A Moment of Tiki is a monthly web series originating from my home tiki bar, the Lagoon of Mystery, in Central Texas. Through the miracle of moving pictures and sound, I share my various construction and decoration project as I DIY my way to a tropical paradise. Think of it as me making all the mistakes so you don't have to. Along the way I'll mix up a rum cocktail or two, show off my questionable home bartending skills and volunteer my thoughts on books, music and even landscaping. Eclectic? Absolutely! But eventually it all ties together nicely in the Lagoon of Mystery.
Thanks for the kind words! Tiki can be overwhelming when you first get into it, but it's like eating that proverbial elephant--take it one bite at a time and it becomes more manageable! 😉
I always enjoy the time that you spend putting these videos together! I especially enjoyed watching this video my wife says you created this just for me! 😂 I always look forward to your next one! I had commented on one of your posts and I had originally thought that I recognized what you had posted, I was way off! Again, nice job, and thanks for helping us all out!
@@LagoonofMystery I really liked what you did to the bottom of the lamp too! It looks great but seems difficult to cut the plexiglass out. Unfortunately I don’t have a dremmel. Would I have to put interfacing on the lense if I used the regular fabric from spoon flower?
@@justinmartin1493 If you're using plexiglass you can skip the interfacing and just sand the plexi. That will fog up the surface nicely. A random orbital sander makes quick work of it after just a few seconds but hand sanding works just fine although it may take a bit longer.
@@justinmartin1493 Most building supply stores sell plexiglass cutters. They're plastic handled hooked knives. They're best used for making straight cuts but if you go slow I suspect they could be used to cut curves. The trick with them is to resist the temptation to make a deep, heavy cut. Multiple light passes is the best approach. After the initial cut, there will be a groove to help keep the blade on track. Just repeat that around and around until you can pop the circle out. Poster frame plexi is so thin it shouldn't take that long.
I've had some of those round projectors and managed to fix them. If your's are like mine, the problem causing most of the problems was in the design- there are wires to the LEDs on the moving part going down to the main board, and like you would expect, flexing back and forth they break off. I've replaced the wires with longer ones and used some strain relief to make them last longer. A better designed one I have puts all the electronics in the back, and just moves the optics in front of the LEDS.
My most common problem is that the micromotors seize up and stop the rotation. I think I could competently swap them out if I could find a source for compatible replacements...
Great, simple tiki lamp! These basic lamps are my favorite. Feels more like something a poor beachcomber castaway would make on a desert island. You're a brave man drilling those holes right on your beautiful tiki tabletop. 😅
Nice one, Jayme! It's always great seeing new content from you, and agreed - that lamp turned out REALLY nicely! I love the tapa in particular; the complexity of that design set against the simplicity of the wicker is something I really like. Mahalo!
Thank you, Adam! Sometimes something just catches your eye and you can visualize exactly how it's gonna turn out! I initially intended to just knock this lamp out in an afternoon or so and not film it, but in hindsight I'm glad I did--folks seem taken with the simplicity.
With a dwindling supply of affordable tiki in the wild, due to the increasing popularity, these DIY videos will be the go-to source in the future. No one has anything close to what you do, let alone the level of detail and personal walk-throughs. This video will certainly be included in the lighting chapter in your next book: Tiki For Dummies - A DIY Guide to Creating Your Own Tiki Stuff. I have completed a lamp from 1 previous video, burned bamboo, and am currently rooting sugar cane (no drilling glass floats yet). Looking forward to the chapter on "how to convince your spouse to join in the basement tiki refurb", lol. As always, I enjoy and appreciate the time you put into this.
I find your DIY videos extremely interesting. I'm a Rockabilly guy who is learning about the world and Tiki. The DIY nature of the hobby really appeals to me.
That is absolutely beautiful. Thank you for posting such a thorough tutorial. I'm looking to build a tapa cloth lamp for my own home bar and you probably saved me a day and a half of frustration and trial-and-error. You're a legend.
Great list but you forgot Yma Sumac. She was one of the greatest exotica singers of her time discovered by Les Baxter and was known for her over four and half octave range.
I've been getting back into fish keeping & now aquascaping & I keep coming back to tiki ideas for my tank section. My grandparents' friends used to have some awesome tiki bar basements that we'd hang out at as kids when they babysat us, & I've always wanted to get back to that vibe ever since. I'm working on building a volcanic theme for my largest build (only 40 gallons) & a tiki tank section would be fantastic. This & other tiki channels have been fun & fresh inspiration for my project! ❤
Thanks for sharing this, Mean Old Lady! I'd say there's significant overlap with tiki and fish keeping. I had Figure-8 Puffers for years and they're such a fun, intelligent fish. In the 60s and 70s when the tropical fish craze was at its height, the salt water of marine aquariums quickly corroded the metal aquarium frames then common. So the Philippines started producing elaborate rattan tanks, as rattan wouldn't rust. These rattan aquariums are now coveted elements for many home (and commercial) tiki spaces, whether they have live fish in them or not.
