Tikiskip's / Kahiki lamp,Tiki bar lights, fishing float light

PROVE IT....

I'll bite! Tell us your secret, tikiskip! PLEEEEEAZE?

Tiki Tim it was great to meet you!
Your photos are the best!!
Thank you for sharing them.
I think I am working on the light you said you wanted now.(green)
Will send photos.

And to the rest of you thank you for your response.
Going to work on that how to this week and try to
get it up soon. Ha! more sex talk!

"I want to know how to make the rattan chain"

Ok here we go....
If you have questions ask em when they come to mind.

The first thing you will need is the Franks Cane and rush supply catalogue.

Now that you have this turn to page 15 and place an order for #4 round reed.
This will cost $8.00 plus shipping, it comes in one pound hanks, or coils.

Reed is rattan.
This reed has no skin, The reed with skin is called Kooboo.
See pg 28.
Reed with skin on can be bent as well, it is a little harder that is all.
I would not use Kooboo rattan for making this chain.

I'll wait while you get that.

AH HA!
Now we know all the secrets to your ....
ugh, wait sorry jumped the gun on that,go on ...
lol

Got it.

Tease! Please, go on....

But I want a Golden Goose nooowww daddy!!!

Sorry, moving on.

Before we do move on this chain is decorative only.
Do not try to hang anything heavy from this chain.
If you want to hang a light from this chain use piano wire
in the center of this chain for support.

Ok now we cut the rattan in 18 inch lenghts.

Then you soak the chain in hot water for one hour.
In this hot water you put some dish soap.
Say one tablespoon to one gallon.
The ancient Hawaiians used joy dish soap.
This soap is a wetting agent.
It does two things, make the rattan dry slower so you can work with it longer.
And it makes the rattan slide when you tie it.

The next step is to tie the rattan.

As you can see this is a 1.5 inch by 1 inch chain link.
Now just keep wraping till you have three total wraps all around.

Take a twist tie or whatever and crush the loop to form chain.

Now take the loose parts if there are any and tie em up.
get this chain all tight and tucked in.

Give the whole thing a twist.
Just use your hands it will kind of stay the way you twist it.
Do this while the rattan is still wet.

This is an INCREDIBLE tutorial, tikiskip. Thanks so much for making it so transparent with the pics!

Anxiously awaiting the next lesson...

(Miss Salt)

You threw me for a loop with that "soap in the water" trick. Cool deal!

Ha! Ha! thanks Veruca!!
And thank you for taking my joke in the good hearted manner
of its intent.

A few notes on what we just did.
do not soak the rattan too long or it
will turn a grey color when dry.
BUT if you have a larger piece of rattan you must
soak it longer, also if the skin is on it will need
even more time to soak.
I soak kooboo rattan in my hot tub over night. Works great!
If you bend rattan too much even if it is soaked it can break.
I have also heard that old rattan does not bend as well.
Rattan has nodes you just cant see them as clearly as in bamboo.
Once dry rattan keeps most of the shape you put it in.
So cool!
Rattan was just made for building stuff.

On with the pics.

Next I have dyed the rattan to help you see better.
take the first link and tie rattan around it like so.

Keep looping the rattan around itself but also through
the other link.

Keep on looping till you have the three wraps you need.

Now crush it, tie it, and tuck in loose pieces.
Just like before. Dont forget the twist at the end.

When you get going your chain will start to form
and will look like this.

Take off all ties.

With your side cuts cut extra rattan.
do this at an angle and in a place on
the link that wont be seen and is tucked in well.

Remember dont cut away your three wraps.
this is why you want to tuck in the rattan and go
over a bit on your three wraps. cuz you are going to come
back and cut it.
It will now look like this.

This is the home stretch.

Skip I messed up I made one ring that is just a little
bit bigger than the others!

Just cut it out.
then tie both ends back together with more rattan.
You need to take care and make sure that each one of your
links are almost the same.
This is the difference between thats nice, and WOW! you made that!

