Big Kahuna's Tiki Shack

Dude! LOVE the A-Frame. Now, get that white covered up! :D

Thanks Big Kahuna, yes, you are right, I have a lot of bamboo fencing I could tack up there. Would definitely warm up the place. My next step also is to start to make some tiki lamps to hang over the bar, much needed for light. As soon as the holidays are over.

On 2014-11-22 08:32, matt-tiki-teo wrote:
Top notch work there - love the A-frame! As for drilling a hole in your fish float, I've had good luck using a circular drill bit designed for tile work like the picture below. Just add water and go slow. I've drilled holes in 5 medium-sized floats this way and haven't lost one.

Matt, did you drill the float at any particular place? Would it be a good idea to drill out the "navel"? thanks for your help.

Thanks MaukaHale for the inspiration, after chastening by my peers for all the white in my bar, I am working on ceiling panels I can attach to the ceiling. I am planning on making them out of 1x2 frames, with 3 sections each, the 2 outer sections of bamboo and the center section of Tapa cloth. I'll border them with 1x2's that have been carved and stained dark. One for each side of the A-frame, 6' x 7'. I can't wait to start, I am in the planning stage right now and will start consturciton next weekend. For now, a Mai-Tai for inspiration and may the creativity flow...

Aloha!!! and Cheers!

Okay fellow tiki enthusiasts, I am trying to make up my mind, do I keep the aquarium and finish the stand, or sell the tank and stand and enjoy the extra space with more space for things on the wall, maybe room for my newly found chest??? I can't make up my mind and I respect all your opinions so please tell me what you think. I was going to make it a planted tank with brightly colored Discus fish. I love the aquarium part of my bar but I already have a 20 gal tall behind the bar so do I need the 90 gal on the side? Please help! Mahalo!

Keep the fish tank !!!!!

The sacred Bahooka had several fish tanks. Keep them all ! RIP Rufus!

Very nicely done. I need to build me one.

Due to popular requests, I have started to work on building ceiling panels that I will attach to the ceiling to get rid of the white, haha! It's funny how it was not apparent to me until a comment was made to get rid of the white! I am grateful to the Tiki community for the great suggestions. I am building the 2 panels on the ground and then attaching to the ceiling to make it easy to install and also to remove, we are renting and so it needs to be easy that way. thanks to MaukaHale for inspiration for this. I am building a frame of 1 x 2's, routing a design into them inspired by Oceanic Arts and then I just stained them. i will be painting the raised areas this week and then assembling them to make a frame and 3 panels inside. I will have the 2 outer panels with bamboo and the center panel with tapa cloth. I am building a total of 2 of these, 6' x 6' each, one for each side of the A-frame.

First I will have to run my wire for the tiki lamps which will soon hang down through the ceiling. I'll attach it to the ceiling and just drop a small ponytail down through. When I go to hang the lamps, I will just have to make my connections.

[ Edited by: Aloha Daddy 2015-03-09 22:03 ]

Nice carving job!

very very cool!!! bar looks mega awesome!!!!

Those posts and panels for the ceiling are awesome! Good idea too. I want to do something similar in my place, something that won't ruin the house to remove it. Looking forward to seeing this finished.

Keep up the great work...the A frame is impressive.

Mahalo everyone for the nice comments, I can't wait to finish the panels. I plan on painting the color on the tops of the carved pieces so I can then assemble the panels and attach the tapa and the bamboo. I also decided to keep the large aquarium at the side of the bar. It is a 90 gallon tank and I will be finishing he bamboo stand and top. I will have it thickly planted and have Discus fish in it. It should make a nice addition to the overall feel of the bar. So many plans and not enough time...speaking of time, I think it's time for a Mai Tai!!! I do my best creative work with the help of a Mai Tai :)

Cheers!

Nice work. Love the A-Frame. I'm flattered to have such a cool bar named after me. :wink:

I have been working on the ceiling panels, I painted the 1x2s that were routed out with the Polynesian design. I like the way they turned out. I then assembled them into an approximately 6' x 6' panel with 2 pieces inside to divide the panel into 3 sections. I then attached bamboo to the 2 outer sections and will be attaching tapa cloth to the center section as soon as I get the sheets of black foam core, I could not find ones large enough so I have to order them online. I plan on covering the whole back of the panel with foam core so that the white of the ceiling does not show through the bamboo. I am renting so I don't have the luxury of painting the ceiling black.

