Post #510242 by AlohaStation on Tue, Feb 9, 2010 6:08 PM

Thanks for all the compliments - they keep me motivated. The tikis were straight when I started - I swear - obviously they weren't happy with their posture and as they dried the wood warped. It does give them a very organic feel.

Mango - I don't know if the tikis are drunk, but I did notice my rum stash is starting to dwindle.

BTS and Nutzo - The logs were very fresh from trees that were probably over 40'. The Coconuts were a dream to carve very soft and moist (I would compare it to carving an apple - easy and wet). The issue came when I left them to dry. I knew there would be issues but I wanted to see if I could overcome some of the disadvantages. If you split the logs in half and remove the core the logs dry nicely. However, you do need to either brace or use something to hold the logs flat while they dry. The base of the logs dries well while the main stalk of the tree has a core of the stringy fibers (this may be different for different species of coconuts). Standing dead palms would be my choice next time.

laojia - Not dry rot - the opposite - too much moisture!

Benz - stop it, I'm blushing. I don't know about SFL article, but maybe something about Garage carvers (or hobbyists).

Lake - I haven't had to much luck with palm and agree with you about carving hard wood. The problem I run into is the logs are always wet or the bark is nightmare or the fibers don't hold detail... That's why I really enjoy working on the Mahogany. I'm very fortunate to have those trees growing around me locally!

Now I have to get busy and finish sanding - sanding - sanding - sanding...