Now is time to flame it.
Get a torch and lightly burn it here and there.
I like the torch on the far left best. (Bernzomatic)

See in that last photo after I put the fire to it the
rattan kinda got outa place, it will expand somtimes.
You can cut it out or cut it back whatever will look best.

Next is time to shellac, just make sure to get in the grooves.
The shellac does many things first it makes it look old and cool,
it also seals it keeping out water and other smells, must, mold.
The shellac will act as a glue of sorts as well.

Well thats about it.
Hope you had fun, or are about to have fun making rattan chain.
Rattan is sooo cheap! Once you start working with it the things you
can do are endless.
Going to try and see how much chain I can get outa a one pound hank.
Will post pics.
I would like some of you to post photos of the chain you
make here.
Would love to see your work!

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2010-02-12 14:03 ]

REMEMBER...this chain is decorative only.
Do not try to hang anything heavy from this chain.
If you want to hang a light from this chain use piano wire
in the center of this chain for support.

Cool tutorial skip! Next time I'm at Frank's, I've got to pick up some hanks of rattan. I noticed you use smaller torches for the most part. Have you ever tried the bigger standard Bernzomatic propane torch that you would get from the hardware store? I use those and the Bernzomatic MAPP gas torches (the gas seems to last forever in both), but I was wondering if maybe you have had any problems with one. I could definitely see burning the hell out of intricate work on accident...especially with MAPP gas.

Hey kruzer,
I have used the lager torches before.
The problem with those is they have too large of a flame.
These torches have a small flame you can direct better.

Wow! The rattan chain is a great touch... Can't wait to see what you're holding back.

Thanks Eric,
I do want to do more how to stuff.
Am writing and doing the photos now for some.
Need to do this for myself as well, for there are a lot
of numbers and measurements for each thing on these lights.
If you have the right measurements you save a lot of money too.

Found a old package of links and was holding off till I could get that "look" that you have mastered ...
Your tips were what I was waiting for, THANK YOU !
cant wait to see more how to's

Tikiville that is great!
Glad to see somone using the info.
Was the chain one dollar?
I'll take 50.
Am trying to make all of a one pound hank now.
Want to see what the price per foot is when you make it yourself.
This would also be great as garland on your tiki Christmas tree.
Going to have a guess the number of feet contest when done.
Winner gets a light.

did you say contest!?
I'm in !
Ya , wish they had more for a dollar ,gotta love GOODWILL...they build ya up an tear ya down. lol
I'll definatly keep my eyes open for ya !

Hey John, I finally hung that last float light. It's beautiful! Thank you.

Hey Stacy thanks for sharing the photo.
Hanging out with a Kahaka light I see. Cool, Good company.
Yer going to need a Monkey Man light soon.
Thanks again!!!

Here is some small chain I made as well.
Just use smaller rattan.

Ok I have made ALL of the one pound of rattan into chain.
So Im going to have a contest.
Guess how long in feet/inches the one pound of rattan made....
There was some waste.
if there are two of the same guesses the first guess gets that number.
And if two guesses are the closest, but one is over the number,
and one is under the number, the one under the number wins.
The prize is one of my lights.
Contest ends on 3/18/10
HAPPY SPRING BREAK!!!!

So whats your best guess?

I will guess...

17' 6"

PTD

So whats your best guess?

15 feet, 8 inches

23 feet 7 inches

8'06"?

....18 feet 6 inches

16' 00"

10feet 7 inches...

16' 3"

13 feet. 2 inches

5 and 3/8th yards.

One Dollar Bob!!
Oh sorry, wrong game.

23' 10"

Aloha,
:tiki:

[ Edited by: Tiki Royale 2010-03-04 09:56 ]

12 feet

24 feet 5 inches

7' 6"

If my scientific calculations are correct Will Robinson..., the correct answer 20'and 8".....:wink:

24 feet exactly.

14 feet 7 inches?

26' 3"

Cheers,
Joe.

19' 6"

12 feet, 8 inches.