Tiki the Hut - San Diego, CA

Nice job with the bartop!! I've built many a bar,and three months is a bit long for the top to dry.48 hours is usually the max and that's with using hairdryers to work out the bubbles as it sets. As others have stated, dish soap and a soft cloth is the best for keeping it clean, and turtle wax works great if any scratches develop. I love the wet sand look you achieved, never tried that one before.

Thanks for the super prompt and very helpful responses. You guys rock!

I used a blowtorch to get the bubbles out. I still have a few bubbles and one fruit fly in mine. But the bubbles don't look bad since I was going for an underwater look. But I feel like the torch did a great job of getting them out. I had draped a bed sheet over it to keep debris from falling into it.

Also, I was originally going to put some match books in as well! But the paper seemed like it was getting ruined and they looked strange since I chopped off the match heads. Don't want any bombs in my bartop. So I stuck with more solid objects.

I will go and get the best wax or buffing compound and apply that.

Ok, I am on to the next part of the bar. Does anyone know the best glue that will stick to this epoxy? I am trying to glue rope onto it. I will put some finishing nails in too, just for good measure. Thanks!

I started to get some more weapons to put up. I had the Harpoon and I wanted some other unique items. I got these paddles at the Hilo farmers market. I had to make a special trip to get them, not all the way to Hawaii just for these, but I had to get a friend to drive me down early Saturday morning before the bike race. I think that they look really cool. I like to secure any weapons so that people cannot "play with them." They can get dangerous when drinking.

Found these swordfish bill swords. Kinda touristy with their carvings, but they seem very unique and are said to be from Tonga. I thought that they would make a good decoration.

Started to do some router carving. I read up on all of the threads that I could, and hopefully I am doing it decently. I thought that I had step by step pictures, but I guess not. So I'll show you progression pictures as I do the other two boards.

I just got 2 boards 5 1/2 wide by 96 long. I don't know what kind of wood, just cheap stuff from home depot. I decided I wanted them to look square, so I did my design 5.5x5.5. So first I measured out every 5.5 inches and marked it with a pen. Then I went back with a ruler/level and marked my designs in sharpie. I am not very artistic, so I decided on this pretty common pattern. I drew out 4 different ones, but this one was the best look for what I was going for.

Then I routered them and burnt them really well. Then I steel brushed them and burnt them again and brushed them again. Then I stained them with the darkest stain that I could find.

Then I hung them up as the trim on my upper wall. Emily said it looked unfinished, so I took her advice and made it look a little more tiki.

I should attend a carving day when there is one, to learn more tricks! What do you think?

Nice to meet you guys at Don's on Saturday!

You too! I am sure that we will see you soon.

Made some frames for my Doug Horne art! Just burnt the bamboo and cut it to size, cut the matting amd glued it together.

I think it is a nice touch.

Got this cool cannibal from LakeSurfer at the International Tiki Marketplace. It is really cool!

Started to finish my bar top. Attached rope to the front and sides. Got the large rope at Oceanic Arts. Nailed it in and then I used Gorilla Glue to secure it. It seems to be pretty well attached.

I have been doing so many things that I am having trouble keeping up with taking pictures of everything new. Almost ready but never finished!

[ Edited by: lunavideogames 2013-04-29 17:49 ]

I made a menu up too. Just have to print it and laminate it.

I am going to print it on tan paper so that it is not all white.
(sorry for the swear but censoring a quote doesn't work...)

I think it is cool for a first menu attempt. I will want to get more artsy with it later, but for now it will do fine. Wasn't able to fit all of my drinks yet, but those are also works in progress. It seems like I have a good variety of choices on the menu.

We are not really charging, but if we were, this is what you would pay... :)

[ Edited by: lunavideogames 2013-04-30 11:19 ]

"My mugs. I want to tiki this display case up a bit, but it doesn't look too bad when it is dark.
Kiwi Steve - that is the blue Tiki Ti mug up there. Sorry, I can't part with it, but since you live in SD, you should come by for a visit and a Mai Tai!"

Ha! I just saw this after many, many months... I'm going to PM you...

I'll take a Gilligan

Lookin good

Jon

I would like to order, at the same time, a Professor and Maryanne. Or if I may be so bold, Professor and the rest.

Tiki the Hut is looking great. Love the resin bar top, killer job.

Thanks TikiAno! We are having a grand opening next Saturday. You should come if you can make it. Details are on the Cali events page.

There are so many cool places to go on TC that until today I'd missed your thread. It was so fun to meet you at Don the Beachcombers and then to find your thread. I've looked at every page and enjoyed every step. You've made a tiki paradise. I like the lawn flooring. Well I like it all. The Moai hillside is terrific. I hope we run into you at one of the summer events. Cheers, Wendy

Thank a lot Wendy. I am glad you like it. MaddogMike actually gave us your idea early on and we even went to Michaels today to get some vines. Thanks for the great idea! The fake vines are great to cover up things and they add great accents to empty areas.

More pictures coming soon but I haven't had time to upload them yet. Even though we are having the grand opening, I still have lots of projects to go. Like everyone says, it's never really finished.

(side comment) Wayfarer...love your logo!!!!

The menu is inspiring, I am going to make one for my lounge. Keep us posted on your project...it is great looking!!!

Place looks great.

Thanks for looking Grog. We are getting a LOT of use out of your shot glasses. Everyone loves them! Thank you.

The Hut really looks fantastic.

