BENZART's Carvings Second original thread

Leave it to Ben to take a log with a curved end that would intimidate most of us to just cut it off and instead he works it into a most impressive and unique headress. We shouldn't be surprised but once again we are! I think this one is going to be extra-special!

Man, I love the big stuff, and the little stuff and all of it inbetween.
Happy Hanukah master Ben.

Ben, it looks really good. I love the natural curve in the trunk. Cant wait to see him come to life. Great as always.

Thanks again everyone. Here is the latest update

Happy Happy Happy!!!

Little Benz #61 wants to say Aloha to his brother Big Benz #7. He still has the place of honor in my wife's china cabinet.

Since you were the first guy to reply to my first post, I thought it was fitting that #1000 be on yours.

Happy Holidays, Ben!

Aaron

Thanks GMAN,
And Congrats to Aaron for hitting the 1000 mark, way to go and it only took 1 1/2 years rom July'04. I just looked up your first words on TC.
"I am an amature tiki carver in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA." you said and were looking to tradt ACC blocks for tiki carving wood and you showed us your "Easter tiki".
My friend you have come a Long way in that short 18 months and have earned the respect of Everyone here at TC.
HappyHappyHappy

You are the master. Congrats on the future addition to your family Grandpa.

Thanks RT. Almost 9 monthe=s until the pitter patter of little feet around Their house, not ours.

Looks great!

I'm going to steal the post for a second. All the recent carving posts have had green grass, tropical plants, and palm trees in the background. Where are the frostbite carvers?

Back to Ben. Thank you for the study lesson!

They are Frostbit! Happens every year about this time. They try to carve outdoors and leave their fingertips frozen to the logs. Their basement workshops aren't heated so they can't do much carving I guess. Meanwhile we still have green grass and can work outside in 78 Degree weather. It DID get down to 45 last night, but it's back up to 70 so far today.

How do they keep getting better?

Thanks Raffer, it's because I'm still learning. I don't know all the techniques yet and I still have to figure things out as I go. This one is just practice for the next one.

We were all wondering what was going to happen when Ben could see again. I guess the proof is in the pudding!!! Dang! Now we know!

Aloha Ben!!!!!!!!
The tiki is killer my friend and so much more impressive when i got to see it up close and touch it!!!!!
Just incredible lines and flow all from the SOUL!!!!!!!!!
Keep slaying the wood and thanks for sharing with all of us and inspiring us to do better!!!!Mahalo my friend,Aloha ,your friend , Mooney

I'll tell you, I thought I could see SO Well after both eyes were fixed. I can see colors and detail like never before but the doc gave me a script for Bifocals because I couldn't quite read the fine print and my distance vision was out of whack because of macular degeneration symptoms. I picked up the glasses last week and it took a few days to get used to them but WOW, Now I can SEE I Never thought there Was this Much detail to see. I canm see the pixels on the computer screen and most importantly my Depth perception is Way better. Soooo maybe that Has something to do with it.
HappyHappyHappy

Far out Ben!!!!! Congrats on your recovery. Seeing things you remember from before I'm sure. Things are looking really good in the ole garage. The new piece is awesome. We hope you and Mrs. Sherry had a wonderful Christmas and CONGRATS on becoming a new B-Pah!!!!

Wishing you well,

Gary & Trish

Thanks TikiG.
Here are pics from day 4 and 5. The bugger is taking longer than I thought but so far I have only used chisels except for the first day of chainsaw when I did no detail or features.

WOW ben!!!! that guy is turning out amazing.....but it's not surprising since you're carving it. i can't wait to see more.

Good grief! Ben that looks great! How do he do it man???

I've wanted to do a Lono for a long time, but the head dress intimidated me. You chose a bent log to cut it out of and make it so look simple.

JP

Looking at your post (the in progress stuff) always inspires me to get of my duff and carve.

The Big Lono is looking killer.

Thanks for the inspiration

Oh, man. The curved trunk really makes a cool hair pile, huh? Beautiful, as always.

Thanks Tiki50 and GMAN, I appreciate the comps.
JohnnyP, just Go for it. once you get started, it is not that bad.
MAhalos to AlienTiki and Foamy as well.
Here is the day 6 update. didn't do much today, even though I spent the same amount of time. When you start cleaning up the detail and figure out how deep you are going, it gets a little slower and the chips begin to look like shavings instead of chunks.

