Carving Basics and questions - Tiki Carving

TLT The Lounge Tiki Member Chiwai'i (Chicago) Joined: May 10, 2009 Posts: 91	TLT The Lounge Tiki Posted posted on Fri, May 15, 2009 10:36 PM Aloha! I have been reading around this section getting ideas of tools to use to carve and some design ideas. However, I searched around, and I can't seem to find answers to some questions I have. Any help would be greatly appreciated. What's a good way to keep wood from drying up and splitting once I've started carving a tiki that will take more than a day or two? Are the regular chisels you can get at menards with one side at angled okay to carve with? Or should I grind the tip to something else? What is a generally good type of finish to put on a tiki? I was thinking stain under polyurethane, but I was wondering if there's a more durable finishing soloution. I still have a while since I'm still trying to get some wood (heh) and nobody is having a tree removed right now. Once again, any advice is greatly appreciated. -LT

Aloha!
I have been reading around this section getting ideas of tools to use to carve and some design ideas. However, I searched around, and I can't seem to find answers to some questions I have. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

What's a good way to keep wood from drying up and splitting once I've started carving a tiki that will take more than a day or two?
Are the regular chisels you can get at menards with one side at angled okay to carve with? Or should I grind the tip to something else?
What is a generally good type of finish to put on a tiki? I was thinking stain under polyurethane, but I was wondering if there's a more durable finishing soloution.

I still have a while since I'm still trying to get some wood (heh) and nobody is having a tree removed right now. Once again, any advice is greatly appreciated.

-LT

Post #454306 by The Lounge Tiki on Fri, May 15, 2009 10:36 PM