8FT's Frankoma project DONE...Final finished photos NOW!

Are you all having a great summer? I sure hope so.

Well I am starting a new carving and I have decided to handle this latest project just a little differently than I have in the past. Instead of taking progression photos along the way and saving them up until the carving is completely finished before posting them all together, I will be sharing pictures as I go along on this one so you can see what I'm up to and the fun part will be that I am not going to tell you what I am shooting for. Hopefully as I progress the details will be accurate enough to reveal the logs secret identity. I hope to be able to keep working on this fairly regularly because I am really excited about it. However, life happens and time will always be competing with my chisels so wish me luck. I hope it turns out good and that you enjoy the process.
Here's the first shot of the log. It is another sycamore log which I sealed when I got it home. In the picture you can see that I have debarked and begun to square off the ends since they both had very uneven chainsaw cuts from the tree service. Hopefully I won't hack it into an unrecognizable piece of firewood.

I once was lost............but now I'm found

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I like it. The idea that you have, that is. Your log and I share the same "project" headlines. I don't know If I was going to show progress shots or not. I too haven't done the progress shots before. The cool part about it is that its live and TC memebers may swing the outcome.

I thought about your name today cause my project has been scaled to a near perfect seven feet. Man seven is taller than I thought seven was, and I am seven. It was right up there with the ceiling fan!

Okay , thats not fair . Now I am gonna be checking for updates often and may go crazy waiting...

Good luck , cant wait to see it.

Hey 8FT! Is that part of the HUGE log you had in your driveway? (Or is that log still there?) Ya know, you can always PM me or something if you need help moving logs around.

Good Luck with the project!

Hey dude. I already know it will be a sweet tiki when finished. I like the progress shots as you go along

Great idea... you'll keep us all guessing. I think they have Sycamores around here - just might have to try some. Is it pretty good about not cracking too much? What's the name/brand of the black sealer goo that you used?

Silverline, thanks for the offer to help move that big FAT log in the driveway. When that day arrives I will need plenty of help. As I have mentioned before that is 5 feet and about 600 pounds. The log in the pic. above is from a different sycamore tree than the FAT boy and the Pisco.
Now that I have squared off the ends, it is 2 feet tall and still very heavy.

Aaron, the product I used to seal with was an aerosol can of Pruning sealer from the local Ace Hardware and cost me less than $6. It is their brand and is not with the paints but next to the axes and saws. It coats as easy and as fast as spray paint. It is a bit thinner than the old traditional pruneseal that used to come in a quart can. That stuff you had to apply with a putty knife so it was a bit messier. I used the whole can on the 3 new fresh cut hog sized logs I brought home. Hopefully that will help slow the drying and prevent a lot of cracking. I do think sycamore is about as hard as Ash but the cracking is'nt too bad.

In an attempt to keep the progress shots coming, here is what I have done so far.

The work now totals 7 hours of prep and carving time. Sounds like a lot for the progress but time really adds up fast.

Unfortunately after a 2 month drought here we are now in the second week of a dreary RAIN DELAY!!!!

Can't wait to get back out there. Will post more pics when things dry out....

[ Edited by: 8FT Tiki 2005-08-24 20:43 ]

Hey 8 ft, hit us with it as soon as possible...

The rains stopped and I have had a chance to get back out there a couple of times since my last update.
I am now up to 10 hours of work on this one. Will have another update very soon.

looks promising. More pics!

Up to about 14 hours now. This is from Saturday.

I recognize him already! But I won't spill the beans.

Sabu

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy 2005-09-06 22:24 ]

Great job, 8ft. Great to see such artistry peeking out of that log....

I think I know who he is too!!! You are doing a great job!

Hmmmmm, this mystery tiki has me mystified. Maybe we should call Scooby do and the mystery van to come and give is a hand ....

I think I know where your going with it and your right on track.

Cant wait to see more.

8ft, it is really Great to see this tiki unfold. I love the progress shots and it looks like this tiki is really gonna be Sweet.

Yep, I'm pretty sure where this is going, and it's going to look GREAT! How long have you had the idea to do this guy?? It appears we may think alike!

I knew that some of you keen eyed tiki lovers would eventually see something familiar. I just hope I can continue to capture the look I wanted and finish with a face that everyone will recognise. I am trying to be accurate but not using a template or any computer assisted sketches because I'm not that smart. Although I would like to learn. Here's the result of my "Labor Day". Total work time now is 18 hours.

Okay, even I can figure out that one. This will look great - nice choice!