I dunno Ben, looks like you're getting a bit sloppy! Just kidding. Man that looks clean! For a piece in progress you sure are keeping all the lines, grooves, and details sharp. You're a freak with the macro on your digital camera too. I love seeing the grain in the palm. Thank you for the new pics. :tiki:

-Gman

"The saw is family"

[ Edited by: GMAN 2005-12-30 15:01 ]

holy mackerel....i think i spotted tastebuds on that tongue....always amazed...thanks for posting
the updates Ben....now I gotta get back to work on Kava kava!

The master of detail strikes again...what tools are you using for the detail work on him?

Thanks Again GMAN and Congatiki. And you to Loki. Loki, here are all the tools I have used so far on this guyexcept the chainsaw is not pictured.





Nothing too abnormal. The Foredom Recip handpiece was a Christmas present and I have used it a lot but mostly I have used the hand chisels .

Aloha Ben!
That Lono is looking Pono! Youve really done an awesome job! It reminds of a small lono Tiki Makau I made once and the warrior scowl is absolutely perfect! Keep up the great work Ben!

Malama Pono!

I wish my toolbench looked like that with all the quality tools! But even if it did my stuff would not even approach yours. It just keeps getting better and better. How much working time from the last update to this one?

JP

Lookin' real good. I love the curves you put in, especially on the tongue, it just flows.

How are you going to decide which tools to bring to the Coon-tiki gathering?? and how will we have enough time to see you demonstrate them all??? I can't wait to find out!

Thats a Hard question, How do I leave Any tools home? It will be a tough decision what to bring and what to leave. I will bring tools for BigBenzart carvings, since I would need my whole jewelers bench and all those tools for small pieces. I guess I will just bring as much as I can.
FunFunFun

Benz rocks!

Ooooo. Ye' ol' Big Bag o Benz o Tricks are not in a tool bag, but rather in WISDOM!!!

hi ben i am loving this one it is awesome.

ThanksBooBenThe tricks and tools help too though.
Marcus, thanks. Heres more for your viewing pleasure

Aloha Ben!!!!!!!!!!
I was getting a little low on the Benzart fix!! The LONO is looking AWEASOME my friend !!!! Thanks for sharing with us and keep sculpting with that fordom. Little hannah (our 4 and a half ) year old was wondering how aunt sherry and uncle ben were. Aloha , Mooney

Ben, that's beautiful once again....like you carved it out of "butta"! They just get better......

Hot damm Ben!! He's lookin alive, like he's just about to kick some major butt.

Ben, he really is looking ship shape. Question. Do you sand during the carving process or wait until your done cutting? He looks so smooth. I cant seem to get mine so smooth until the final sanding.

I was wondering the same thing as Loki. Yours looks so smooth and more refined than most completed tikis.
JP

Benz,

I see the grooves starting on his chin. I'm smiling from ear to ear! He is really going to be something else. A most excellent project, and a great use of an odd shaped log! Do you have any ideas on how you want to finish him out? Light, dark, natural? Thanks for posting more the pics.

-Gman

Thanks JimmyM, Tell lil Hannah, we are still kickin' for old folks. Glad you got your "fix" today

Sam, I Wish I could be carving out of butter, this coconut log is fairly tough, but a PLEASURE to carve. I'm enjoying it. Thanks for the props

Finky, He's starting to Squirm a bit. He didn't like that Chisel on his butt a bit. He's gonna be kickin' MY Ass if I don't hurry him up a bit. Thanks for the comps too.

Loki, thanks for the kind words, Sometimes I will use a grinder before the whole thing is done, Even though I know I shouldn't. Sanding impregnates the wood with silicate's which destroy chisels. Sometimes I just can't wait to see how it is going to look and I break the rules a bit.

Johnny And Loki, a lot of the smooth surfaces you see are from chisel alone. you can get a very smooth finish without sandpaper. it takes a little more effort, but it saves eating all that dust. Using a #3sweep gouge, flat side down produces a fine finish on a rounded surface. Try it, you Can do it.

GMAN, he is going to receive some detail you wouldn't expect on a man of his stature.
At this point, I'm not sure how he will finish out, maybe a Dark Mahogany. Thanks for the props, I Need all those I can get.

This tiki is being such a Pleasure to work. The wood just about molds itself.
Thanks everyone for all the kind words and encouragement-you have given me.
HappyHappyHappy

Here is todays update. All I did was work on the headdress. I was just gonna clean it up and got carried away.

Ben calls it "carried away", I call it Brilliant!

On 2006-01-04 12:03, Loki wrote:
Ben calls it "carried away", I call it Brilliant!

Couldn't have said it better.
I'll have whatever Ben's having in hopes to obtain a little of the brilliance.

YOW! Benzart The Wizard does it again. And I said carving 3-d animals is more difficult than carving a tiki. Sheesh, not THAT tiki.

All I can say is WOW. you are the master