I have to credit Oceanic arts for the designs I routed into the 1x2', I liked them so much after seeing them on their website, they were perfect for what I wanted.

I also changed my mind about the large aquarium tank I have, after staining the stand I built, I liked it so much I kept picturing how cool a saltwater reef setup would look in there, so I decided to go with the reef. I think it will make a great addition the the Tiki Hideaway.

After all these decisions, I think it's time for a Blue Hawaii! Cheers!

[ Edited by: Aloha Daddy 2015-04-04 11:15 ]

[ Edited by: Aloha Daddy 2015-04-04 11:17 ]

Those ceiling panels are looking great. I'm anxious to see them on the ceiling. I found that you can get large panels of black foam core at artist supply stores. The one I found would even cut them to size. When I hung my tapa cloth I brought home the foam core already cut size.

Keep up the good work. You have some great ideas going into your build.

So I admit, I allowed my Saltwater Fish nerd side take over temporarily but, it does look add to the Tiki theming in my bar. After deciding to make my tank a saltwater reef tank, I made the decision to upgrade my stand and canopy. I went all out and covered the whole stand with bamboo and woven materials. I designed a canopy for the top of the tank that had to house the LED lights that needed to be at least 12" from the surface of the water. I always admired the bamboo aquariums from years back and used them as inspiration for my design.

I really like how it all turned out, I am not much of a woodworker but I really had fun with this and now that I have the stand done and the tank full of the initial live rock and water, I need to just let it age a little before adding any more animals to it. In the meantime, it's back to the Tiki Bar! I have already started putting the finishing touches on the ceiling panel on the right side. I can't wait to finish and hang it up, hopefully next weekend!

That's a fancy fish Tiki Shack!

On 2015-05-05 13:47, MaukaHale wrote:
That's a fancy fish Tiki Shack!

Thanks Mauka, even fish deserve to live in a tiki shack!

Sweet tiki fishtank! Well done!!!

I just notice that you made the roof out of bamboo shingles. I've never seen that done before. Very creative!

Thanks Lori & Mauka, it took a lot of work but I'm pleased with the result. I'm a fish geek so it was nice to find a way to marry both my passions. I'm anxious to get back to the bar as I have so many ideas for things I want to still do there. Finishing the ceiling panels is first priority, I will run wires behind them, hook them up and let pigtails poke through so as I build and buy tiki lamps I can just splice them into the wires. Really looking forward to this phase of the development of the bar, lamps have always been one of my favorite elements of a tiki bar. Mauka, I really like how you have done a lot with lighting in your bar. I look forward to your input :)

Killer work, dude!

Sweet reef! I've got a small reef as well. I'd love to have you check out my reef aquarium forum, http://www.captivereefs.com and share some more details of your setup.

EVERYTHING... Very nicely done!

Brian
http://www.EnchantedTikiLounge.com

[ Edited by: EnchantedTikiLounge 2015-05-14 11:14 ]

Finally finished one of the ceiling panels, just have to hoist it up and attach to the ceiling. I'm happy with the results, can't wait to get it up! uh, excuse me!

Also found a pretty cool volcano for my freshwater aquarium, all I need now is a tiki and it will be totally tikified!

Oh, and I also found time to make a new Navy Grog recipe in my newly acquired tiki mug! I think the drink tastes better in this mug! :wink:

All good stuff! I have a vintage rattan tank I am doing an aggressive saltwater setup in my Tiki Lounge as well. Your tank is an excellent addition!

Your tank turned out great...maybe a resin pendant Tiki could work for you.

Mahalo everyone, it's always gratifying to have your peers give such encouraging comments. I can't wait for the reef to mature so I can start to stock it with the colorful fish & corals that will make it truly a showpiece and a great, living addition to the tiki bar. I want to attach my ceiling panel to the ceiling this weekend. My next project is to fill the space between the tank and my fridge, now that there is no aquarium there, I would like to put some palms and a nice 4'-5' tall tiki in there. I want to cover the floor with black beach pebble and a bamboo edging to keep it all in. Then I want to work on another ceiling panel for the opposite side, and then lights, and then.......

That's one of the things I like most about my bar, I have plans to keep adding to it that will keep me busy for another 10+ years! This is my therapy on the weekends and I love it! And then it gives back Mai Tais and many other wonderful fun beverages that give me a warm feeling inside :)

Aloha!!

