Post #107886 by Mr. Dale on Wed, Aug 11, 2004 11:21 PM

Man, ya all, thanks for all the encouragement (sp?, that doesn't look right, but........oh well) You guys gave this bald Denver dork a smile with your kindness. I mean, what right do I have carving Tikis, except my passion for them since I was just a little kid in Disneyland at the enchanted Tiki room, and my parents flying us off to Hawaii at the impressionable age of 11, except for those two burning memories, what right does some mountain working, cowboy hat wearing guy like me have carving Tikis?
There isn't an ocean or tiki bar within sight for miles around here. I mean I LOVE Colorado, but I just can't bring myself to carve a bear, mountain man or a miner.
Who knows, maybe while I'm carving Tikis in Colo., some cat in Hawaii is carving a bear holding a Coors beer! Wouldn't that be a hoot?!
But I love 'em, always have, its just the mystery and exoticness of it all, ain't it.
Thanks Octane for the encouragement. (there's that Damn word again) I love your work. Really good stuff.
Tikiwahine, that cleft was a bad slip of the grinder that became a good thing. Didn't all the good / bad guys in the sixties movies have cleft chins? Maybe I'm onto something here.
Chip and Andy, Maybe I should change my
name on here to Chip and Dale! That wouldn't be forgotten.
I only take off the "bulk" of the work the chain saw. That is, I take off the biggest pieces with chain and then go to smaller power tools, hatchets, die grinders,
and then chisels and sandpaper. Those cats on here who's work is truly impressive do most or all of thier work with mallet and chisels. They have better control, more patience and more "intimacy" with thier art, than I do. I don't know if intimacy is the proper word to use, but that kinda of explains it. I'm standing up hacking away with a power tool, and while I truly love
the work and the wood and the whole aura of it, Its the cats who spend hours looking and thinking about every cut that really floor me. And looking at thier work. Its shows.
John Tiki........man you're gonna make me cry. What better compliment could ya give than the enchanted room.....wow, cool, thanks.
I don't want to sound like ignorant Colo. hick, but who is Marc Davis and what
is BOT?
But again, thanks.
Tiki toa, that one went to my Buddy Jay for his Birthday. But thank you anyway. I have plenty More ideas in my head.
And Ben, again thank you, one of the true masters of this craft, if ever there was. Not only can you carve like a mean dog, but man, you gotta be the nicest cat I've never met. I've been reading this site for over a year and not once have I heard an unkind word from you. No matter how bad the art or how far off base the idea, you still always give back a little good word. Thanks for just being on here. God love ya.
Man. I just wrote a friggin' book, damn, sorry,
But I gotta go...miss Amy, my beautiful wife is waiting.........