I went to my Re-Store Habitat for Humanity in Pittsfield, Mass., on Saturday to poke around. This Re-Store is, hands-down, my favorite place in the world to shop. There were lots of treasures, which for the most part I could admire and pass by, but then, at the very end of my meander, perched in the scrap wood section: What are theeeeeese shiny things?
Shiny, golden, textured plastic(y) tubes! I know they are some kind of man-made material, but what matters is that they remind me of bamboo. There’s no price marked, but I know they won’t be much, so I pick up three, thinking I’ll make some sort of artsy fartsy glamorous palm tree out of them for my Mahalo Lounge.
I carry the three tubes up to the front desk and ask, “How much?” The attendant looks and says, “$1 each.” “Okay,” I say. I change my speed from ‘meander’ to ‘hustle’ and hustle back to get the rest o’ those tubes. I am ready to fight for them as in, “Oh, I just took the first three up to the desk because that is all I could carry at one time. I was going to get them all.” There is no competition (it’s a gorgeous Saturday afternoon outside, so it’s slow at the Re-Store) but even so, I carry (drag) the remaining 11 to the desk all at once.
I don’t know what they are — what they were originally used for — but I know they are “something” — I know they are very cool — and I know that with so many, I can do something epic with them.
And, at $1 each, not only can I afford to buy them all, but I also know that if I don’t I will regret it.
$3,276 worth of tubes!
So, yes, I am now the proud owner of 14 fiberglass tubes. Each tube is 2″ wide.
But: What are they?
There are a variety of “fiberglass tubes” online that look similar, and after a few minutes of playing with Google I find near-identical looking examples on this site that sells “fiberglass wet exhaust tube connectors” used in the marine (boating) industry. These must be what I have.
How much is my find worth? I find the tube connectors available for sale retail on this site. My 72″ long, 2″ wide tubes are worth $234 each, I calculate. That’s $3,276 for 14! I am rich!
Alas, I am not keen on selling things like this online: Perhaps they are seconds or rejects. I will keep them and upcycle them into something neat-o for my Lounge. Aren’t they pretty!
Michael Corby says
Great find. I see a unique drapery rod, a room divider with panels of MCM bark cloth, a floor lamp with varying length tubes–and matching table lamps, a collection of unique drawer pulls and cabinet handles. Considering the mission of Re-Store Habitat for Humanity and the value of your find, it would be a kind gesture to make a donation back to Habitat. Or consider volunteering your time to help them discern the value of items that might sell for more online so they too can reap the benefit of windfall material donations that they maybe don’t have the knowledge or staff to research. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Joe Felice says
They are reminiscent of bamboo. They appear to be translucent, so some LED-light strings running inside them would be cool. How strong are they? Maybe they could hold up a textile canopy of some sort. And palm trees, of course.
Laura says
One safety caution. If you cut these, where a respirator and long sleeves. Fiberglas dust can irritate skin and should not be inhaled as it may contain asbestos.
Pam Kueber says
Thank you for the reminder — Renovate Safe! https://retrorenovation.com/renovate-safe/
Diane in CO says
I think they’re fabulous and I love the ideas posed here regarding lighting them or use as a table base (table top should be glass).
do you have an outdoor patio or anything connected to the Tiki Room? A few could be cut to different lengths and fashioned into a wind chime.
I think they have a high end feel, not plastic-y but glassy. But after all, mid-century was all about “Plastics!” Don’t you remember The Graduate, hehe!
Rick says
Nice score Pam !!! – they are very interesting, & the bonus is that you can use them outdoors, if you run out of space inside – they could be the basis for many projects
Denise says
If you get a curved bar at some point, cut these to the correct height, string lights inside, and attach to the front. Or would that be too ‘Disco Tiki’? ????
Karin says
Great idea. I love those curved bamboo bars too. The vintage ones can be expensive, but I think the look can can be replicated if you’re handy.
Retro Retro says
Don’t laugh (alright, just don’t laugh too much) – but you could make some Gilligan’s Island tables and maybe a chair or two from them.
Maybe small occasional tables and director’s style chairs to get the most out of your treasure trove.
Jim Morehand says
Great find! I’d be turning them into muliple length clustered pendant lighting fixtures, clustered tube floor lamps or a room divider panel w/a narrow spot light in the bottom of each tube shining upward to illuminate the entire tube. What fun! Love to experiment
Heart says
SCORE!
Some good ideas here…
ineffablespace says
There’s a history of faux bamboo in interior design including “bamboo” that does not aim for realism. But the less realistic, the finer the material, usually.
This material could be kind of interesting if you could faux paint nodes on them that looks realistic.
My general advice in trying this material out is to aim for restraint: this is your living room, not your basement, and tiki theme notwithstanding, I think you can get away with a lot of things in basement decor that may not be “finished” enough for a living room. You have custom drapery, and a to-order sofa in high quality Knoll fabric, so I would think carefully about using something plastic-y.
Pam Kueber says
Thanks, ineffable. I agree: I am walking a fine line in my Mahalo Lounge. I would also say, though: These fiberglass tubes look pretty upscale.
ineffablespace says
The material finish actually looks great, but it’s also a matter of execution. I tend to be overly analytical even when designing, but one thing I try to get across when consulting with people is that you can’t use every great idea or piece or finish that you’ve found together, usually. It’s very tempting when you have a one-time room like this (because I doubt you’ll do another Tiki room) to try and fit it all in. I am not saying this is the particular idea you shouldn’t use…just to keep the desired end-point in sight instead of letting it get lost behind a bunch smaller ideas.
Pam Kueber says
Agreed. Was talking to Denise about this — she said the tubes “look like glass” so in that sense they’re high-end looking. But I very much agree with you: Edit edit edit!