New member, new build and new to Tiki - Home Tiki Bars

D dtel Member South Mississippi Joined: Sep 06, 2013 Posts: 117	D dtel Posted posted on Wed, Jun 4, 2014 11:02 AM I read about it here on TC but did it a little different. I didn't like the idea of using a razor knife to make the joints so I did it on a table saw. I set the blade where it just made a tiny cut probably only 1/3 through the thickness of the pipe at most. It mad it a little faster. I burned the joints with the torch as everyone else did but also burned a little in between joints to add more marks to try to make it look more real. If you look back at the pic's the bar it has these marks but the stand for the sink does not, I wanted it a little different, the bar is 2" the sink is 1 1/2". After burning I sanded the whole pipe with #60 sand paper which roughed up the whole thing and made the joints look like that. I just then wiped off the powder from sanding with a damp rag and let it dry a little. Like everyone I used amber shellac, one coat and another after that dried, 2 coats got about the color I wanted. Both the bar and the sink is pipe cut in half on the table saw. (after burning but before the shellac) Being cut in half it went twice as far and looks fine since you couldn't see the other half anyway. With the amber shellac just brush it on fast and keep moving it dries really fast and don't go back over it or it will make drag marks, I just left the drips and all, in the end you don't notice any of it and it gives the perfect color. imo I did use a piece of 2" not cut to hold the metal 3' overhang on the back of the bar and it's plenty strong enough for it and looks better than wood for that. I think one of the pic's shows that behind the bar. Since then I used a 3/4" piece in two places to run wires in for lights, speakerwires and the ceiling fans, this way the wires are hidden and it looks like bamboo. One it the amber color and another in a different place for the fans is green paint also with the burned joints. I also did short pieces to cover the extension poles holding the fans just for looks. I don't think there is a faster way to make the bamboo that I know of, the saw helped. if you don't have a table saw just try anything that can make a good scar around the pipe. Whatever you do, DO NOT breath any fumes when your burning the pipe it's really bad as you will find out! The sign in the pic was a present from my niece from there trip to St Thomas.

I read about it here on TC but did it a little different.

I didn't like the idea of using a razor knife to make the joints so I did it on a table saw. I set the blade where it just made a tiny cut probably only 1/3 through the thickness of the pipe at most. It mad it a little faster.

I burned the joints with the torch as everyone else did but also burned a little in between joints to add more marks to try to make it look more real. If you look back at the pic's the bar it has these marks but the stand for the sink does not, I wanted it a little different, the bar is 2" the sink is 1 1/2".

After burning I sanded the whole pipe with #60 sand paper which roughed up the whole thing and made the joints look like that. I just then wiped off the powder from sanding with a damp rag and let it dry a little. Like everyone I used amber shellac, one coat and another after that dried, 2 coats got about the color I wanted.

Both the bar and the sink is pipe cut in half on the table saw. (after burning but before the shellac) Being cut in half it went twice as far and looks fine since you couldn't see the other half anyway.
With the amber shellac just brush it on fast and keep moving it dries really fast and don't go back over it or it will make drag marks, I just left the drips and all, in the end you don't notice any of it and it gives the perfect color. imo

I did use a piece of 2" not cut to hold the metal 3' overhang on the back of the bar and it's plenty strong enough for it and looks better than wood for that. I think one of the pic's shows that behind the bar.

Since then I used a 3/4" piece in two places to run wires in for lights, speakerwires and the ceiling fans, this way the wires are hidden and it looks like bamboo. One it the amber color and another in a different place for the fans is green paint also with the burned joints. I also did short pieces to cover the extension poles holding the fans just for looks.

I don't think there is a faster way to make the bamboo that I know of, the saw helped. if you don't have a table saw just try anything that can make a good scar around the pipe.

Whatever you do, DO NOT breath any fumes when your burning the pipe it's really bad as you will find out!

The sign in the pic was a present from my niece from there trip to St Thomas.

Post #719222 by dtel on Wed, Jun 4, 2014 11:02 AM