Carving Post

[ Edited by: tikifreak on 2004-12-20 12:02 ]

[ Edited by: tikifreak on 2004-12-20 11:58 ]

Cool stuff!

Yeah, Nice work everyone keep up the chislin' and postin' Summertime is a great time for this stuff isn't it. Here is my latest:

I am still trying to decide how to finish him off. I am thinking either polyurathane or tung oil. I am still experimenting with different aging techniques but could use some help. I really like the way you carvin' kahunas get yours lookin' so ancient.
I have also been playing around with making masks with plam fronds. They are kinda of weird to carve with a chisel, I have used a wood burner on them but its a slow process. Anybody else carve the fronds or have suggestions? BOT has a few good shots on page 244.

Chongolio

-- I believe that our Heavenly Father invented the monkey because he was disappointed in man."
... Mark Twain

[ Edited by: Chongolio on 2003-06-02 11:06 ]

Cool Tongaroa, Chongolio I like'um. Here's a scan of my latest design (not quite fully sketched) I'm about to be "'Goin in" for the next couple of weeks....Hopefully It'll turn out like I want it (design is based on an original Maori house truss support in the Rarotua museum) and I can have it and one or two more new pieces added to the Hukilau batch for show or sale. It is going to be fairly labor intensive as this is a deep relief carving with lots of scoopwork but I love a challenge...this will be done in some 3-inch thick clean poplar that I have.

[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-08-10 22:01 ]

Awesome Base! That is going be sooooooo RAD! Pretty good artist there dude........Drew it yourself eh? Good work:)

T.F.

Yep..that's my drawing...if you want a simple method of getting perfect left-to-right balance of both halves of a conceptual sketch, draw a straight line up the middle of your paper, and sketch half the tiki from the middle out (starting from that line as your middle). Make an inkjet transparency (available anywhere)of your finished half- sketch, then make a copy of the transparency, then flip it and make another copy. Put your two halves together and -viola! Exact side to side matching. You can then white out any details you want to alter and ink them in.

Here is some progress on my maori piece.....I wanted him to be large so it came down to large figural with more inlay or smaller panelized figure with less inlay; I opted for the first. In the first photo you see the blank (which burned out a 1/2 hp radial jigsaw...I mean literally on fire). In the second you see my Abalone inlay pieces. The eyes I did by reversing a black fossil shell, cutting out of it two black pupils, and then inlaying them into abalone circles. I use a rotozip with a tile bit for this and a respirator (Bob Van Oosting told me the abalone dust can be very dangerous, like asbestos). The third is the view from my beat up old chair! Note the white glove on the floor...My dear sweet wife just bought that for me...Steel filament wrapped in polyester fiber. Guess she's had enough of my carving related E.R. visits! The last two are of the progress so far.

BK, that's coming together real nice! What are the overall dimensions?

TikiFreak,

That skinny one with the "snarl lip" (previous page) reminds me of Sid Vicious. Very cool! I dig it!

Pop, it's around 38 x 20 or thereabouts.

Maori "scaling" relief effects...here's my method, for what it's worth. First I complete the plunge, or guide cuts. You must use a very thin flat bladed chisel (in this case a small one). Mark your depth on the blade with a magic marker so you'll have consistency. In this case all the plunges are 90 degrees. Tap carefully to avoid a grain split. Next, begin angling the scales in. Be mindful of the direction you want them to flow in. The best way to avoid damage is to proceed in layers, working just a little wood off each scale at a time, until you have a nice, clean slope which stops just above the guide cut depth (for a clean cut). Viola...a complete scale.

[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-06-17 16:31 ]

Strange day...been a lookyloo here once in a while but never posted anything. So here goes...
I have a Luau or a big BBQ at my house every year, last year a clambake. This year I plan to rebuild my tikibar and start carving some tiki's. But I need palm wood and some direction on how to start carving it. I pass this one house almost everyday with TIKI's everywhere, and I thought to my self who is this person and where did they buy all these tiki's, or do they carve them? I finally had to stop today and met Dawna and to my surprise she showed me the tiki sanctuary AND explained a few things about starting my endeavor.
Thank you Dawna

Christian

Welcome to TC DarkTiki. TC is "The Land of No Return"! You are entranced and forever in the claws of TIKI!!! HA,HA,HAHAHAHAHAHA! (EVIL LAUGH)

Oy, Kahuna, the patience you must have! It makes my back ache just thinking about it! I love seeing those work in progress pics, and it's great to see the actual techniques used.
I'm very anxious to see this one completed, I think I have a picture of the one on which it's modeled.

Hey, HGTV has some show called Ultimate Basements or something? When are YOU gonna be on it?

