Post #729669 by Fastbackadam on Wed, Oct 15, 2014 1:34 AM

Tikiskip, aloha station and big t thanks for the advice and kind words,I will admit at first I was a little discouraged about my carvings, help, and carving palm in general. In the light of everyone's replies and suggestions and opinions, I went ahead and tried to save this thing. I mean hell, people build furniture using glue screws nails clamps saws etc, so why can't I make this guys feet hold him up. Removing more and more of the wood as I carved definitely helped lighten him up. After the glueing, and a ratchet strap and a drill bit and a dowel, and a lot of procrastinating I figured it's time to make a move and it will either work or it won't.. I cut the dowel, half ass sanded where the dowel went through and stood the guy up, and he stood on his own! After a little bit or sanding the base to make it a little more flat, I stained the entire thing with minwax espresso. After a couple days and researching glues, epoxies, considering fiberglass resin, and the minwax wood hardener, I saw something called epoxy resin. It's basically the stuff you see on bar tops, and tables. Looks like 100 coats of lacquer or poly is super hard and super glossy. I bought a kit at Home Depot as well as some pine to make a small bottom base to make him more stable, and also stiffen up the feet even more. A few well placed 2.5" screws and more glue, and epoxy resin I think it's stronger then the wood ever was! Now considering it was like $25 I figured it's worth a try, and I've always been curious what was on bar tops cuz it looks bad ass.. So I have it a go, and I must say I am impressed. I poured it in the cracks, and all over the base, leaving the bottom of this guy glossy, and the base epoxied to the screwed and glued tiki! I will attach some pics, an I also applied my first coat of poly tonight, but didn't want to cover te epoxy resin with poly until I make sure they are compatible as far( as adhesion goes). Again thanks for the help, and I can't wait to see this guy fully finished and in the sun. In the mean time I found some discarded pine boards and made a few moai cutout wall hangers.




Thanks Fastbackadam