TikiMango's Carvings- P31, Bone Hawaiian Tapa Hook - Tiki Carving

T TikiMango Member Satellite Beach, FL Joined: Jun 17, 2008 Posts: 798	T TikiMango Posted posted on Thu, May 7, 2009 10:31 AM I had a great visit with Ed Volonnino (of http://www.edsheadstikis.com) last week. He sent me an email to welcome me to Brevard county, and then invited me over to his house. He's got some wickedly DEEP cuts in all his work, and I am amazed that he manages such fine "bridges" of palm wood without them breaking or chipping off. It was fun hearing some of his early stories of carving (like 31yrs ago) and how his path has crossed with Wayne Coombs' (of http://www.maitiki.com) more than once. He skooled me on how he strips the bark off a palm log with his chainsaw, and showed me his stash of aged logs, many over a year seasoned. I also managed a small trade of two sets of tiki salt & pepper shakers for a bunch of chisels that Ed had no use for, but could not bare to get rid off, and 2 of his aged logs. I think I got the better deal, but don't tell Ed. This Kanaloa is not one of those aged logs. I don't think I would have the patience to wait that long, especially since I have nothing else to do with my time. This carving is 41" tall and 13" in diameter, and was based off of a Cocoa Joe's mini statue of the same name. Dead-on front view. I did an ever so darker stain over the eyes on the headdress. From the almost-side. Not sure if you can see them in these photos or not, but there were a few "bad spots" on this log, and it forced me to change my design several times. I suppose it was palm rot, the wood was dark, dry, and brittle, and no matter how sharp my chisels were I couldn't get a clean cut without a chunk coming lose.

I had a great visit with Ed Volonnino (of http://www.edsheadstikis.com) last week. He sent me an email to welcome me to Brevard county, and then invited me over to his house. He's got some wickedly DEEP cuts in all his work, and I am amazed that he manages such fine "bridges" of palm wood without them breaking or chipping off. It was fun hearing some of his early stories of carving (like 31yrs ago) and how his path has crossed with Wayne Coombs' (of http://www.maitiki.com) more than once. He skooled me on how he strips the bark off a palm log with his chainsaw, and showed me his stash of aged logs, many over a year seasoned. I also managed a small trade of two sets of tiki salt & pepper shakers for a bunch of chisels that Ed had no use for, but could not bare to get rid off, and 2 of his aged logs. I think I got the better deal, but don't tell Ed.

This Kanaloa is not one of those aged logs. I don't think I would have the patience to wait that long, especially since I have nothing else to do with my time. This carving is 41" tall and 13" in diameter, and was based off of a Cocoa Joe's mini statue of the same name.

Dead-on front view. I did an ever so darker stain over the eyes on the headdress.

From the almost-side.

Not sure if you can see them in these photos or not, but there were a few "bad spots" on this log, and it forced me to change my design several times. I suppose it was palm rot, the wood was dark, dry, and brittle, and no matter how sharp my chisels were I couldn't get a clean cut without a chunk coming lose.

Post #452312 by TikiMango on Thu, May 7, 2009 10:31 AM