Post #68163 by keigs20 on Wed, Jan 7, 2004 5:29 PM

Laney- not bad for your first ones. I usally draw out what I want to carve on a big piece of poster paper. the same size as you want the tiki. I then cut out the lines on the paper and make a template. Make it so when you wrap it around the post everything is in the spot where you want it. Wrap it aound the post and tack it then use spray paint to sray on the design on the wood. Then carve away or draw it on the post with a marker. Bill always says the deeper you carve the better. Straight cuts are what he started out doing like the tikis you carved but the more you do it you find you can flip your chainsaw different ways for different cuts. Practice on a piece of wood you dont care about. I use the tip of the chainsaw most. The smaller the tip of the bar the better. When using the tip of the bar watch out for kickback hold the chainsaw tight. I do have the book you are talking about and can send you pics. But the best way to learn is just do it and figure out the different ways to do different cuts. Hope this makes sense and helps. Email me and I will send you some pics.