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Tiki Central / Other Crafts

TikiVato's Plastic Float lamps and other projects

Pages: 1 27 replies

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TikiVato posted on 12/18/2013

Here's how I converted plastic Christmas ornaments into float lamps:
Drilled a hole using an one inch drill bit

Using a jig saw, I cut a circular hole large enough to insert a regular sized 25 watt colored light bulb.


Wrap fish net around globe and tie at top. (I used 1/4 rope that I had on hand)
Insert light source.


Mahalo,

TikiVato

[ Edited by: TikiVato 2014-02-01 14:42 ]

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tikiskip posted on 12/18/2013

Looks good!
BUT....
I got two words for you, Hole saw.
If you go slow it will cut nicely.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-18-Piece-Bi-Metal-Hole-Saw-Kit-3-4-Inch-to-3-1-4-Inch-Saws-/251404318966?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a88dd78f6


º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ºº¤ø,¸¸,:MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TIKISKIP!!:º¤ø,¸¸ø¤ºº¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º


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TikiVato posted on 12/18/2013

On 2013-12-17 17:04, tikiskip wrote:
Looks good!
BUT....
I got two words for you, Hole saw.
If you go slow it will cut nicely.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-18-Piece-Bi-Metal-Hole-Saw-Kit-3-4-Inch-to-3-1-4-Inch-Saws-/251404318966?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a88dd78f6


º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ºº¤ø,¸¸,:MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TIKISKIP!!:º¤ø,¸¸ø¤ºº¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º


I will try it. The ones I had at home we're too small to fit a bulb through. will buy a large one tomorrow.

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TikiAno posted on 12/18/2013

Great idea (and I already have a hole saw kit)!

:wink:

Do you need to drill another hole for heat to escape at all (w/ it being plastic)?

[ Edited by: TikiAno 2013-12-18 08:59 ]

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MadDogMike posted on 12/18/2013

:music: "Hey Baby que paso? Thought you were my only TikiVato" :music: :lol:

Check Harbor Freight for cheap hole saws. They won't hold up to cutting metal or even extended use on wood. But should be fine for cutting a few holes in thin plastic ornaments. High quality hole saws can be expensive.

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Sophista-tiki posted on 12/18/2013

yep, hole saw, yep harbor freight

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LoriLovesTiki posted on 12/18/2013

Now is the perfect time to find large Christmas ornaments on clearance! Great idea! I used a couple of plastic globe lights for mine with colored bulbs but the colored ornaments are a great idea. Thanks for sharing!

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tikiskip posted on 12/18/2013

"Do you need to drill another hole for heat to escape at all (w/ it being plastic)?'"

No, Go slow, then when you break through the plastic the saw will grab,
don't fight it just let off the power and kind of twist the bit around so it's hitting one side.
Then keep going slow till you cut all the way through.

I always buy good sharp tools and bits unless you are going to use it a few times and toss it.
Like glass saw bits.

But then for this light you only need a 7 watt Christmas bulb so that's a 2 inch hole.
I get larger ones (hole saw bits)though incase you need to frost the inside sometime.

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tikilongbeach posted on 12/18/2013

TikiVato,

I bought this at Target today for $12.59 and thought you might be interested.

It's an 8-inch Christmas ornament made by Philips. It has 30-twinkling LED lights inside, but when plugged in it looks like glowing lava in my opinion. It's made out of Styrofoam maybe?
They also had them in silver and gold.

There's one problem, this is what it looks like in the light! The white cord would need to painted.

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TikiVato posted on 12/18/2013

Thanks for the expert advice TS. We all appreciate your input.
TLB thanks for the infor. I will go to Target and check em out.

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TikiVato posted on 02/01/2014

I had some of these table float lamps at the last ITMP at Don's.

I got a new stock of puffers last week and decided to add them to my table lamps. Lots of work but I like the outcome.




This is my first edition, I will be making a few improvements on my next one I will be posting the Puffer Fish Float Lamp under the March 8th ITMP prior to the next event.

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LoriLovesTiki posted on 02/02/2014

Joe -

That puffer in float lamp is AMAZING!!!!! Very, very nice!

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TikiVato posted on 02/02/2014

Thanks Lori, my hands are full of pin holes so i'm not sure when I will do some more. I learned a lot and hope my second attempt at this won't be as painful.

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LoriLovesTiki posted on 02/02/2014

You need some special gloves for handling something with so many spines!

BS
BIG SMOOTH posted on 02/02/2014

Hi how did you manage to get the puffers in the float?

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tikiskip posted on 02/02/2014

On 2014-02-01 23:36, BIG SMOOTH wrote:
Hi how did you manage to get the puffers in the float?

Ancient Chinese Secret
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F42fuVVL62E

Nice idea.

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spiked posted on 05/01/2014

Ditto, Skip!

On 2014-02-02 07:45, tikiskip wrote:

On 2014-02-01 23:36, BIG SMOOTH wrote:
Hi how did you manage to get the puffers in the float?

Ancient Chinese Secret
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F42fuVVL62E

Nice idea.

T
TikiVato posted on 05/24/2014

I picked up this steel sculptured puffer fish in Baja. I came home and mounted it with to a base and added light to it.

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hang10tiki posted on 05/24/2014

Way kool vato

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danlovestikis posted on 05/24/2014

That's really special. Wendy

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TikiVato posted on 11/01/2015

I made some more of the plastic float pendant lamps using Skip's tips. They were much easier to make.

I made these lamp shades from fabric that I purchased from the garment district. I then made them into pendant lamps.



Purchased some Witco Style frames from a friend. I put puffer fish in them.

I ran out of stock of the puffer fish needed for the frames so I cut a hole in the glass floats I have in stock. I wired them with C-7 bulbs and put them into the frames.

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TikiVato posted on 08/10/2016

Some lamps I recently made.




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hang10tiki posted on 08/10/2016

Oh danggggg
Sumbody been busy
Looking good Vato

Cheers

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tikiskip posted on 08/10/2016

Just saw this, looking good!
Want to make some of those beachcomber lights, yours look great!

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danlovestikis posted on 08/10/2016

It sure is fun to have another wonderful thread of creativity to look at, you lamp makers just rock the tiki world. Wendy

C
cy posted on 08/10/2016

Lookin' good Vato!

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TikiVato posted on 09/07/2016

Bob Fourbearz and I collaborated on a new lamp. Our version of the hurricane beachcomber lamp. It comes in a table top and swag version.

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danlovestikis posted on 09/07/2016

I enjoyed looking at all of your creations on this page. You are very creative. Wendy

Pages: 1 27 replies