Post #594843 by TheBigT on Fri, Jun 24, 2011 1:21 PM

On 2011-06-24 06:59, AlohaStation wrote:
Most people on this forum are self-taught and with that, styles and techniques vary. Time is irrelevant unless you have the end goal of selling it - its mostly about the reward of having a nice Tiki. Power tools are faster and chisels give character. I like to use both and depending on what I'm doing the tools often dictate the rate of progress. The type of wood also is a huge variable. Its difficult for me to estimate the amount of time I put into a piece, because I work on them when I can, for however long I can. Often its only a few minutes at a time. It usually takes me a few months for something big - but only a few hours for the small stuff. I also put a lot of time into finishing - sometimes as much time as it took to carve. Carving does get faster the more you do it - your cuts will become deeper and more direct.

If you're interested in learning more - look for local wood carving clubs/shows/classes. All the same principals apply to carving tikis as carving eagles, bears... its how you use the knowledge that will define your style.

Ditto what AS said. Throw whatever tool you have at it to get the job done. If you have a big piece to lop off and have a chainsaw, by all means use that. Don't stand there chipping away one itty bitty chip at a time. :lol:

I too can only work on mine while juggling real life. It's hard to get anything done working a few minutes at a time. It often takes me 20 or 30 minutes just to get into the "flow" and figure out what I'm doing. The angle grinder has really saved me a lot of time on rough sanding. Detail sanders are a life saver too. But mine broke...