Post #81109 by Bwana Tiki on Tue, Mar 16, 2004 12:00 AM

TCers
The thought of how to design the high peak roof is a major concern. I am set on a high peaked roof twice as wide as the trailer. When unfolded it would provide a roof for the lanai which would utilize the ground as a plain for 2 tables and eight chairs along with 2 tall counters and 4 tall stools. Support poles, and faux tapa cloth ½ walls would define this space and direct guest through central opening bisecting the lanai towards the bar proper. This axis runs through the side of the trailer and the door is already on this axis. The tall counters would face toward the interior of the trailer and are on either side of a 1/3 door leading to the interior floor one step up, (the tall bar stools will be outside on either side of the door with their respective counters). When traveling the bar proper resides in the center of the main room. When set up the bar and bar back slides out on rails like modern RVs, it’s like a big drawer and you sit it on jackstands at the floppy end. This frees up the main floor in front of the bar. To either side, (that would be the front and back of the trailer, remember we came in through the side from the lanai) are slide outs that were the beds. They run the entire width of the trailer. With slide out foot wells they could be turned into booths for four to six, plus you would be sitting up high, almost eye level with people standing on the main floor. By the way all the tent canvas will be gone. The roof covers this entire set up and is mounted onto a hard flat roof that is part of the “works” of the trailer, the whole thing cranks up to height. So the whole thing needs to fold in on itself to travel. To make it even worse is the form I want from the roof. Nothing short of a soaring peak will do. It should scream TIKI BAR from a quarter mile out. As if that’s not bad enough I need to see something that is passing for thatch but can take all the folding better. The whole thing needs to be light and flexible as all get out. Some bamboo struts and support poles can thread in during set up but I need to keep bamboo “aloft” to a minimum. Then I’ll need a good canvas to tarp the roof down and out of the wind for travel mode, furniture travels on racks under canvas covers on top of the roof. Of course I left room for lots of golf cart batteries, propane, Ice, fridges, blenders, stereos, and RUM… plenty of space for rum. In fact I think I’ll skip the keg to make more room for rum. I may resort to paper models for the roof, but still no idea what to make it from. I’m thinking of using something built on sturdy fishing net. I’ve seen that used with real thatch in beach huts in Mexico. Maybe I could get rolls of plastic taffeta skirts like table skirts or Chinese hula skirts. But its gonna be a lot of linier feet of the stuff as it is a big roof. I’m thinking so hard that smoke is coming out of my ears, If anybody has any ideas to make this thing trick, please feel free to jump in and let me know. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the creativity I’ve seen at TC is just over the top, and I’m jazzed to have tapped into it. The So Cal guys have been great fun at recent events and I’ve got a good Tiki charge going. I’m inspired to build because of the work of the many exceptional artists and while I was hoping to motivate to carve, looks like a Tiki bar rolled up on me, so I’m off on this new adventure.

ROAD TRIP!!!!!