I've made more progress but haven't got a new photo. We were out of town for 3 days and returned to find out that a friend of ours had been murdered. I may have to wait a few days to get back to carving. I tried to do a bit of therapeutic carving this evening but after a few minutes it began to rain. I swear I must be creating some kind of Rain God Tiki.
Until next time, 8FT

Sorry to hear of your loss...

8FT,

Sorry to hear about your friend. Sounds like you could use a good long carving session.

Your secret project is coming along nicely. I like the nose and the work around the eyes. That looks like some very hard wood (many small cracks), what type is it?

-Gman

I finally got some more time to work on the project. I am up to 24 hours now. I think that seems like so much time !! I have never been sure how long I had spent on a previous carving so I wanted to keep track on this one so I could answer when people ask "How long did it take you"?
I guess it will be quite a few more hours to completion but it will be done when I hear him say "I'm done". I am not satisfied with the lips or teeth and a couple of other spots so I will be altering him a bit next.

Looking Awful Sweet there 8ft. I Know I saw this picture somewhere,, now Where was it. Ah yes I remember now.

Down to the details now. About 30 hours so far. This is the most recent shot. Will have more soon.

wow!! that is looking pretty smooth . Cant wait to see it all done.

Sweet carving :)

Now that's looking tight, 8 FT. I know you went about this one a little differently from the get-go just to keep us guessing. Top notch carving! And it's good to know yours take a long time too.

He looks happy now that the mystery is solved. I always can't wait to see them stained, though.

Hi 8ft tiki.I Love it keep up the good work.

Yes I can't wait to see the stain and finish too. You are really getting the detail to Pop.. Excellent post

Thanks to all of you who have posted encouragement. Here are the latest pictures of the back and top. I have decided to make the top to look like it actually has a rim and this should look better when I have completed the job. I am at about 40 hours now and am ready to do some sanding.

YEAAAA!! I was gonna suggest you make it look JUST like the mug, but you're WAY ahead of me!

TOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOL!

Awesome 8'tiki.. 40 hours? You have been goofing off a lot I can see. Standing around admiring your work doesn't count for work time you know. You should have been able to do that in at Least 39 hours, whatz the holdup?
Can't wait to see him painted and done. He's gonna be Schweeeet.
You are going to have to do More stuff like thei.

Carving completed. Now I am doing something new. I decided that since this is supposed to resemble a particular mug, I want to try to have a mug with no cracks.
Therefore, I have applied wood putty to the numerous cracks that have appeared as the wood is drying. Now if you remember the Pisco I did earlier this year, I decided not to putty that one and I think that worked out fine. However, this time I want to see how it may improve this particular piece to have it appear smoother. I am a bit nervous applying this much putty but once it is sanded I will know if I made the right choice. We'll see!

Now here's the War God with his wrinkle cream on. Time to put him to bed until tomorrow when it comes off.

I dont envy the amount of sanding that your going to be doing. Great job so far. What type of paint/stain are you going to use.

That dude's looking fine, 8 ft. He's a sturdy-looking tiki ---- like a brick wall. Great work!

Sweet job 8FT!
Maybe this is a stupid question but will stain be absorbed equally to the filler?
Wes

REALLY nice looking carving, 8ft. Looks just like the mug. YOu started sanding yet?

Aloha. I have indeed finished sanding and wiping off the remaining dust with a tack cloth. For those of you who are wondering about stain and putty, I don't think I would be so bold as to try to stain that much putty on a piece. You could probably get away with a few small spots on a piece but nothing big. Anyway, I never intended to stain this big boy anyway. We always wanted to paint him. SO, Here a few pictures of the Primer phase. Many of you know that this mug was made in different sizes and glazes. Can you guess which color we have selected???

Here- the tiki inspector has arrived.

He is looking closely to see if I have missed a spot.

The final color has been selected and purchased. I should have photos by mid week. Thanks for looking! 8FT

On 2005-10-10 14:57, 8FT Tiki wrote:

Here- the tiki inspector has arrived.

Look at the eyes of that cat - hes either mesmerised or freaked out (or both).

Hell, Im mesmerised by the thing. Dude that looks way sweet. The putty was obviously a good idea. It looks cool as is, but the 'glaze' is gonna really set that thing off. Nice

With the putty all smooth and the primer on it looks like a photo of a unglazed mug. Superb work so far!!

looks even more like the mug now.
Great carving
can't wait to see it finished

It looks so smooth and clean. My vote is firey orange glaze!

aloha 8FT!!! thats a really cool and super clean lines! I like the progression shots it shows the birth of your tiki , keep up the nice carving, aloha money

wow thats amazing I haven't even tried my hand @ arving at this point! The TIKI inspector looks pleased !
It wonderful to see the whole proccess

Frankoma would be freakin proud!!! Nice work 8 ft!!!