A-A… Some Stuff I'm Working On

Yeeowza! that's one fine tiki. I missed the last update. Great looking tiki!

Holy crap! :o That is a damn fine tiki! You are sooo talented.

Mahalo Will, Polynesiac, & Finkdaddy. Your good thoughts keep my chisels humming!

(or reciprocating if you want to get technical about it...)

Dang your skills are strong... There's definitely a step or two up on this guy too- he may take a little longer but the detail and quality will be worth it!!! Looking great!!!

You guys gotta quit tellin him he's so good. He will raise his prices and refuse to work anymore. He is getting a swellled head already and look at the week he just took off, see he's starting already...
Not, Aaron, excellent work.

Aiiiiieeeeee! The peer pressure is killing me! I gotta get this sucker done!

Thanks Skully & Ben. :)

Ever since I got back from San Felipe, work has been crazy. I worked 21 days straight, then finally got “comped” a weekday off after the last deadline was met. Of course I spent the whole day carving and sanding, which is my favorite way of relaxing.

Lono is all rough sanded. Now he’s ready for more detailing.

I did all of the sketching and layout for the detail on the headpiece uprights, logo on the back, & nameplate on the front.

I also got to try out my new Porter-Cable contour sander, which uses these little rubber wedgies with stick-on sandpaper.

I think I’m going to be pretty happy with it…

And hopefully avoid this problem from now on….

More to come…

A-A

what a great day...everyone is posting such fine updates...
great tiki...love everything about it.

Brother Aaron; i was just outside cutting the grass, thinking that i need to PM you to see where ya been... that really bites when work gets in the way of carving.. but man, when you carve, you CARVE! very nice lono! i see you're spending some of that overtime cash on some new toys....

can't wait to see it finished!

those pics knocked me sideways! Awesome update - that lono is looking GREAT!!! YOu got the 3 dimensions down pat and that headress looks really cool too. the pattern will only add to an already outstanding tiki.

THat corner sander looks swell...

Terrific Tiki (as Per Use)!

Look at those gloves AA...ruined a perfectly good pair of gloves. No.9 is spectacular, and it's not even done. I'm soooo jealous of your power tools you're acquiring.

Man, your talents are so well proven, I don't think you need a computer printed/guided plan for help... You've got the skills to just go for it! Sweet lookin' tiki!

Dude,

That Lono is all aces! The braids are awesome! Top notch stuff. I can't wait to see him with a finish on him. Great Work!

Aaron-
That guy is looking really nice. It is so clean and crisp.
Keep up the good work my man.
Later,
Spermy

Aaron, Looking Good! Isn't that Porter Cable Detail Sander Awesome! I love mine. I also have the Dremel Detail sander and it is just as Cool. The attachments on the Dremel Sander are a little Smaller just for some of those hard to reach places.

I was looking at getting one of those sanders , now I will for sure. Amazing work as always AA.

Another sweet little tiki you got there. Again the style is nice and clean. Cant wait to this one finished. Those arent mountain biking gloves are they?

Aaron, I Love the updated Lono. The Signature is Excellent as are the added designs on the headdress. The Headdress is really unbelivable, I like your solution with the square post look in the center.. It looks heavy duty and not about to break off anywhere. The hair and tieback are Awesome originals you can be very proud of. The Whole carving is one to envy and to be proud of. Some Lucky SOB better enjoy it..
Very Well Done

Sweet Lono Aaron!!!

Thanks Conga, Palama, Polynesiac, Slacks, Surfintiki, Kahaka, GMAN, Spermy, Tikimecula, Rodeo, Hewey, Benzart, & McTiki.

Tikimecula, I’ll have to check out that Dremel detail sander. But I might have to sell some more tikis first. I think I’ve already borrowed all the equity from Lono.

Hewey, I had to toss those gloves – got tired of taping up my fingers!

Ben, it will be hard to part with this one, but the lucky SOB lives right next door so I will have visitation rights.

Mahalo All!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I was starting to get to the “sick of looking at this tiki” stage till I did the detail carving this weekend. I’m going to echo what Ben has said elsewhere – these reciprocating chisels are awesome. The ease of use, speed and control make it a whole different way of carving. I was able to do all of the uprights, logo & nameplate in a couple of hours while my son was getting his afternoon nap. And got some sanding done too.

So Lono quit telling me he’s done and now he’s demanding more detail. Who am I to argue? More detail it is…

Aaron

Hahahaha these guys will do that to ya - the whiley little buggers. I cant wait to see it man

(Im still blown away by the fact you do it in a park. I know I couldnt motivate myself to do that)

Hey AA,
This is an awesome thread – heaps of great pics, advice and technique tips (oh and a hell of a lot of awesome tikis too!) – I’ve gained a lot of knowledge - as I’m sure many others have too - in order to have a crack at a carving myself. Keep up the brilliant work.
Cheers,
Harro.