LOVE what you did with that fish tank and only wish I had the space in my lounge to rock something like that! (drools with envy)

I have been working on these ceiling panels for months now off and on and I was almost ready to mount them when I saw a photo of the new Trader Sams in Disneyworld. I saw a photo that showed an illuminated ceiling and my brain started to go crazy. So last weekend I took apart some of the work I had done previously, ordered some LED strips and went to work to re-work the panel. I built 2 boxes with 1x2s and attached them to the bamboo sections, tacked some muslin to the back of the bamboo to diffuse the light. then I attached LED strip lights to the inside of the frames.

I then ran electrical cord to the locations of future tiki lamps, this way the wire is run behind the panel so you will not be able to see the wire and it will be there when I go to mount them. All I have to do is connect to the pigtail I left and it is ready to go.

Finally the day came yesterday when I attached the panel to the ceiling above the bar on the right side of the A-frame. After connecting the electric, I am very pleased with the result. I looks like a skylight, and lends a great feel to the bar. The LEDs came with a remote control that lets me change the color of the lights easily. I need to make another panel for the left side and that will take a lot less time now that i know what I am doing. Many thanks to all who encouraged me to get something on the ceiling for getting me to do this. I love the results, I hope you do too.

Aloha All...

[ Edited by: Aloha Daddy 2015-06-21 21:43 ]

Love it, great job.

Those panels look nice on the ceiling and what a great idea using remote control lights.

Wow. I love it. What a beautiful effect.

Stop giving me ideas! My Tiki space is finished, I tell you. Finished! (Riiiiiiiight...)

It looks great; I'm a big fan of the color changing lights, and you've come up with yet another way to use them. Good job!

On 2015-06-22 10:39, MaukaHale wrote:
Those panels look nice on the ceiling and what a great idea using remote control lights.

Thanks Mauka, you inspired me with your ceiling treatments, thank you for your continued encouragement and inspiration!

Thanks everyone! You help me with your encouragement from the Tiki community! Means a lot to me! and Patrick, hahaha! That's my problem, I have so many ideas and not enough room or time ;/, thank you for the compliments!

Aloha fellow tiki bar enthusiasts, not much to report this time, I went through the bar and replaced my LED strips that run through all the shelves because the first ones were very thin and ended up ripping. So I ordered new strips that are weather proof and so are covered with a thin layer of flexible plastic which protects the strip. So I replaced all the strips and ran one in front of the fountain area that was not covered before. I also took one of the strips that was in good condition and ran it under the bar top, I had string lights before that were just clear, the new LEDs really add a lot more atmosphere.

I also bought myself a copy of the new Tiki Drinks book and am having a ball going cover to cover trying out all the recipes. Gives me a chance to get to know the neighbors better :wink:.

I am busy planning my next project, possibly for the end of summer since the garage is too hot to work in right now. I have some cool additions up my sleeve...

Aloha!

[ Edited by: Aloha Daddy 2015-07-28 22:03 ]

Just completed my first Blowfish lamp, I'm excited as I'm not sure if you can truly call it a Tiki Bar without a blowfish lamp! This will be the first of many tiki lamps I plan on creating (with the help of the Tiki central community!). Just in time for thanksgiving gatherings.

Aloha!!

I agree, tiki bars and blow fish lights belong together.

I was taking a break from construction on the Tiki Hideaway but Santa brought me a brand new set of cordless power tools!!! Can't wait to get started on the next project for my tiki bar!! Happy New Year everyone and Aloha!!!

[ Edited by: Aloha Daddy 2015-12-30 21:36 ]

I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. Happy New Year!

Your ceiling panels are a great example of the ingenuity demonstrated within this forum. What a great idea, and I love how you have separated them on each side. Nice work sir.

As we all tend to do, I have had ideas rolling around to remodel the central area of my bar, the aquarium is a classic stainless steel frame model from the 60's, it is cool but it is only 10 gallons and so it is limited as to how many fish I can house and the higher level of maintenance required. I tore out the center of the bar and started to construct a new cabinet for my aquarium paraphernalia and a new housing for a 20 gal tank. I am remodeling the look of the aquarium area, it will now look like you are looking into a port hole into the tank. I am excited to see this develop, I'm kind of winging it as I go. sometimes it takes more work as I have to think it out as I go but the results are usually pretty cool!

