
This site sells a few oddball items. First, faux rocks that glow from the inside. Second, LED "stick lights" - LEDs on long black stems, that could be used to put little random sparkles in planting areas or put tiny glimmers inside or behind a big plant or in tight spots. Both, especially the first, are a bit garish for most gardens, but in a tiki space, they might have their uses in the right place.

And I wouldn't be TorchGuy if I didn't mention tiki torches. Got a few of those standard bamboo or rattan ones they sell these days? Or another container that could hold the oil canisters from those?
http://colorflametorch.com/service.htm
Sigma Services sells these. Their order page is always broken, call 'em up to order. Yeah, they're a bit pricey and they're one-use-only. But in just the right application, for those times when you've got guests over, maybe you're about to serve the Mystery Drink. Get a bunch of these lit - if you're subtle, guests may not notice - then turn everything else way, way down, put on the mysterious music, and the mood is made! They sell red, green, blue and gold.

Okay, okay... These are all new. We love vintage stuff. There's an item I want very much, but just can't spot in my budget right now. It's been on eBay for a month or so with a BIN of $99.95, it's vintage and nifty, and it really belongs in a tiki-phile's patio, especially one who likes mid-mod stuff. Feast your eyes, 'cuz you won't see one of these every day; I'll bet hundreds wore out and got tossed in the garbage:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Eames-Era-Green-Fiberglass-Yard-Lamp-Lawn-Light-/380279805057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588a715481
Beautiful and funky green fiberglass spike-mounted mushroom light. Don't put this out in the rain, and keep the wattage under 15, is my opinion. But if there's a little spot, maybe a big bowl planter full of lush greenery or a little corner with some dirt that feels a little empty, this'll draw eyes.

~ TorchGuy

Post #561310 by TorchGuy on Sun, Oct 24, 2010 6:31 AM