Buzzy's work: Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate

Put that saw to 'em Gman-style!!!

On 2006-05-12 15:43, Bay Park Buzzy wrote:
this is from my work space looking west

What a view! Is that the Bali-Hi off in the distance??

Those old log stands of mine are getting weathered and cracked already. Your comment made me chuckle though, because I was in the back yard this afternoon playing ball with my son, and I kept looking them thinking maybe there was a big Moai in one of them... I always use the workmate instead, so maybe!

You are right. The peacock feather grain of a fine palm log is much too nice for an old log stand. It must be telling you something...

A-A

Page 8 stories finally done to go along with the pictures. Sorry it took so long .
My girlfriend took her computer on a work trip this week so I cannot post the pictures of what I'm working on right now(I'm on a Mac at work right now-How do you post if you have a Mac? No right click!. Stupid school computers.) I have been quite busy working on two new tikis and doing a lot of prep work. I also got a load of black bamboo. Pretty stuff. Pictures to follow as soon as I get a computer again(thurs). Before I actually get to real work, I'll respond to a couple of you while the monsters are quietly working at their seats(watching a movie.) Also, thanks to Al Gore for inventing the internet and to Former Governer Bill for putting an internet connection in every classroom. Thanks guys!
AA-I'm trying to get a clear picture of the area where the Bali Hai is but it has been foggy down here on the coast for about 10 days now. It is actually south of the picture you reposted. The Bali Hai is on the north end of San Diego Bay. I live directly over Mission Bay. You can see San Diego Bay from my house, just not in the pictures due to the overcast conditions.
Hiltiki-Yes I made the work area. The wooden deck was built by me a couple of years ago. The bricks were already there. The shade tarp frame is made out of electrical conduit and joints purchased at the swap meet . It was originally made as a living area for long , hot summer surfing trips down in Baja. I've actually lived under that very structure for several months of my life. Home sweet home. The nice thing about is that it is portable and I can set it up in about 10 minutes. It's also very compact for travelling when you break it down. Cheap too.

More neat stuff from Buzzy. I don't blame you for not turning that log into a carving stump, the wood grain Is way too nice. Another log will come along, only next time, don't strip off the bark.
Come on now, you're slowing down a bit, getting tired, running out of time? Running out of ideas?? Speed it back up a notch there..Ha ha ha

Buzzy what are going to make with the black bamboo, do you know???

I have use of a computer again so I'll be back to posting after ever time I cut into a log or piece of wood. Here's the first of a few projects that I did while I was computer down.
I wanted to split this monster log. It was tapered quite a bit more dramatically than the last log I tried to do this was.

I marked it off to make two perfectly even halves. The horizontal line was drawn for the double checking of the measurements.

The fact that it was wider than my saw made it even more difficult to get a perfect cut.

It turned out better than expected. The camera angle makes it look more rectangular that it actually is.

Here it is hauled back into the log wall for future use.

Here is what the load of black bamboo that I got looks like in case no one has ever seen it:

I like the ones that look like ripening bananas

here is some of the darker bamboo close up

Hiltiki: I have no idea what I'm going to do with this yet. I have a couple of rough ideas, but nothing concrete yet. Right now, I'm just kind of playing around with it and seeing what I can do with it and how it can be attractively utilized. I had the opportunity to get it last week, so I didn't want to pass it up, so I took it without having any idea what I was going to do with it. Got any ideas or need anything made out of bamboo? Holler out if you do...

Buzzy what are the dimensions of the black bamboo?

Started a new one last Sunday night:

Here it was on Monday morning

After a little more work

Getting the body to look right

Toes and starting of mouth

I wanted the legs to taper down from the waist

I had to work Tues during the day. After work I did a few refinements:

Took it inside on Tues night and finished the mouth. Here it is on Wednesday:


My main focus for this one was the tongue and mouth

In between making tikis this week, I did more prep work.
Here are my next few projects cleaned and starting to line up:

I moved all the logs out of my front yard and put them in m work area


I use a box cutter to clean logs with the fronds still on them


final step is to hit it with the planer

My new work area configuration is starting to work out real well

This is where you'll find me...

a tiki carvers dream land... I guees the plainer does the trick pretty good ,but how long does the blade stay sharp.