This is how the area looked before I started.

This is after tearing out the small cabinet I had and the aquarium area. I have the framework for the new cabinet sitting in there.

This photo is of the area with the new cabinet below and the new aquarium framed in. Of course this is very preliminary, I will cover everything with bamboo framing and woven matting. I built a hinged cover for the top of the aquarium cabinet so you can open and close it for access to the tank. It is set on an angle so I will cover it with thatch to make it look like a little tiki hut.

More to come as I start to finish everything off. I am planning on adding a new water feature on top as the fountain I had there previously always spashed alittle too much. I am planning on a waterfall and tiki combo with a little less splash but with more punch, Hawaiian punch that is!

Thanks again everybody for your help and inspiration, together we make each other more creative and inspired.

Ok, I just posted photos of my remodel of a couple of weeks ago, like many of you, hopefully, I got half way through my remodel then got a better idea and so this weekend I ripped out everything I did and did it over again. I was planning on installing a 20 gal aquarium tank to double the capacity of the 10 gal I had there previously but then I looked at a 32 gal aquapod which I was not using and I loved that tank. I measured it and decided it would be better suited and I would be able to house better fish in that tank as well. So I designed a more involved remodel and redid everything I did 2 weeks ago. The first photos show how I literally sawed and removed the entire center portion of the bar against the wall. I am building a new cabinet that will house a cabinet with a door and the 32 gal tank. Above that, I will build a volcano that will be a waterfall that spills water into the aquarium below, and at the top of the volcano, I will have a smoke generator at the top, tow other peaks will flank the main peak and a tiki sculpture will be built into the mountain side. While I've got the thing taken apart, I am removing the mirrored back where the bottles are housed and build a lit from behind backdrop display of exotica album covers. I know I sometimes bite off more than I should, but it's what keeps me sane and it's fun, right?

I'll post the photos showing progress, more to come...

The Aquarium cabinet will have bamboo accents, the lid over the tank will have thatch to make it look like a tiki hut. The cabinet door will have a retro tiki design with bamboo trim. Can't wait to finish this project!

aloha!

I've been working really hard on this remodel, my wife told me I bit off more than I could chew, what's new? I always do but it's what keeps me always reaching higher and not being satisfied with my bar always being in a state of "under constuction". I will get ideas in the middle of the day and I have to write it down and develop it on paper and I can't rest until I do.

Anyway, Tiki Central and my fellow tiki bar owners are a big part of that inspiration. I may be looking at other bars and I will get an idea totally unrelated to the photos I'm seeing, but the creative juices get going from seeing such talent and creativity in others' bars.

Anyway, I'm posting progress photos, which for me is hard because I don't like people to see my work while it still looks ugly. But I know I like to see others' progress photos so maybe some people would like to see mine, so here goes.

The centerpiece of the new bar will be a waterfall/volcano. I've always had a fountain in the middle, but I've had problems with the splashing running the thing dry. I'm making this volcano with a waterfall that runs down a piece of acrylic that I have painted the backside orange & red. The top reservoir where the water starts will have an LED smoke unit in it. In this photo I have a frame of lightweight wood and I draped metal window screening over that. I laid plastercloth strips over that to create the mountains. I also cut up an aquarium piece of ancient ruins and placed it in the mountain to simulate a lost city covered in lava.

The cabinet that holds up the volcano had to be beefed up and expanded to accommodate the new 32 gal aquarium tank I'm putting on it. I tried to make a tiki hut look, I covered the legs with large bamboo and I designed the lid of the box to be hinged for easy access to the tank and I covered it with thatch for the tiki hut roof piece. The sides of the enclosure have 20" high tiki masks hinged again for good access to the sides and back of the tank.

One of my favorite things that has been in my mind for a long time is the lighted panels that will go on both sides of the bar showcasing exotica album covers. I built the light boxes and the lights are LED strips attached to the insides of the boxes. I am planning on moving my bottles of booze to the lower shelves and I will be showcasing my tiki mug collection on the former bottle shelves in front of the light boxes. This photo is of the first one, I will be framing them with bamboo poles so they will be more finished looking than this.

More to come soon...

aloha!

Thanks for sharing these! We need inspiration, so the 'before'/'during' photos are actually encouraging.
I can't wait to see how it turns out!