Johnnyp Tut 2/19

That knife is fantastic. Can't wait to see the next piece.

Super work. Is that oak?

ONOL!!!

Thank you guys.

Pappy yes this was made of red oak. If you are going to try this use a different wood. It wasn't that oak is too hard, it was that it is very brittle between the grain and was difficult the get a smooth cut.

Gman NONO!!!!! Maybe. OK

JP

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2006-03-04 06:26 ]

!!!!SEY SEY ONOL

Gman

Well, I debated about posting the rough-out of a lono.

Then you asked again

So here is the lono rough out of pine. Needs a lot of work as you can see. A long way to go.

:lol: :lol: :lol:
JP

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2006-03-04 07:32 ]

Smart ass!!! :wink:

I think that is your best piece yet! :lol:

-Gman

Hi.
Gman knows I’ve been holding out, hence the joke earlier. With hesitation I am going to post. Earlier in this thread Benzart told me to challenge myself with something I didn’t think I can do. I thought for a long time and finally I asked Benzart for permission to copy one of his Lonos as they are incredible masterpieces. What I am showing is a learning tool based on a lesson plan Benzart has established. Benzart has shown us wonderful step by steps and through that processes I am going to try to learn. This is my homework. When it all said and done, I hope to be a better carver. Posting here where everyone can see will make me carve much more carefully than I would normally because everybody has already seen what a true master (Benzart) did.

Here goes nothing. Heavy criticism wanted. Tips and Techniques wanted. Candy coating not required.

Here is the rough out of the lono. Pine log. Only chainsaw and some light angle grinder at this stage. It was too wet to go much further so it sat inside for a week. It dried an amazing amount in a week inside and is ready for further work.

Thanks

JP

JohnnyP,

Way to go! I can't wait to see the progress shots on this guy to see what you do with him. He looks great so far!

-Gman

Lookin' real good there... that'll be a keeper.

I see a Dewalt. Nice choice.
After burning up other grinders I got the Dewalt. It takes everything I can dish out and more.

Good luck!

JP, this is going to be fun. What a great challenge. It would be cool if we could all step up to the challenge and try this. Assuming Benz wouldnt mind. Best of luck JP and keep up the great step by step.

JP, Good work, Would'nt it be easier as an ice carving?
70 and sunny here.
Have fun,

Thanks guys.

Lakesurfer. I've been happy with the Dewalt. I did burn one up already but it was my fault. I used an extension cord that was the wrong gauge.

Loki thanks for the support. I just hope I can meet Benzart's expectations.

Tfisheart 35 degrees here. Its a heatwave. I envy you guys in the south.

We had a small accident in the kitchen yesterday and broke one of our hurricane glasses. Only the base shattered off the stem leaving the rest of the glass undamaged. As I was tossing it into the trash a vision popped into my head. This is what I came up with. A drink holder thing. I thought it was neat concept and I might make a complete set with different faces.

Other than this it has been a real unproductive carving weekend.

JP

good luck with the Benz-Lono Johnny....I am confident that you are up to the challenge.....it will
be fun to watch the progress....now make sure you get a little Johnny P in there too.

JohnnyP,

You're a stronger man than me, I would have been out hammering on that Lono with the saw - even in the snow! Or were you, and you're just holding out on everyone - again???? Hmmm. Nice glass holder BTW :)

-Gman

Cool first makings of a lono - the text was funny too :)

The glass in that tiki holder is half full isnt it?

JohnnyP,

It's time man! Get your electric undies on and get working on that Lono. I'm jonesing! I need more pics. Have you finished roughing out his body yet? We need to see...c'mon! I'm seriously digging it so far.....

-Gman

I'm with these guyz, I think you are holding out on us, sandbagging. Not only that, it looks like you are having too much fun doing this, I thought it was supposed to be Hard work and all and here you are laffin and joking around like it's fun?.

!!!sciP onoL weN

Thanks for encouragement guys.

The weather kind of cooperated with me this weekend so I did get some carving in amungst the yardwork. I even got some time in for a dip in the pool.
Remember this is a loose copy of Benzart's lono I am learning with. I have to say I spend more time looking at his work trying to figure out how to make the cuts and how to approach it than I did actually carving. I have a tremedous amount of respect for his ablility. What he makes look easy I've already screwed up several times. Here goes.

Heated it isn't.
Warm it isn't.

