Help! I am lost!

Hi all! I recently bought a tiki and I can't get enough! I want to make my own, but I don't even know where to start. I have been searching around the forum for about an hour but am looking for a good place to start. I have never carved ANYTHING before or used chisels or anything. I have been sketching out tikis on paper and I can't wait to start carving! Is there any books or threads that can help me get started? Any ideas would be much appreciated!

There's always the chainsaw method? :)

First of all, welcome to TC. Sounds like you have been missing the forest because of the trees. (your answer has been right in front of you) Look at the FIRST thread at the top of the "Creating Tiki" forum. By the time you read through that, you should be much more informed. And as has been said many times here on TC, the best advice is to buy some quality chisels and start carving!
You can do it! Good luck and don't forget to post your results in photos we can see here.

So, should I start off small with chisels, or go for the gusto with dremmels and chainsaws? Remember, I have never chipped off a piece of wood in my life, LOL.

Hey, welcome to this wonderful place. For my first (and like you, I had the fever bad) I went to Sears and bought the ole 3 pack of chisels and a rubber mallot. I found plenty of palm wood as I reside in Florida and mother nature knocked down a few for us. You can use nearly any wood type. I have seen cypress, pine, birch, even ficus. It doesn't matter much. I chose a 45" cocoa palm log, used a thick sharpie to outline the features, and started carving the moai like icon seen on "my first log" thread. You have to stand back and look at what your doing often. When you do that, more features and angles for carving appear to you. Don't be afraid to go deep. You want the features to stand out. I must have cut 40 lbs off of the featured log and now, it doesn't seem like I cut enough, but, I am on to # 2, so start with what you want first as far as size. Don't be afraid. There is so much awesome, yet, friendly talent here. Post what you are doing. You will be fine. Mahalo!

I have also just started and found that once you make the first cut - you will be hooked. I just finished my first and will be starting on the second very soon.

Welcome L.A.F.T.,

8FT's right about the Carving Post.

Also go here for answers to all of your tools questions:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10451&forum=7&42

I'll try to scrounge up some more good stuff for you, AlohaStation, & McTiki soon. I'm enjoying all of your first efforts, as others have mine. Keep posting!

Aloha,

Aaron

"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-10-21 13:46 ]

Some people carve foam (similar to styrofoam)which you can get at home depot. I haven't tried this yet (its on the list) but it might be an easy way and cheap way to get started & practice and you would get results quickly too. I've seen some painted foam tikis that I would SWEAR were wood until somebody picks them up.

Anyway, hope it helps!

a word of advise for beginners. please do not jump into chainsawing, if you have never used one before. the results can be fatal. many people die every year from chainsaw accidents. there is alot of unexpected kickback. I do alot of my work with a couple good sharp double edge chisels. around $30 each but takes alot of the work out of it. I do use chainsaws but try to be very cautious.

Here also is some material that's great for beginners, but may not be so easy to get unless you're really motivated. Read the post & you'll see what I mean. Is it worth a trip to AZ? Well, that's what I did, & had a good time on the way, stopping overnight in Laughlin for some gamblin' and fun on the way back to SoCal. For those on the East Coast, there is a listing of Mfr.'s around the U.S.

Check the post:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10055&forum=7&6

And here's a few tikis that I carved from it:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10218&forum=7&27

This stuff got me through my first few tikis & got me ready for working with wood. Maybe it will work for you as well.

Cheers!

Aaron

Wow, thanks guys for all the help. Looks like I need to just get in there and do it! I have been sketching like crazy, I will be sure to post my first tiki!

Well?? We are waiting for LoveAtFirstTiki's first tiki. time to quit sketching and put the chizels to the wood. Come on, we will help but you gotta make the first cut..