Post #603213 by cy on Fri, Aug 19, 2011 5:20 PM

Yo tikicoma- I would say by all means start in on that piece of doug fir. I am about to do the same and can't wait to see how it carves. I use mostly cedar because that is what is available to me, and have had quite a few of them outdoors for 5- 10 years. I paint them with 3-4-5 coats of a good marine varnish and they have held up great against the elements. Make sure you seal top and bottom especially well and then place your tiki on some kind of foundation instead of directly in the dirt. (bricks work well) There is going to be decay no matter what but we are all going down that path, and I think age adds personality. The tiki you picked should go pretty smoothly and would suggest doing as much as possible with a chainsaw. Then go in with chisels to really get him dialed in. Good luck and don't over think, just dive in.