Hey-ya hewey. Yeah, the problem is the more you detail 'em, the whylier they get. As far as the park goes, It feels pretty natural because I never carve indoors or in the garage, even at home on the weekends. You should try it!

Harro, welcome to the board, and thanks for the comps. If you want to learn how to carve this is the right place. Get yourself a log and whatever tools you can muster. Have a go at it, start a new thread, post lots of pics and ask lots of dumb questions. We will answer them all because it makes us feel smart. Eventually you'll run out of questions and everyone will think you've got all the answers. By then you'll be carving outrageous tikis and all of your non-tiki friends will think maybe you're onto something after all. Good luck, and I for one will help out however I can. I know from experience that everyone else here will too.

Cheers,

A-A

The Recripro-carver strikes again. Aaron I'm Loving the added detail to our Lono. Funny how different tools can change your perception of "Finished, Done, complete, huh? (Said with a smirky smile);)

Yes, Ben I know what you mean. I could go on & on and put beautiful Moko all over this tiki. But I already blew my first deadline (my neighbor's husband's birthday), so now she wants it for Christmas. And there's no way I'm going to keep this thing going that long. So, here's the plan: I'm detailing the sides of the uprights to match the fronts, then I'm going to carve the dreads into braids (gotta do it), and last I'm going to give the base a pebbly texture using the ball shaped burr. And that is IT. Honest... :wink:

Aaron came by today.. so I got to see Lono up close and personal... HE IS AWESOME!!! Even better in person. Great job Aaron.. someday I hope to get close...

Thanks, Dave. I had a great time talking tiki, tools & home brew. We'll definitely hook up again sometime, maybe have a litle carving session. Mahalo for having me over - I really enjoyed seeing your tikis in person.

Aaron

Here’s some further advancements in my evolution of Lono…

The cracking in this log is advancing at an alarming rate. I showed this one to my neighbor, who commissioned the piece. She seemed a little iffy on the huge crack down the front, so I offered to carve her another instead at a later date using something more stable. This one I’ll keep as our own “Ohana Tiki”. I think the cracking will look okay, as I’m going to use an aged look for the stain & finish. It should all tie in together. All the same, I think I’ll go through my stockpile and convert all the cracked looking logs into firewood. Carving wood takes time, finding wood is not really a problem. If you are going to put lots of time into a carving, you should probably use the best material you can find.

I’ve finally taken the oft given advice of doing a small sample piece to test the stain. The Red Mahogany stain on the left will be for the body & face, the hair tie, and the middle parts of the headpiece. The Ebony stain on the right will be for the uprights, hair, frame around the eyes, and the pedestal. The textured tile triangles will go in as eyes, inset down into the wood.

Hopefully I’ll be able to post some pics of the staining process in a week or so, then final “Finished Projects” pics soon after, right before my Ohana & I leave for Maui on vacation to rest, relax, & charge up the ole’ “A-A” batteries.

Cheers!

A-A

AA,

I've noticed that the wetter you keep the log, the less likley it is to crack. So when it's not raining I hose it down on a daily basis. Just the opposite of what I originally thought.

Superb detail and style is the sweetest I've seen in some time ( other that Ben of course) Thanks for sharing Personally I like the checking and cracks it tends to give a more warrior like quality.

AA, it looks amazing . I have started carvings that had worse cracking. I also like the cracks it gives a little extra character in my opinion.

Aaron-
That guy looks awesome!!! I really like the cracks it totally gives him a old feel. I really like the details that you gave him as well. The braids in the back look killer!!! I can't wait to see him all stained up!!
Rock On,
Spermy

WOW! Jeeez, Aaron, you've only been carving for a short time but you are at the top of your game.

AA,

Your neighbor is missing out on an awesome piece. Too bad she passed. Wood cracks, period, especially large pieces. To slow the cracking I've tried wetting it, as mentioned above, bagging it to keep some more moisture in (watch out for mold), and covering it with a heavy blanket (as suggested by Benz when I asked him about cracking). I agree with everyone else - the carving is perfect in every way with or without cracks. Most of us will never own a carving near as beautiful as your lono. It is what it is! Keep it for yourself and be proud :)

-Gman

Aaron, Your Lono is superb! No, it's better than that.
When it is completely finished you can count on this thread filling up with a ton of OMG'S!!!!! You've earned that trip and I know you will seek out and photo many Tikis in Hawaii. Have a great time and bring back some inspiration for us. Hope to meet you next Spring in TN at Camp carve-a-lot! 8FT

I agree with everyone here that Lono is incredible! It is truly a beautiful piece of art Aaron. Your client is missing out big time. If I did something that good I wouldn't want to part with it ever.
I have some small logs that I debarked and brought in and they now need to go into the fireplace this winter. They have checks all over them.
Wesley

Aarons, AWESOME is all I can think to say.
But then a Lot more words come out thet I can't type up here.
You are a Dangerous man woth your tools and spirit and your gift. This by far wil be the nices tiki you have ever done. You should be proud, Very Proud.
Of course you have a chance to Blow it big time with the stains but that Ain't gonna happen. You should have him stained in 1 or 2 days at the most. whatz this waltz about a few weeks???. We're carvers and artists you're talkin to here not the customer????.Just throw the can of stain on it, lat it sit and wiiipe it off then do the other colors, Eazy!
Who is the luckky person getting this gem?