I didn't want to disappoint Benzart by slowing down for even a moment, so after I finished the last one, I immediately started the next one. I used one of the two smaller logs in the first picture on my last post.
Here it is after the face was carved

I cut some wood out and it looked like this

Bodies need legs

My plan was to remove the wood from the places where it shouldn't be

He looks mad because he doesn't have any hands or feet

I heard that separating the arms from the body is all the rage this tiki making season. Here's my attempt at this year's hot new design concept...

Look ma, no hands!!!

Done with it now but no pictures yet

When I was very young, the first dog that I remember having was an dirty old sheepdog named Roscoe. We lived way out in the country and he was allowed to roam free. He always had long hair and was stinky. One day, he went missing for several days. When he came back, he had a haircut and a brand new collar. The collar had a tag with some different name on it. Because Roscoe was clean, we let him in the house that night. In the morning, Roscoe peed on my bedroom floor, all over some souvineers from my first trip to Disneyland. I cried for my Mom and she came in and yelled at Roscoe. Roscoe went outside and never came back.
This week, I made a Tiki that reminded me of Roscoe. It was made from a log that wasn't that good in composition. Instead of throwing it away, I decided to practice my chainsaw skills.
I didn't draw it out or have a plan. I just cut


I wanted to leave on the outer bark. When done right, it looks cool(see Polynesiac) This one looks like my old sheepdog Roscoe with the bark left on.

All chainsaw, about one hour total project time.
I should have posted it under an alias and called the strand "My First Tiki!!!!:)" Then when all you guys started posting positive messages like "Great first effort! Keep carving and Keep posting! Tikidudebudguy", I would come on as Buzzy and say " That tiki sucks man! If I made an ugly tiki like that, I sure wouldn't share it with the world. You should give it up cause you suck!" Then I would answer back under the alias that Buzzy was rude and it was my first effort, and it was fun. Then I would be Buzzy and say "Fun for me is beating you up!" Then my alias would post a sad final message about not being welcomed here and how he was giving up carving because he didn't want to get beat up. Then all you guys would think I'm a jerk and kick me off the site. Please don't hate me for making an ugly tiki this week. It was only practice...

On 2006-05-20 08:16, hiltiki wrote:
Buzzy what are the dimensions of the black bamboo?

Well?

Hiltiki & Hakalugi:

This is a sampling from about the smallest to the largest pieces I have. They run about 6-9 feet long.

Excellent work nice clean finish for palm

Buzzy, you are out of control funny. I think I have an idea for the black bamboo. As soon as I finalize it I will let you know. I have been buying bamboo plants lately to decorate my garden. Black bamboo is my favorite. I like the tiki with no hands, how about a tiki with lots of empty areas inside and out all over kind of like skeleton looking . you know what I mean?

Buzzy, I Really LOVE the one you did to keep me from being disappointed, Very Nice but I don't think you have enough logs to keep you going for very lonjg. Can't wait to see the bamboo project, beautiful stuff.

Awesome full body effortd. I love the simplicity of the cuts. Can't wait to get back to making chips fly. Nice work.

Mahalo

Let me take this time to answer some recent correspondence:
Kirby: I bought the planer in about October or November of last year. So far, I have not had to change the blades. the model I have has reversible blades, so when they dull, you simply use an allen wrench to turn them around. It also came with an extra set of two sided blades. It's funny that you should ask this now because I was just thinking it was about time I switched them. I have not noticed a performance problem with it yet, but it feels like it's about time. I know that when I change chainsaw blades, I cannot believe how much better the tool works the first time I try it. I assume that I will have the same revelation when I finally change the blades on the planer. Then I'll know how it's supposed to work...

Mc Tiki: Get to it! The night is young still. Have fun and thanks for posting in.

