Working With Big Logs - 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, Dec 23, 2004 2:13 PM I have a few questions on working with big logs. First, though, I’m going to give you an example how not to do it. Some time ago, Uncle Ben gave me some good tips on how to make a “Big Log” work stand. I’d been doing my carving sitting down, & it was killing my back. On 2004-09-19 23:12, Benzart wrote: When I had my shop under the tiki Hut, I used the bottom of 2 light poles that were 20 inches wide and cut to3 feet tall. I cut a wide fairly shallow v into the top of each one and for large logs used both and for short logs just one would do. Just lay your piece into the V and work away. I also had V's cut into the sides for use with thick logs. Worked well for me. I always appreciate these tips from you pros. Sometimes I just file them away for later… I had a vacation day, so I borrowed my Bro’s truck & went down to a local firewood lot. Coincidentally, a carver was subleasing part of the lot. More on him later… I picked up two 20” dia by 36” tall pieces. The lot guy was nice enough to cut the “V’s” in them & loaded them in the truck with a skiploader. That was the easy part. I got them home thinking I’d just roll them onto a furniture dolly & take ‘em out back. These logs must have weighed 300 lbs each. I rolled one onto my dolly, which promptly cracked in half. I immediately went in the house & took two Aleeves before continuing (preventative). Plan B – just roll ‘em. Not easy, but it worked. The logs just barely fit through my gate. So, I finally did get them where they needed to go, with no back injuries to boot. These will work like a charm. The log is the perfect height for carving without having to bend over. That’s my next project – a 5 foot ficus log, with beautiful grain. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ So, here’s my question. I’d really like to carve a BIG tiki. Maybe 20” diameter or more, 6 feet tall. But if it was this hard to move a couple of 3 footers, how am I going to move a really BIG tiki log? How do you guys do it, logistically? Maybe some special kind of rollers? Just getting one off the truck will be tough. And what’s the max. size that can realistically be handled? Mahalo! Aaron "Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness." -Pablo Picasso [ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-12-23 14:27 ]

I have a few questions on working with big logs. First, though, I’m going to give you an example how not to do it.

Some time ago, Uncle Ben gave me some good tips on how to make a “Big Log” work stand. I’d been doing my carving sitting down, & it was killing my back.

On 2004-09-19 23:12, Benzart wrote:
When I had my shop under the tiki Hut, I used the bottom of 2 light poles that were 20 inches wide and cut to3 feet tall. I cut a wide fairly shallow v into the top of each one and for large logs used both and for short logs just one would do. Just lay your piece into the V and work away. I also had V's cut into the sides for use with thick logs. Worked well for me.

I always appreciate these tips from you pros. Sometimes I just file them away for later…

I had a vacation day, so I borrowed my Bro’s truck & went down to a local firewood lot.

Coincidentally, a carver was subleasing part of the lot. More on him later…

I picked up two 20” dia by 36” tall pieces. The lot guy was nice enough to cut the “V’s” in them & loaded them in the truck with a skiploader. That was the easy part.

I got them home thinking I’d just roll them onto a furniture dolly & take ‘em out back. These logs must have weighed 300 lbs each. I rolled one onto my dolly, which promptly cracked in half. I immediately went in the house & took two Aleeves before continuing (preventative).

Plan B – just roll ‘em. Not easy, but it worked. The logs just barely fit through my gate.

So, I finally did get them where they needed to go, with no back injuries to boot. These will work like a charm. The log is the perfect height for carving without having to bend over. That’s my next project – a 5 foot ficus log, with beautiful grain.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So, here’s my question. I’d really like to carve a BIG tiki. Maybe 20” diameter or more, 6 feet tall. But if it was this hard to move a couple of 3 footers, how am I going to move a really BIG tiki log?

How do you guys do it, logistically? Maybe some special kind of rollers? Just getting one off the truck will be tough. And what’s the max. size that can realistically be handled?

Mahalo!

Aaron

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

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-12-23 14:27 ]

Post #132521 by Aaron's Akua on Thu, Dec 23, 2004 2:13 PM