The Aumakua Hai

Aloha,

So, i've been building a tiki bar with Notch and Kahaka in my backyard here in San Jose, CA over the past months (started last summer,) so i figure i better start sharing. I'll begin last year in July.....

• First of all, i had no idea what i was going to build. All i did was carve out a 12'x24' corner of concrete patio in my backyard, and started to lay down wood and scribble drawings on paper when i had time at work. Here is the spot:

• Me and Notch brainstormed ideas on how it should look, and a lot of old tiki bars in Sven's books and on here were an inspiration. I knew i wanted A-frames. So, without any plans, i pre-fabricated the whole thing first and then took it all apart. Here are a couple pictures of the roof sections, which i figured out on the ground first. It's got two a-frames, and i wanted them to be cantilevered.

Here's the big a-frame:

Here's the small a-frame:

• While i was fabricating how the roof lines would look, Notch started carving the up posts. All wood in this bar is carved... pretty much everything. Notch did about 90% of the carvings, and i taught myself how to do it as well by copying what i saw Notch doing. I did most of the burning, and my wife and I did the staining with our own mixture of stains.

Here's some of the up posts:

• After Notch carved and we burnt, stained, I began to build:

• For flooring, i laid mahogany in a ships deck pattern. Then i started to fabricate the bar on one side. Again, had no drawings, just knew i wanted it to curve:

I'll continue to update this post as i find more pictures. BTW: This project is almost done at this point, so i've got a lot of catching up to do....

Hope you enjoy....

-scott noteboom

Serious project Scott! Nice bones! (Kinda got a sore neck with the sideways pics, but worth it.)

Rotate your pictures!

i'll be sure to rotate my pictures on next round of update. sorry, tight on time and moving too fast....

-scott noteboom

Thanks, I know if you have Notch helping this will rock!

This looks like its going to be an awesome build. Loving the A frame style and all. Looking forward to the progress :D

I'm anxious to see the progress too. Keep the pix coming!

He's definitely holdin' back... I tell you what...

[ Edited by: KAHAKA 2012-02-11 12:02 ]

• BAR: I made a custom curved shaped bar top from naturally shaped redwood slabs that i got out of the local mountains in the santa cruz mountains. It's about 4" thick and 19-24" wide. I carved the upper posts between the panels. I've added diamond shaped lit tapa panels to each section. NOTE: i still need to trim all this out with bamboo.

Notice lamp hanging in the background, made by my good pal Woody (Kahaka here on tikicentral.)

-scott noteboom

[ Edited by: notebooms 2012-02-19 18:56 ]

[ Edited by: notebooms 2012-02-19 18:56 ]

Here's some more lamps:

• the one on the far lamp was an old bamboo lamp that Notch spotted at an antique store here in San Jose. I bought it and lit it red, added fish net and rope trip to the bottom.

• the next one over is made by Roge Bodine, who has had some of his lamps posted here. I added the tapa panel on the bottom of the lamp (trimmed in bamboo) to diffuse the light better.

• next lamp is made from an old lucite-type dome that i found. turned it into a hanging lamp-- looks like a alien planet!

• next is a red fish float lamp that i built. it's hanging on the very top of the big a-frame and is visible from the next street over behind my house.

• next is an old green / hello "swag" lamp that was found on ebay.

-scott noteboom

Here's a pic of the Roge lamp close up. LIke i said above, i added the tapa panel to further diffuse light.

You can see that the ceiling of my entire bar is covered with tapa. You can also see that Notch started to trim out with some bamboo and rope up there...

-scott noteboom

Kahaka made the two lamps on the left. I turned the puffer fish into a light.

-scott noteboom

forgot to mention. I did the flooring in a ships deck style, using mahogany:

-scott noteboom

This is really going to turn out nice with some great lighting ambiance...great job!!!

• my wife did the upholstery on the rattan furniture.

• you can see an old Oceanic Arts tiki on the right that we found.

• next to the tiki is an old light that Oceanic Arts built a long time ago.

• I need to find more witco bar stools..... my wife will upholster them when i find enough.

• on the bar top is a very old canoe that i found. we've got plans for that.

• the big tiki behind the bar was carved by Richard Ellis in Malibu, circa 1960's. Im told it was part of a Beverly Hills restaurant back in the day (not originally painted, but likely painted in the 70s)

-scott noteboom

Here's some more of the bar back:

• lamp on right is Kahaka work.
• lamp on the left is old ebay find.

• like i mentioned above, big tiki is supposedly a Richard Ellis from Malibu, circa 1960s.
• tiki next to it is done by Lake Tiki
• I'm turning that WWII navy "flashlight" into a light soon.

-scott noteboom

crappy picture, but yesterday Notch and I turned my old canoe find into an outrigger, and hung it.

-scott noteboom

plan is to decorate that whole green back wall of my garage with tiki stuff. Notice the cool Bosko piece to start....

-scott noteboom

Nice looking place..

Lookin good

Really like you sense of style Scott!

thanks for the nice feedback, all. this project has definately been a team approach to get it as far as it is. as far as style, Notch had the greatest influence in this project. Both him and Kahaka did alot, and also insprired me in everything i did in building this. Ive got good pals, and im greatful. More to come....

Mahalo,

-scott noteboom

That really is amazing. Love all the lamps, and the tapa on the ceiling. And the 'carved' posts look fantastic.
Thanks for sharing this. I reckon you'll be spending a lot of time in that bar.

Really impressive attention to detail - you've got a great vibe going with your place!

Looking great! Love the lamps.

Love this build! Any chance of some more pics of the large A-frame all completed? I'm looking to build a similar A frame hut in the backyard.

Top job and some sweet lamps and tikis to boot.

Good stuff
Me like, a lot

I'm with everyone else Scott! Great place!

Chris

The depth and look of those posts - incredible.

Lots of history and just a great authentic look.

Great job.

Very nice! It's coming along nicely.

There's all kinds of new additions. Like mind blowing. Just wait to you see the pitchas. Sure there's plenty of home bars/backyard paradises I haven't been to, but this one is the finest I've seen with my own eyes. With Notch's work and Scott's keen eye for detail, you've got something here worthy of a magazine. Fast forward to warmer weather so we's SJ types can hang out already!

looks really great!!

Any updates on this build?

Agreed with above poster saying we'd like more pictures of the overall structure. If you get time to edit the pics in your first post, that would be great.

Also, I'm taking a great interest in this build as I grew up on Aumakua Street, Pearl City!

[ Edited by: W8N2Surf 2016-09-10 13:37 ]