Post #234811 by AlienTiki on Tue, May 30, 2006 6:05 PM

I stepped into the modern age with my new digital camera but my carvings are still very much primitive. Well as primitive as the next carver. I have yet to meet the carver that uses a stone adz in the traditional method. (Hawaiian,Tongan, Haoli or whatevas). Matter of fact most Tongan carvers I've met here on Maui use power tools.
I never said traditional methods,That would just be an exercise in futility.

Tikigap: I'll use a cow hide when it's finished. Most of these drums I've seen use cow hide.

This is the too I used to hallow it.

As you can see it's just a pipe and a modified chisel.

It allows me to get deep enough on either side. the sound puka at the bottom is important and I know mine will not be perfect. Imagine dropping a big funnel into the top of the drum. the funnel sits about mid way down or were the acrobatic tikis start. That is the shape of the inside I need to achieve.

In this last image you can see the drill hole where I predrilled after hallowing and before the hook knife treatment.

JohnnyP: Thanks. The inside is quite porous. when I started it was still real wet. The sharp chisel sliced right through it. The outside edge is hard though and hopefully thats where the sound will really resonate.

These drums have been made in Hawaii and Tahiti out of coconut palms or the wood of the Ulu(breadfruit tree)

Mahalo

http://www.eibass.com

[ Edited by: AlienTiki 2006-05-30 18:06 ]

[ Edited by: AlienTiki 2006-05-30 18:08 ]