Thanks for all you do for this community. Your videos are great! I’ve got a rattan Paul Frankl-style set of stools and a bar and wondering if you think this same process would work for that. It does live outside (under weather proof covers) but I can tell it has gotten some water damage and now is drying out. Thanks for your help and guidance!
I love the Frankl-style rattan furniture! The thing I'd do if I were you is determine if it has an existing coat of varnish--is there a protective film on the surface that may or may not be failing? This process would absolutely work for your set but if it already has an old finish that would need to be sanded away first otherwise these oils can't penetrate and do their job. If the set is staying outside, DO NOT use polyurethane as a topcoat--UV exposure will destroy it and it will start peeling within a year. Even Helmsman's spar urethane, which is ostensibly made for outdoor use, will fail after a couple of years. The boiled linseed oil and shellac will offer good incidental water protection and you can reapply every few years when you notice the rattan starting to look dull and weathered. If you really want to add a spar topcoat, go with Epifanes or a heavy-duty marine spar varnish. Those cost $$ but will stand up to the sun's UV better than anything you can get at the big box stores. If there's no film finish, another, easier option would be to rub the rattan finish down with Howard's Feed n Wax, like I've used on Witco pieces in other videos. The Howard's will penetrate and alleviate the dryness and also make the rattan look great. The downside is that it offers little additional protection so would need to be reapplied regularly.
I like the "make yer own" approach, and it really makes it special when it's all your own! Especially the speakers! I did a similar, if much smaller, project involving the built-in Wet bar in our house. It had originally been done in the early 80's "shades of putty with mirrors" style (that nobody ever actually liked). it's a small space, but we leaned into the "island style" and it came out nice. I like to see all the creative touches that you used in your space.
The size of your escape doesn't matter, but rather the volume of escapism contained within! And I have to commend you on the wet bar aspect. Having started an indoor tiki space that has a dry bar, I am constantly reminded how much difference running water makes!
Every year we've gone it's been notably larger than the previous year. I like supporting the vendors--they have nifty elements that can enhance any tiki space.
Looks like great fun...much authenticity, a side of Tiki Culture that doesn't get as much exposure as the 1950s 1960s kitsch. I think any Tiki Bar can be made better by incorporating some of the more genuine native art made by the people themselves. Great video.
I tend to agree. Yes, tiki is "made up fantasy" but it borrows wholesale from existing cultures. The folks I spoke with said they thought it was pretty cool I had a home tiki bar and appreciated my coming out to support them. If I'm going to use Polynesian elements in my build, I think it only reasonable that I learn as much about these diverse cultures as I am able. Seriously, that's not a high bar.
Hopefully they respond to your request. Holy Diver definitely has the Tiki bar idea down by way of MCM, Kitsch with a little Punk ethos. The vibe is great, just need to have separate entrance.
It is not pressure treated. Those are western red cedar deck planks. It is a popular choice for decking as it resists rot and water (it still needs to be cared for, however). There are a number of African tropical woods that are popular decking choices as well.
Broadly speaking, yes. Burning is mostly for aesthetics, but also increases water resistance if you spread out the resins (any bamboo exposed to the elements will weather fairly quickly but torched bamboo protected inside will survived indefinitely). Torching is not a dependable method of ridding bamboo of insects. Using borax is absolutely for infestation protection but also contributes to longevity as it increases bamboo's resistance to mold and fungus.
Forever Bamboo (although they seem to be out at the moment, they currently do have Bac Bac matting). For woven bamboo panels I'd suggest Bamboo Creasian.
I really enjoyed this walkthrough. I've always loved Rockabilly but over the last year or two I've also fallen in love with other mid century things like Tiki. I personally prefer a nautical/Caribbean/Tiki mix instead of 100% time period accurate Tiki. (Apparently that's heresy to a lot of the Tiki community). If I ever create my own Tiki hybrid bar I will definitely come back to this video for inspiration. The ceiling especially.
I have to agree with that. I understand the tiki purists are being protective of the genre--nobody wants the bastardization of the 70s and 80s to repeat--but they forget the original Don's and Vic's embraced the "Beachcomber aesthetic." Tiki didn't become *tiki* until Stephen Crane made carved figures the focus of decor in his Luau restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1953. Before then, tikis made only an occasional appearance as decor. Some of these same folks argue PNG can't be used in tiki because that's not Polynesian (even though every Trader Vic's uses a LOT of PNG in decor) and reject Caribbean for the same reason (to which I say, fine, give me all of your non-Polynesian rums!). Most of us agree that broad standards are useful but an obsession with purity sucks the fun out of something that inherently meant to be fun. 🙂
@@LagoonofMystery I like the sound of a "Beachcomber" themed home bar. Haha. I don't want to fight with the Tiki gatekeepers. (I say that jokingly of course.)