JP

JohnnyP,

The Lono looks SWEET! He's on his way to being a real classy piece. You've really learned a lot by watching Benz, but the skill is all yours. Congratulations on the new piece. I can't wait to see more.

As for the pool, you're lucky you didn't get stuck to it :wink: I think mine is cooled down some also, I believe it is under 80 now. :(

-Gman

"The saw is family"

[ Edited by: GMAN 2006-03-14 18:32 ]

JP, that pic of the pool is damn funny. That grin you have is a classic.

Lono is looking good. I have had a quick lesson from Benz about the head dress and i know his secret. Not that i could do it, but ask Ben about "boobs" and that might help explain how its made.

Very nice! I really like the headdress.

nice update Johnny.....it's gonna be a good one. looks like a
chilly dip in the pool!

Michigan certainly has the craziest weather. Sunday, it was 70 and snowed all in the same day.

Looks like a great staking rink.

Hey JohnnyP, I'm really Impressed man! You are doing a Sweet job on this guy. I think it's Cool that you are doing the curluques in the headdress. You have the face going on really well too. All aroundit is Not Only a nice lono, It's a Nice Benzart Lono. Congrats!

Nice going Johnny P! If I was trying to carve, I'd be studying the Benzart thread ever so closely myself. I can see some Ben-fluence there.... Great work!

Thank you all.

That picture of the pool was taken 10 seconds before I broke through the ice.

Loki I am going to have to ask Ben about the headress.

Benzart- I'm tryin' but I've got a long long way to go.

John

You get the ten seconds after photo? Thats the one to see.

Aloha Bruddah!
Howzit Polar Bear?! BRRRRR!!! Nice work on the lono brah! When the kahuna Benz gives you props, you know youre doing a pono job! So, you like da kine Peter Buck books, yeah? Glad you like them cuz...Theyre gonna help you out tremendously and if youre like me, youll beat the hell out of the copies you have now and have to reorder! Im on my 3rd set! (I do have an original set from the first printing which stays in storage, but the ones I use at the studio get abused by over-use!)
Keep up the good work cuz...Cant wait to see your weaponry now!

Malama Pono!

ps
Did you ever hook up with any Koa? Let me know if not cause I have few more suppliers for you...

Thank you Kaha ki'i. Teakey- no there is no 10 seconds later picture.

Here is the update on the Benz inspired Lono. Mostly done with the carving, now just a lotta clean up work and whole lot of sanding. There were some issues with the log, so I started off on my own and just used Benzart's for reference. I have learned a tremendous amount. After you walk a few steps in his shoes you learn what a master of this he is. I wish I could go to Coontiki and learn from the true professors of this business.

The next I'm somewhat embarrassed to show. After going through Gman's thread and seeing a tiki he made I came across a log that had the right, um, feature. This dude is just a quick chainsaw and a brush with an angle grinder, definitely not a lot of time on it. It was good for a few laughs.

The thing is.. this perverted guy has to find a new home. He can't stay under our bed any longer. {insert your own joke here... never mind post them} He is free to whoever wants to pay the postage. Or if you want I can finish it up for a small fee. PM me with your email address and I will send you some more photos.

(image removed) JP

Did you notice that this one is FREE to a home that will appreciate it.
(image removed)--JP
FREE FREE FREE FREE

Thanks for looking
JP

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2006-03-19 18:40 ]

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2006-03-25 12:02 ]

ah....nice woodie there Johnny.....

JP, that lono's looking pretty darn good, Sometimes the log has its own ideas. I can tell you learned a lot doing this carving. I like your resolution to the headdress, can you get some closeups. Can't wait to see him finished he's gonna be a Killer. Now your Other tiki, "HappyTiki" is it? He's got al the right stuff. I'm not sure I would have slept in a bed that he was waiting under.
Whats next??

JP, the Lono looks excellent. I've tried a few copies, and it's always given me a better appreciation of the original and the artist and taught me a few things to boot. I know what you mean about sanding, I don't know anyone who likes it. The last tiki is pretty impressive, maybe he needs his own personal ad.

Too bad you can't make the Tennessee carving gig. This looks to be something that doesn't happen too often. You are one of the folks that are making this board a happening place. Thanks for sharing your work!

Aaron

JohnnyP,

The Lono looks tight! I'm really digging him. This carving really shows what you can do :). We need better pics though, it's hard to see what's going on with him. I know the flash killz the pics, but try some no flash shots out in the sun? From what I can see, he is going to be fantastic.