(I hate this thread.)

Someday, I will have my own room.

Thanks for the invite! Would love to swing by, unfortunately have to work that day AND night. Look forward to seeing more updates as they happen- and congrats on creating an awesome bar.

David/ Tiki Ano

Thanks guys. Got some more updates. I needed a bit more light behind the bar. I purchased a sailboat steering wheel and ran a light through the middle. I used some chain to hang it.

I thought it could use some shade. I wanted to go to Tikiland and get some cool stuff to make it out of, but Cobain was too busy making money that day. So I had to go to Joanne and I found some nautical fabric. I went to the dollar store and got a candle holder and made it into the shade.

I just glued it onto the wire frame. It is not what I had in mind but it will do for the time being.

This is what my bar area is looking like these days.

So I haven't posted many improvement pictures since the opening. I have still been working on it, but not as much lately. But I am still grabbing more cool items at the Tiki Marketplace. I am glad to have that going on near me!!!

My cannibals. By LakeSurfer. They are great and the only other place that has a complete set is Hale Pele. Theirs are larger I am told, but I haven't seen them in person yet.

Bay Park Buzzy was kind enough to gift these to me for my bar! He is great! He was going to make it to my grand opening but couldn't. All the people I meet here are really nice and do make you feel like Ohana.

I am taking a break from big projects for the summer, I just have too much going on. I will try to get some full bar pictures from a decent camera up soon though.

The new additions look great.

Cheers!

I agree....great additions!!!

love the menu idea, as well as your wall of pointy weapons too, god I love it all!!!!!!!!!

First of all: I LOVE the name of your bar!
Second: it looks great! Lots of cool little touches here and there!

Awesome
Love the new lake and buzz items
Lookin good

Jon

It has been a while since I have posted an update. Since the SD Home Crawl will be coming to my house, I though I might post some new pics to build the excitement.

Over the last couple months there have been some big changes at Tiki the Hut. Me and my friend Kelly replaced my big, bulky, old, crappy eye sore of a water heater to a tankless. Now I have a lot more room to build new things.

This is what our wall used to look like. Lots of plumbing that does nothing and a huge water heater in the middle of my tiki bar.

First we tore out the plumbing and the water heater.


Our new water heater. It takes up a lot less space. I will build a cabinet around it to blend it in more, whenever I have time to do that.

So fast forward to the finish. I want to make a custom display case for all my mugs along this wall, but with people coming over I just threw it back together this way. It looks a lot nicer without the water heater. I still have some more projects to accomplish, hopefully I can get them done by the summer.

I won some $$$ at the Super Bowl, so I decided to buy this tiki! He is named Double Moai, created by Leroy Schmaltz at Oceanic Arts. A very nice piece for my tiki bar!

Also grabbed a barrel. I find that the more places to set your drink down the better...

This came in the mail too. From the enchanted tropical land of Victoria, Canada. Made by master router carver Dagg, our new Tiki the Hut sign! We finally can add a bit of credibility to our little bar! We now have a sign with our name on it! Thanks tons Dagg! You rock!!!

Also, I haven't had a chance to show off this guy! As well as helping me with the plumbing and electric, Kelly gave me this awesome ice machine! What a great guy! I am lucky to have such amazing friends. This is a good ice machine. It cranks out 30 cubes every 12 minutes. They are also clear/restaurant quality cubes. I don't know what I would do without this ice maker.

wow, never thought about getting an ice maker!!! Im gonna start cruising Craigslist for an old vintage 1960s era Hotel one for sure!!!! your bar is looking awesome too by the way!!!!

Treg, looks great. Look forward to (finally) seeing it in person this Saturday. Leroy's tiki looks great, maybe I should start gambling.

Ummmm.... okay maybe not.

Home ice machine a nice touch- you just have to maintain your drinking to ice cube making ratio. :) (I admit, I just grab coolers of ice from our commercial machine at work! :wink: )

[ Edited by: TikiAno 2014-03-06 08:14 ]

lookin forward to checking it out saturday.

Thanks guys. It will be fun to have everyone over and I will enjoy seeing other peoples home bars as well.

TikiAno - Sounds like a great place to get ice!

Monkeyman - I wish I could check out your pad too, but we are first in the schedule and are frantically getting prepared.

Grabbed some of the decor from Bahooka. Got a parrot, float light and a barrel lamp. I like the blue color light, but I can change it to any color. I put a color changing led bulb in the barrel lamp. It is nice that I can change it to normal white and adjust the brightness for playing dominos.

The new Tiki the Hut sign has found his permanent spot. Looks cool!

Hid my washer/dryer a bit. Hopefully we can make then blend even more in the future.

Here are some pictures with the lights. Sorry it took so long for the whole package pictures, but I wanted to take them on a better camera than the one on my phone.

[ Edited by: lunavideogames 2014-03-07 01:29 ]

Looking good- and let me know if you need me to bring some ice down for you....

Great improvements. I love the washer/dryer disguising!
Ready for tomorrow!

Looking sweet!!! Glad you like the sign :)
Hope you have an awesome time tomorrow! FaceTime me if you have time/remember,make it an international tiki party :wink:

Cheers buddy
D

Awesome
Da place looks huge
Two tiki thumbs up

Jon

Looking great, the lighting is very nice. Let me know how that tankless water system works out for you, might try one in the future.

What a great room. The lighting is wonderful. Good job, Wendy