Aaron, i feel like i'm looking at a Benzart work of art... superb job!

your neighbor is cracked if she doesn't take that lono!

Man, that carvings nice! I love it. The detials are super sweet

Way to go my man. Great job. Can surely tell you spent alot of extra time on this one. Kudos to you!

Very very nice Aaron.

That Lono is fantastic. Your nieghbor is really going to regret that decision.

I went to the local Woodcraft store and spoke with one of the guys that work there - he showed me a bowl he had turned on the lathe that had a huge crack in it (it was made from a green/non-dried peice of Mahogany). In the crack he had put a combination of saw dust and glue. Then he continued to turn the bowl on the lathe. When he was done finishing the bowl the crack looked like it was part of the wood. Has anyone else here seen or heard of this?

hey aaron the lono is the TOPS! I love the detail you worked in there, it really adds a ton of character to the piece. Very well done, and still more to come!

Love the adged looking pics too.

Mahalo to all for the great feedback, props & comps.

Raffertiki: Thanks, I heard this same method from Will (SC Tiki Shack). He sprays his logs down every night.

GMAN: Thanks also for the different tips on preventing cracks. I think the problem is that I keep my log & tools in the back of my SUV till it’s done. It wouldn’t make sense to load & unload every night because I carve in the park at lunch just about every day. Maybe the different temperatures in the car throughout the day make the problem worse, I’m not sure. I always wrap the log in a towel, but maybe I’ll try the bag. Hosing it down every day wouldn’t work too well for me.

Palmcitytiki & Palama: Thanks for the Benzart comparisons, though totally undeserved (there is no comparison!). Nevertheless I’ll take that as BIG comps, as big as you could ever ask for. Mahalo!

Rodeo, Spermy, & Moondance: Thanks for the comps!The cracks are no big deal to me. I think it will look cool with the antique stain effect. I don’t mind keeping this one at all. My neighbor actually would have bought it anyway, but I talked her out of it. She wanted it to go outside on the deck, and I know it will just continue to split in the outside conditions no matter what I put on it. So I’m going to use plain varnish or spray lacquer and keep it indoors where the cracks will fare better. She’ll get another tiki; it will just take more time.

Jungle Trader: Your high praise is much appreciated. I see lots of things that could improve on this one, but you know how that goes. Each carving is a learning experience. Thanks, you’re awesome, Bro.

8 Ft: Mahalo to you! Hopefully I’ll see some good authentic tikis that I can photo and post up for you guys. I will be sure to get straight front & side shots on the good ones. I am really leaning toward doing more traditional tikis. For me that’s where it’s at. I like the idea of getting the best source photos (old, original tikis carved by indigenous peoples), then put a modern tiki spin on it where I can. That’s my plan. I have yet to purchase "Oceanic Arts", but got a good look at the book at Doubravski's place a while back. This is a great book for real traditional tiki photos.

Ben: Now you know me better than that! But I love it when you mess with me. The 2-tone stain is always touch & go, being the last thing you do. But if it doesn’t work out I’ll just stain the whole thing with both colors & make it purple. :) Boy I thought I didn’t have much extra time for carving before. Now I’m a “Soccer Dad” with even less time!

Hewey & McTiki: Mahalo guys – I love seeing your work too. Thanks again!

Tiki G.: Your support is really appreciated. Thanks again for posting all the great pics from Hukilau. They made me green with jealousy.

AlohaStation: I’ve thought about filling in the cracks, but just couldn’t do it. I think with tikis the wood should have it’s way. It’s all part of the character. Mahalo on the props!

Polynesiac: Thanks – I was trying the “sepia” filter on a new camera I just picked up. I like the effect a lot. Kind of like an old vintage postcard.

Cheers,

A-A

Oh, and by the way 8 FT... I meant to say also that I am totally looking forward to the big carving seminar. Negotiations are going well on the home front (all married carvers should know exactly what I'm talking about). It looks like I will see you, Swanky, Ben, Danny, BK, and hopefully many of the other "Creating" forum regulars (and newbies) at camp carve-a-lot in the wilds of Tennessee.

Just curious... who's thinking about attending?

I will be there for sure.
Wes

Aaron... love the new details. Speaking of books, there is a book I just got that is a mustto go along with Oceanic Arts. Its called Hawaiian Sculpture, by J. Halley Cox and William H. Davenport. It has lots of original Hawaiian tikis as well as good background on their creation and use.