As for the other guy, DAMN! You better get him out of the house quick before he hurts someone with that thing. JEEZ!

-Gman

I'll have to ask my girlfriend but she'd probably say a tiki with so much to be proud of shouldn't languish under the bed with your lost socks. I'd put him on our front porch where he could proudly wave his ding-a-ling at the tourists sailing on the bay!

Thanks Guys,

The free tiki is going to live with Hodadhank. Conveniently I am going to be traveling there in the next few weeks.

Benzart- I appreciate the encouragement. I've been working on the lono today and have decided to hurry and finish it. Not to the level I would have wanted originally but there are a lot of checks and cracks in the wood. No matter how good I finish it, the tiki still won't look great so why spend a lot more time on it. Time to cut the loss. The practice was good and the next time I won't make all of the 150 mistakes I made this time. I should have started with a better log, but this was the last what I thought was good logs. I have to go searching for more soon.

AA- Thanks for the great comments.

JP

well if you do another one and you make 150 mistakes I'll take the next one

Hey JP, when are you coming to San Diego....Oasis?

[ Edited by: OnaTiki 2006-03-25 17:36 ]

Fabulous tiki! You've really come a long way. :D

JP-
Your work is kick ass!!! Your work is 10 times better than it was 2 months ago.
Ray

I noticed on page 1 of this post a spread leg figure atop the entryway to your tikiland. Looks like a dilukai figure from Micronesia, which would be placed above the entrance to the Men's house (bai). I have a few pictures of them from Pelau (Belau). Nice work, the drum hides her hoohoo... haha! She's flanked by figures just as Dilukai usually is, nice! I never realized the enchanted tiki room had a bit of Micronesian influence as well as Poly and Melanesian, your version made me see it in a new light. Great carvings!

edited for oh yeah the enchanted tiki room...

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-03-27 08:42 ]

Cmon Son! Bring it on!!!!

Hello,

Mai Tai Matty- I hope I don't make a 150 mistakes on the next one, but if I do you can have it.

Finkdaddy- I've learned a lot from everybody here, they helped me along. I love looking at everybody's work and try to see how they did what they did.

Onatiki- I'll be in San Diego April 9 and 10. Not for Oasis though. :(
Are you going to be around?

Moondance- Welcome Back! :) We missed you. Thank you for the complement.

Sneakytiki- Those figures may have originally be influenced by the dilukai figure from Micronesia, but mine were from the Tiki Room in Disneyland. It's nice to know the real origin. Your paintings are great, looking forward to your tiki paintings.

Gman- I'm brining it on- here it is.

The Benzart inspired Lono is finished. Thanks Benzart, I learned a lot and I have to say again I respect your skill immensely. Any misinterpretation is my fault. Here are some pictures poolside Gman style.

Stained a mixture of walnut and red mahagony.

Remember the "Perflounder" . Here it is stained in red mahagony.

In traderjim6781's post Feelin' Zombified said we should do a home bar Crawl. I'll volunteer to start at our house. Our bar is outside so it has to be somewhat warm out for us. How does sometime towards the end of May sound for the Michigan folks?

Thanks for looking. Have a great day.

JP

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2006-03-27 13:17 ]

The lono looks great. Nice to see the snow is melting in the background too.

Johnny it looks like you learned your Benzlessons very well....this is a keeper...even with the
crack that you were concerned about. Another fine "Up North" Tiki.

HAppyHappyHappy, is all I can say about how you did that Lono. Sweeet. I Think I need an assistant to do a lot of my rough and detail work, That leaves me sitting around giving orders and watching. You could be that guy, but you'd have to work cheap..
Seriously John you should be very proud of that Benzart. There was not much about it that was easy, but you made it look so.

JohnnyP,

Dude, that kicks major a$$! He looks so good man...

Are you going to hit him with 3-4 coats of poly when the weather warms up a bit? That would really bring out the grain and sharpen him up.

As for your "Gman style" pics pool side...I dunno...That looks more like the "JohnnyP Glacier style". I don't do "frozen" anymore. If my pool isn't in the mid to high eighties, I ain't in it!

Congrats on finishing up the Lono. You did a great job on a very tough subject. You say you did 150 things wrong; all I can see is all the things you did right. Way to go, he's a piece to keep and be very proud of (until you make one better). I'm sure you made Benz smile today! I know I'm smiling :)

-Gman