Making float lights, any advise

Anyone have a good source for the glass globes? I want to make some float lights for my tiki bar and would rather not have to spend a fortune for vintage glass.

The best way to find a good glass globe to tie is to look
for a rattan hat.
I say this because when you look for a certin thing (glass globe)you will
most likely find some other thing. (rattan hat)
So why fight it, just go beachcombing in the modern beach of today that
is ebay, flea markets, thrift stores,antique shops/ shows ECT....
I look for stuff ALL the time, it takes time to find this stuff.
There is no glass globe outlet I know of AND if there was one they would
not be cheap.
So I say go and find what you find where you find it and build with the things
that you are lucky enough to find at a low cost.
Now you may find a hat that it could take you years to find a matching bottom to,
but this is how I go about making lights.
Look at the Bahooka photos here on TC, LOTS of the things in Bahooka are not tiki.
But put together the place looks great!
I would guess at the time Bahooka was built the stuff they put in Bahooka was found items
that did not cost tons of money.
This is also how Trader Vic's did his first place hinky Dinks as they had sleds and tricycles
hanging in there.
This is the best I can tell ya, if it's round and the price is right, buy it and tie it.
Good Luck.

TIKISKIP lights worldwide, "over 200 made" next one to you.

Yep! TIKISKIP is right. You just have to look around. Or you just have to bite the bullet and spend some cash. But glass globes are around. Just keep searching. :)

Home by the Seashore in Seal Beach, CA had the netted basketball sized fish floats for $45-$50 a piece. That's the best price I've seen.

They sell mini float light strings on Amazon with white or natural colored string. They're plastic.

TJ Maxx and Marshalls have had cheap floats, and round vases, on sale from $4-$25 for the last year. I've bought a LOT of them. The floats are really thin, the vases are thick, that's the only caveat.

Check the antique mall in OB. They sell glass floats down there.

ocean gifts and shells in OB, then hit the Bali hai for a Mai-tai

Jon

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2013-03-05 18:55 ]

Thank you all for the tips. Believe me I am always looking! :)

On 2013-03-03 21:08, tikilongbeach wrote:
Home by the Seashore in Seal Beach, CA had the netted basketball sized fish floats for $45-$50 a piece. That's the best price I've seen.

They sell mini float light strings on Amazon with white or natural colored string. They're plastic.

You should make it to the International Tiki Market Place for better deals on all things including the netted basketball sized fish floats. I sell mine for $40.00. The next ITMP is April 6th.
At the last ITMP, there were several people that made the road trip from San Diego.

Mahalo,

TikiVato

[ Edited by: TikiVato 2013-03-05 19:49 ]

I had the same problem a while back, my solution was clear glass bathroom vanity globes.
i know alot to describe a light fixture.

They may be a little small 6 1/2 inches wide, but they already come with a hole to place a light,
just have to face it to the back.

Also clear is kinda boring,so since i work in the paint biz, i have figured out a way to tint them.
"Water-base polyurethane", with universal colorant added in (not paint)

so what i did was use the water based colorant which is the same stuff they use to tint house paint,
add a couple of drops of green and blue to the polyurethane in a paper cup, mix it together and pour into globe.
i added a little water to it to let it flow a little easier.
swirl it around it will look very solid while wet but will dry semi transparent, let stand over a tray allowing the excess polyurethane to slowly drain out.

let dry, then hang with some netting or try to tie it up like a fish float

[ Edited by: partypanzer 2013-03-23 14:07 ]

Party-

Would this work on acrylic globes? I have 2 that I can't return that I'd like to repurpose.

TIA

If you have any Nautical Decor stores in your area (usually around the beach areas)
a good source for glass floats both new & old.

i bought larger acrylic outdoor lamp globes online, and the polyurethane stuck to it just fine.

only bad thing was they are really light, so its hard to tie them up like you would a glass float.

I'm still working on getting a porcupine fish light into one.

On 2013-03-24 14:47, partypanzer wrote:
i bought larger acrylic outdoor lamp globes online, and the polyurethane stuck to it just fine.

only bad thing was they are really light, so its hard to tie them up like you would a glass float.

I'm still working on getting a porcupine fish light into one.

If the hole is big enough, drop a baggy or two of sand or a bog of rice in the globe.

Thanks Partypanzer!

Can I buy the colorant from Lowes, HD or a paint store?

TIA,
Lori

PS: Those big plastic outdoor globes are exactly what I have. I just need to figure out the type of rope I need to buy to make them into fake fishing floats! There's a lot available on eBay but I'm confused.

for the colorant i would just ask the workers in the paint area at lowes or home depot for a couple of ounces of colorant of each color you need, bring a couple of dixie cups or foam coffee cups for them to put it in.

But you have to be careful with them. colorant makes a mess and it will stain skin and clothes.

tell them its for your polyurethane and you just are gonna add it in yourself.
i give people colorant for primer all the time where i work.

I made my floats the standard sea glass blue green color.
work in small batches, i used about half a quart of poly mixed with maybe 2 oz of water.
and the colorant is very concentrated so you only need a couple of drops per batch.

also not sure about the color?
test it by brushing it out on any kinda clear plastic, like soda bottles or scrap packaging and if not dark enough you can always build up the layers. Just be sure the first coat is totally dry first.

I had to waste money on stain glass spray paint and that garbage sea glass spray paint till i figured out this method.

good luck!

A word about glass float lights. There are LED spheres you can buy like http://www.amazon.com/Lighted-Hanging-Christmas-Crystal-Decoration/dp/B005DJDA00/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1370461683&sr=8-4&keywords=led+sphere
also there is a stained glass spray paint that would work on a frosted/clear globe light.
Can anyone send a link/idea about how to get the netting for a float light I am trying to create?

First post/new member

On 2013-06-05 12:54, TIKITOMMYS wrote:
Can anyone send a link/idea about how to get the netting for a float light I am trying to create?

Those LED lights look intriguing. Please post pictures when you're done.

You should be able to tie a net yourself. Here's a fancy way that looks great and is probably beyond me: http://batjakltd.com/id82.html

However, for small spheres, you can do something much simpler.

Take four pieces of twine, tie them together at their middles, and lay the strands out like an eight-pointed star. Pair adjacent strands and tie a square knot about 1.5 inches from the center. Then, take strands from adjacent knots and tie them together. Depending on spacing, you might want a third row. Finally, stretch this knotwork around the globe, pull the strands together and finish it with an overhand knot.

I'm not sure if this picture will help or confuse, but here goes:

partypanzer -

I forgot to check this thread for a while. Thanks for the info on the colorant. I will ask at Lowes or HD. I didn't think to put it in the poly either! I obviously have a lot to learn.

Mahalo,
Lori

Can anyone send a link/idea about how to get the netting for a float light I am trying to create?

I use cotton basketball hoops for my fish float lamps. I just age the cotton by dragging them through the dirt.

Murph - Any special techniques for tying the bottom?

Murph, you're a genious! That would save me a boatload of work!!!

Just take a single piece of rope and pass it through each loop at the bottom of the net and then tie this rope into a small circle and you're done.

Wow, simple solutions to difficult problems

Basketball net? Why the hell didn't I think of that.

Simply Brilliant!

-Longboard

[ Edited by: Longboard 2013-06-07 11:37 ]