Aaron’s New Akua (Done!) - Tiki Carving

AA Aaron's Akua Member Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Joined: Jul 09, 2004 Posts: 1596	AA Aaron's Akua Posted posted on Thu, Sep 2, 2004 11:26 PM Benzart: I agree - I want it to be a NOW carving too. I did this design a long time ago to use with the AAC block & it sat for a long time... But I'm gonna finish this one first. It's a real slippery slope once you start having a bunch of half finished work lying around. I got half the face carved deeper, but I have an old back injury & it's flaring up right now. I've got to find a better way to carve than sitting cross-legged on the concrete hunched over my log. Will post more progress soon - hopefully after this weekend. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Foamy: Thanks, man! Getting a compliment on design means all the more coming from an artist with your talent. I wish I could paint! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Octane, I don't know what to say...thanks so much for sharing all this great info with me. I've never carved wood before let alone attempt to stain it. This is really going to be helpful, & I can't thank you enough. I have also heard that mother of pearl (abalone?) dust is extremely toxic if breathed & has actually killed people. Also, that some people actually sand it underwater to avoid dust. I don't know if this is part myth, but I sure as hell don't want to find out! I'll try your method with the shop vac & do the work outside, then hose down. I think I'll also go with a glue gun & not traditional dowel method to attach the shell like you mentioned. You mentioned that poyurethane is the best finish but that you've used varnish for the last 3 or 4 tikis. Also that you always use a coat of polyurethane before varnishing. Why the varnish? Is it less expensive than polyurethane? Do you use a brush for your finish or spray it on? What grit sandpaper do you use when sanding between coats of varnish? Can you sand between coats of polyurethane? I found your comments on palm hairs interesting as well. Polynesiac has also mentioned this to me & says he likes to use a cone type sanding grinder with the Dremel to "burn" the hairs off. This fan palm that I got is pretty seasoned, and I haven't seen too much loose fiber when carving, especially when I use the real sharp flex cuts or a dremel wood carving bit. I haven't used the cone grinder yet - I don't have one. I think the palm hairs come with the fresher palms that haven't been fully dried. I think I'll try one of the fresh palm logs that Polynesiac gave me next, cause this old seasoned palm is really hard & takes some real effort to carve. Plus I think it's harder on the tools. On staining - you rub off the first coat, then lightly rub a second really dark coat over it? I take it you don't remove any of the second coat before applying the polyurethane? On the 2-tone I think I'll take your advice & PM Tikifreak - he seems to have a knack for this. My thought is to try the "gutter" approach & go super thin, but pretty deep, then apply the stain with a Q-tip or real thin brush next to it where the 2 stain lines meet. This is going to be touchy, cause I'm not sure if you can correct mistakes when applying stain. Or, maybe I'll chicken out & just go with one color.... Your advice has been super helpful. See what happens - now I've got all of these new questions for you. Elaborate only if you have time. Otherwise I'll be totally happy with what you gave me so far. Thanks, Owen! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Kono, You hit it right on the nose. I was calling this one "Angry Easter", and it's a cross between an Easter Island Moai and an "Angry Tiki". Now, I'm not sure what a Ku is, but I'm sure you're right about that 'cause you seem to know your tiki. I still have some studying to do on the origins & different types of tikis - I just know what I see & what I like. Thanks for the compliments. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks to all you guys for replying to my post. It keeps me revved up for more carving (as soon as my back feels better). +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ "Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness." -Pablo Picasso [ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-09-02 23:33 ] [ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-09-03 06:59 ]

Benzart: I agree - I want it to be a NOW carving too. I did this design a long time ago to use with the AAC block & it sat for a long time... But I'm gonna finish this one first. It's a real slippery slope once you start having a bunch of half finished work lying around. I got half the face carved deeper, but I have an old back injury & it's flaring up right now. I've got to find a better way to carve than sitting cross-legged on the concrete hunched over my log. Will post more progress soon - hopefully after this weekend.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Foamy: Thanks, man! Getting a compliment on design means all the more coming from an artist with your talent. I wish I could paint!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Octane, I don't know what to say...thanks so much for sharing all this great info with me. I've never carved wood before let alone attempt to stain it. This is really going to be helpful, & I can't thank you enough.

I have also heard that mother of pearl (abalone?) dust is extremely toxic if breathed & has actually killed people. Also, that some people actually sand it underwater to avoid dust. I don't know if this is part myth, but I sure as hell don't want to find out! I'll try your method with the shop vac & do the work outside, then hose down. I think I'll also go with a glue gun & not traditional dowel method to attach the shell like you mentioned.

You mentioned that poyurethane is the best finish but that you've used varnish for the last 3 or 4 tikis. Also that you always use a coat of polyurethane before varnishing. Why the varnish? Is it less expensive than polyurethane? Do you use a brush for your finish or spray it on? What grit sandpaper do you use when sanding between coats of varnish? Can you sand between coats of polyurethane?

I found your comments on palm hairs interesting as well. Polynesiac has also mentioned this to me & says he likes to use a cone type sanding grinder with the Dremel to "burn" the hairs off. This fan palm that I got is pretty seasoned, and I haven't seen too much loose fiber when carving, especially when I use the real sharp flex cuts or a dremel wood carving bit. I haven't used the cone grinder yet - I don't have one. I think the palm hairs come with the fresher palms that haven't been fully dried. I think I'll try one of the fresh palm logs that Polynesiac gave me next, cause this old seasoned palm is really hard & takes some real effort to carve. Plus I think it's harder on the tools.

On staining - you rub off the first coat, then lightly rub a second really dark coat over it? I take it you don't remove any of the second coat before applying the polyurethane?

On the 2-tone I think I'll take your advice & PM Tikifreak - he seems to have a knack for this. My thought is to try the "gutter" approach & go super thin, but pretty deep, then apply the stain with a Q-tip or real thin brush next to it where the 2 stain lines meet. This is going to be touchy, cause I'm not sure if you can correct mistakes when applying stain. Or, maybe I'll chicken out & just go with one color....

Your advice has been super helpful. See what happens - now I've got all of these new questions for you. Elaborate only if you have time. Otherwise I'll be totally happy with what you gave me so far. Thanks, Owen!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kono,
You hit it right on the nose. I was calling this one "Angry Easter", and it's a cross between an Easter Island Moai and an "Angry Tiki". Now, I'm not sure what a Ku is, but I'm sure you're right about that 'cause you seem to know your tiki. I still have some studying to do on the origins & different types of tikis - I just know what I see & what I like. Thanks for the compliments.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks to all you guys for replying to my post. It keeps me revved up for more carving (as soon as my back feels better).

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-09-02 23:33 ]

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-09-03 06:59 ]

Post #112172 by Aaron's Akua on Thu, Sep 2, 2004 11:26 PM