Aloha DarkTiki and Welcome to the Tribe! When you stated the house full of tikis for some reason Dawna came to mind. I'm glad you guys met. Did she mention she's a TC'er too? Her carvings are awesome aren't they?

Hey BK, I love the detailed pics! Keep posting those progress pics. From TraderPup's SEIR Project, to Gecko's Maori pole, to this panel, I really enjoy seeing watching to process of a masterpiece as it takes shape.

Basement that Maori is lookin' tight.cant wait to see youre tikis at the Hukilau. the Tikis carved by all you guys here just get kooler and kooler. for any of you guys who dont already know. I stay in FL.and I can supply any of you guys who want to carve outta good palmwood with poles of any size the same palmwood that we use to make our Kreepy tikis and all those other well known Fl.style tikis made here.these poles are mostly ready to carve and are guaranteed not to rot if you follow the simple directions of weatherproofin'.anyone interested you can email me at [email protected] Ok? OK

Thanks Boob. Glad you liked it. Heard a few people say it looks like Elvis??? Go figure. Anyhoo, thanks for da kine words!

Base it's looking awesome! You da man.

Peace, Freak.

I believe Dark met Tikifille, am I correct?

On 2003-06-18 10:25, Basement Kahuna wrote:
I believe Dark met Tikifille, am I correct?

That's Her!

Yeah BK, Christian was chez moi. BK- Your photos are incredible. A neighbor of mine, Frank, actually stops by and just watches me carve. As I work I can make insightful comments. Your photos, however, are exactly what a novice/pro carver needs to hear/be reminded of. Oh the grain traumas. Christian has found a resource, TC that is, that is beyond anything he could find in his neighborhood.

[ Edited by: tikifille on 2003-06-19 07:17 ]

Oh BK- back in my studio carpenter days I was fired off a show for catching a Skil saw on fire (cutting tight radii without a relief blade). It was a Skil brand skil saw...so I deserved it. So here's the question....did you catch a Makita or BOSCH (and the light shines through and the angels sing--Bosch IS the brand) on fire? If so, place 2 stars by your name. Or did you catch a Black and Decker or Craftsman on fire? (Don't make me come down to Jawja and slap you!)

I buy $5.00-10.00 used jigsaws at the flea market (in this case a Skil radial jigsaw)due to the fact that I know I'll kill them. In my other art (I spent years painting twisted 2-d cartoons on plywood)and in tiki I bet I've been through 20 jigsaws. I could smell the ozone in my garage for days after that one!

BK, That is lookin' sweet. Thanks for postin' the picks and the walk thru. I love seeing the in progress shots too.
All y'all keep up the tool talk. I can dig all that too. Being a new to the art of carvin' I have been doing all my carvin' with a set of three wood chisels from OSH. A craftman router and cutting tool with a flexible shaft. I want to get some more chisels for intricate work but not too savvy in the tool dept. I have seen a few carvin sets going for cheap-cheap on ebay.
So my question are, what's a braddah and sistah look for when buying good chisels? What are good brand names and essential types of chisels?
Thanks in advance for your knowledges.

Chongolio

A good set of Sheffield carving chisels will last you a lifetime and cut like butter. Henry Taylor is a good brand, I swear bt two of their chisels. ( leevalley.com is a good source ) A set of E-bay Taiwan chisels will frustrate you, not keep an edge, and take maybe ten hammer whacks before the handles split in two.

Three footer just finished up this week... sorry for the crappy photo, had to shoot it indoors...

Nice tiki, Lake....Here is Hei Tiki as he appears today...getting his Moko right now.

Wow... beautiful work! Precise craftsmanship! A piece you should be very proud of!

Not as precise as I'd like by a longshot, but I tend to criticize myself into the gutter on my carvings. If it was too clean it wouldn't look like an old Maori piece, which is the desired effect...

Lake Surfer, BK, all you guys are getting better everyday. BK, I'm like you. I'm very critical of my work. One of my very first 2 ft. tall carvings was going in the trash when a friend of mine said he would take it. 2 years later (now) I see it in his backyard and I wouldn't mind having it back, but I'm glad he has it, good advertising. People that see it are calling me to teach them to carve. HOLY SMOKES. I'm still teachin' myself and learning from you guys.

Upper body complete, palm parting tool work and all. The palm chisel work is something that you just have to do to learn...it can't really be explained. All that is left is the legs and the inlay work! I stuck the eyes on with some floral clay for the photo. It will have abalone inlaid eyes, teeth, and knuckles.

Al and Shelley of the Fabulous Lagoon Room hosted a carving session this past weekend. Check out the pics:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=4323&forum=4&8

Looked like a fun day!

hi, i'm new here and just starting to carve tikis with chainsaws and chisels, i would like to put up a couple of pictures of my first one (that i just about finished) but i don't know how to post a picture can anyone help me out.

