Post #736536 by tikiskip on Mon, Feb 2, 2015 8:42 PM

Thanks Trav.
It should be good as I know I have some good stuff to add.
Will take some time as I want to set up some good shots with
tripod and all that jazz.

Ok here is my first entry.

The FISH FLOAT LIGHT also known as a FLOAT LIGHT or FISHING FLOAT LIGHT.
This is one of the mainstays of the tiki bar lighting styles.
Would say that it is one of the most popular lights of the tiki bar lighting
Styles.

These lights are often made of what some call decorator glass or even plastic globes,
Although some do not like the plastic globe if you look at many of the old
Float lights in places like Trader Vic’s and Kahiki the globes are plastic not glass.

Quote Sven:
3/6/2015
"Now about those floats: Folks erroneously believe that glass floats are it, but back in the day, RESIN and fiberglass floats were the more common ceiling decor in Tiki restaurants - and you cannot get THOSE today anywhere, while glass ones are common again."

They come in many different sizes and colors.

It is rare to find a real glass Float that has a hole in it as it is very hard to get a hole in
A real glass float.

There are some newer versions that are glass globes out of Mexico that are basically
Mexican decorator glass and would be too thin to stand the beating the Ocean would
Give a globe like these.

BUT in the end if you can take whatever globe you have and make in work in your
Float light this is all that matters, and this was the way the people who built
The tiki bar of old looked at it.

Will add more photos of this style as I take more.

This raggedy version of a Float light came form the Kahiki.
I think the net on this one may be a Nerf basketball net.
Back then they used what they had.

Here are some float lights in a home bar here in Ohio Blake's Bahooka.
I think two are plastic and one is glass can you tell which ones are plastic?
These are lights I made for Blake and I don't even remember.

Here is the grand daddy of all fish float lights.
The PUFFER FISH IN A FISH FLOAT light, Or BLOW FISH IN A FISH FLOAT light.
You can see these at Oceanic Arts but don't think they will sell em as they are rare.
People do make new ones but the blow fish in those fit through the top hole.
On the old ones the fish will not fit through the top hole AND the ones I have seen have been
what looks like real old floats with very thick glass.
They must have stuffed the fish in the light and let it dry out then made light.
This one from Tikiskips collection is from the Kahiki.

"Roses are red, these floats are blue, Send me some money and they belong to you"..."TIKISKIP"

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2015-02-04 11:01 ]

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2015-03-06 14:20 ]