@@perceivedvelocity9914 Me, too. I ascribe to the beachcomber aesthetic. I like traditional tiki with bamboo and lauhala, but add nautical elements whenever I can. I've yet to have anyone accuse me of having a fake tiki bar (although, given the interwebz, it's only a matter of time). 😅
I know I'm late to the party, but I've got to shout, AMEN BROTHA! The music is what makes the magic. My wife and I are building our own Tiki Gataway, and Martin Denny is a quintessential part of it. We're expanding our adventure and we love your videos as a guidepost!
Thank you! Tiki music should be intentional and escapist. Martin Denny certainly fits the bill, but there are so many other genres and subgenres out there that work as well! 😁
Hi, I'm from New Jersey. I have a tiki bar you'd be interested in checking out its called Lee's Hawaiian Islander one of the the last tiki bars in Jersey. Just thought you might be interested. 🙂
Totally agree, I’m a huge believer in being transported through time due to the setting and music. It’s the reason mom and pop diners usually play 50’s and early 60s hits it’s a way to transport the customers to maybe to the time of that establishments opening, a time far gone but not forgotten, the same should go for tiki bars and culture. I have recently really gotten into the tiki lounge and bars of the 50’s and 60’s it’s amazing and it definitely has a mood of its self and an identity. I wouldn’t want to listen to 50s rock & roll hits in a tiki bar even though I love that kinda stuff it’s just not the right time or place for it.
You can even reach out and go a bit further than exotica, surf, bossa nova, etc; there's a lot of new wave, coldwave, psychobilly and vapourwave just for example that absolutely leans into the tiki feeling and hits that escapist feeling. Just need a bit of care and curation and as someone who doesn't live near a tiki bar, if the music isn't right, then I'd be disappointed if I made the trip.
Yes, I tossed out a wide net with this series but it's not comprehensive. I think intentionality is the key. Choose your music with purpose and thought to achieve the aesthetic you want in your bar. Nobody wants careless music selection.
Never knew the history of “Rum and Coca Cola”. It makes a lot more sense as a protest song. I didn’t quite got it coming out of the mouths of the Andrew’s Sisters. 😳
I love the Andrews Sisters' version, but yeah, the bald-faced theft of the song is bonkers. A little while later Lord Invader recorded a song titled "Pepsi Cola." Alas, it wasn't as good, or successful.
What do you use for a screen? For about 15 years, we've been using a pull down from my old classroom. It's wearing out and I need suggestions. Love the channel.
My pleasure! There are quite a few resin videos online, but be sure you use a respirator. There are some on RU-vid who don't and what you can't smell *can* hurt you!
I loved the Moana soundtrack but didn't know an actual Hawaiian group made the music, I'm glad I know who they are now! You have a lot of good music suggestions I had never heard of before, I love that you have highlighted native Polynesian artists; my long-time interest in the specifically tribal art elements of what I later learned was part of "tiki culture" have ended up with me looking into actual authentic south-Pacific island cultures, which I probably would not have been inspired to do if I had not been exposed to random elements taken and put onto party decorations I saw. Tiki culture popularity is an awesome gateway for the average American (and people from other places) to learn about the real mythology, art, history, etc. of Polynesians, and you showing actual Hawaiian and other south-Pacific people's music alongside the more stereotypical tiki "faux-thentic" type exotica music I think is a nice way of making more tiki fans curious about learning about the authentic roots! And I've found learning about the native mythology is inspiring when creating new, unique elements in your own tiki themed set up!
Tiki has borrowed so much from Polynesian cultures, it just makes sense to include actual Polynesian artists in the discussion. Plus, the music they're making is fantastic!
Not necessarily. It can kill some, but the eggs are more durable. Think of it this way--for hardwood lumber, the interior must be raised to an internal temperature of 133F for a minimum of 30 minutes to earn a sterilization certificate. I'm certainly hitting that when I torch bamboo, but the pieces are comparatively small and cool quickly. I could probably build a solar kiln to accomplish this, but that's a lot of work and takes up significant space while the borax method works just as well and also inhibits mold.
Great stuff as always! I love that jig - thanks so much for the nice closeup footage, as we can now make our own! That'll really help, I appreciate it. Also, that's an excellent tip, wrapping your pliers so they don't mar the chain. Wish I'd thought of that when I made my first lamp haha! Mahalo!
Confession: I learned to wrap the pliers because once upon a time I didn't wrap the pliers. As I like to say, I make the mistakes so you don't have to!