Thanks

Octane, Aloha and Welcome to the Tribe! You can check out the FAQ for directions on posting pictures. Here's a link:

http://www.tikicentral.com/faq.php#embed

thanks for the help i hope this works.

this is my second attempt at a palm log, the log was short and squatty, only 16" tall and 24" in diameter.

This is my first attempt with another peice of short squatty Palm.

this is a collection of flat masks. (alla Bosco style)

Here is my second palm again, that my mom turned into a plant holder, there is also a little tiki i carve used as a plant stake

[ Edited by: Octane on 2003-06-23 17:30 ]

Here is the finished Maori meeting house image. I thought it turned out nice...what do you all think? It looks like a very old piece which was my goal. Each time I tackle a Maori piece I become more and more in awe of the craftsmanship in their carvings and the power of their imagery...it blows me away. I only hope I do them any justice at all. I'm going to put a pic on a regular thread so someone besides us carving nerds can see.

BK, I could waste all night trying to find the right words, you've done it again. :o Wow.

here are some of my carvings i have done in the past two weeks, not sure if they are done yet.

This is my first Tikis they are made of flat wood are are more masks ( but not really)

This is my first attempt at a peice of palm wood. a friend got the wood for me. the stump was interestingly sized at 16" high and 24" in diameter.

This is my second attempt at anothe peice of the palm log.

here is another picture of the second one where my mom used it as a plant stand, you might also be albe to see a little tiki i carved out of a stake in the plant.

here is one i worked on yesterday, not sure what else to do to it, but it doesn't seem finished

well there are my carvings, i had never used a chainsaw or chisel until about two weeks ago so i hope i can get better, but it sure is fun.

[ Edited by: Octane on 2003-06-27 10:07 ]

hi, another newbie here. i have been contemplating a carving attempt. i think i will really love to do it. here's the problem, i live in kentucky. anyone have any idea of what kind of wood i can use? palm logs are a bit scarce here in henderson ky. so what should i use? any old log that washes up on the banks of the ohio river? tools are questionable to me too? i need help. help me!

Kentikitone, welcome to TC. I'm sure you have cedar out yonder. I think Basement Kahuna (a prolific carver here on TC) uses a lot of cedar down in Jawja. Try it. Good luck.

well, i'll get papaw and we'll can walk back in the woods, amunx-da stumps. I bet he knows where yuns can find somes cedars. thank ya. heh.

A Tahitian Mauru'uru to all you carvers who posted photos! Alot of talent in this group! Next time I see a palm trunk on the street to be picked up by the cleaners (can you believe someone would cut down a palm?) I'm going back for it! And thanks to all who made me feel so welcome at TC! P.S. to jungletrader - Yes Woodland's location is right where you thought!

What ever you do, don't grab a palm that's been in contact with the ground for any length of time. It will absorb water like a sponge and rot faster then you can say, "Dammit, I wish I hadn't carved that one!"

Thanks for the info on palm tree trunks, I had not a clue that could happen! I will select carefully.

Nice work on the Tikis Octane Keep up the carvin and postin' I like the plant holder. A lot of my tikis end up with that job.
B.K. Thanks for all the help with chisels, I appreciate all you input. Your Maori panel is awesome. You are ready to quit your day job!
My philosophy on carving and tools is to jump in and experiment with what you have. I learn volumes by watching this thread and askin questions. Ihave recently begun to rethink picking up a chainsaw to help prep and make larger tikis less formidable and time consuming.
Chongolio

hEy octane, I just left SLO, graduated from cal poly 2 weeks ago, and I carve as well. You must have seen Palapa Juan's behind Moondogies surf shop (not me). There's also a gnarly pair o' tikis in front of a house owned by Insomniac Video owners. (owner carves) Right off of Monterey St. turn at the Animation Video store (bright yellow sign) then a quick left, at the end of the dead end. The new Trader Joe's has 2 in front(not mine either) but they commissioned me to do a third. heres a link to my tiki installation at school a month ago. http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=3856&forum=1

hi tikitony i just got excepted to Poly, as a business major. the tiki's in front of the house of the Insomniac video owners, one of the owners works with my mom. i saw the guy down town Behind moondogies but he was wasn't open and i had kind of forgot about him so i haven't been back.
i'm just getting started, i was having trouble finding wood until my parents (with conections) put a few calls in and found out that the city was cutting down a 60 foot palm and i could have it all, so i hope to carve a few more.

i have in mind a tiki bench with two of the short stump like ones in my pictures. notch the top and put a big old hunk of red wood as the seat.