Benzart: I know! I'm almost out of logs. I already called the tree service last week. I told them I would run out of logs in about 20 days, and I need more right now! I hope that I do not run out of logs before I run out of ideas. That would be a waste of good ideas. Oh yeah, keep being my inspiration please. It's been working out well for me lately. Thanks always, Buzzy.

Tfisherart: Thanks for the compliment. These last logs I got were real nice. Too bad I'm almost out.

Hiltiki: I think I know what you mean. Hope to hear more from you soon.

Everyone else here at TC: thanks for checking out my stuff and do not be afraid to comment. I'm currently living solely on no sleep and feedback . It's not healthy, but real good for getting carving done. So chime in any old time...I promise I'll answer(eventually)

Started a new one today. This one will have three Marquesan styled figures standing atop one another, totem pole style(Can you call it a totem pole if it is not from the Northwest Coast cultural geographical region?)It stands about 5'4".
Here it is after I barely started:

more tomorrow...

Break time. Beautiful day today. My rain guage had 3/4" in it this morning from last night's storm. A San Diego record for the month of May. I took down my shade tarp to enjoy the first full day of sun in about two weeks. Here is a little more progress:

Still working, a little more progress

11:oo pm Eliminidate or carving? Some chick just flashed the dude. Time for a break:

No calls for work tomorrow. 2 Liters of Wild Cherry Pepsi on sale for 99cents. I'm ready for a long night.

[ Edited by: Bay Park Buzzy 2006-05-23 01:53 ]

This TV show called Shipmates was on while I carved this face. I watched these two people who hated each other spend three days together and have a horrible time going on all the pre arranged off boat activities. It reminded me of when I went on a seven day cruise. I was too full from all of the free food to go on any off boat adventures. I looked out of my window in the morning we docked in Puerto Vallerto. All the view afforded me was the large parking lot of the WalMart/ Sam's Club. I closed the blinds and went back to sleep. When I finally awoke to eat, I ran into an elderly gentleman in the elevator on the way to the buffett. He asked me if I was going to Walmart today; he excitedly explained to me that he just got back and found that it was just like the one at home. He was surprised that the store had the same products as back in the states. He was real happy with that and he told me that he was going back later in the afternoon. The best part of his vacation was finding walmart. The best part of mine was the movie channel and the food.

Buzzy that is exactly how I felt when I went to Puerto Vallarta ?sp. anyways I felt like I never left U.S. and I couln't wait to come home. The icing on the cake was when I saw Costco smack in the middle of everything towering over the city with its huge sign. It was really time to go home. The horror... Anyways I like the way the totem tiki is taking shape. Keep posting.

The cruises that I have been on, I went just for the boat ride and the food and ships activities. Most of the shore activities were really boreing and not worth the time. You were crammed into a tiny buss and it was not a fun time so after the first we just stayed onn the ship or did our own sightseeing, Ate, slept, ate some more, fed the slots a few minutes and ate some more. Then it was dinner time so ....

Oh, Yeah, your latest still looks great. Are you carving with the log on the ground? You may have more fun if you raise him up a bit. I know you hate to mess up good carving logs, but your back will begin to suffer soon if not already. Also your knees, your pants-legs, your neck and all that stuff. Make a small raised workbench.
Been on any cruises lately?

Hiltiki
I will PM you later today. I have some stuff to do right now, so I'll write you when I have the time.Here is a flower to look at while you are waiting:

Benzart: I take your words here on this site and consider them to be the gospel of tiki. When you said that I was running low on logs, my heart started racing and I got real scared. Paranoid even. Could it be possible that I misjudged how long my supply would last? You really got me in a panic. To alleviate my grief, I went to the tree lot today to count my logs.



I could see about thirty, but there were some buried too.
Do you think I might have enough? Please tell me, oh wise one.
They are also taking down three more trees soon, and will add to the pile. I asked if they could manage to bring a 9-10 foot stump back to the lot to try a large scale carving. They said they will if they have the right trailer there when they take them down. Fingers crossed x2 on this request.

Bamboo fans: The tree service saves the bamboo they take down and use it as free lumber for fencing and gates on their lot. It's an interesting design scheme: bamboo and dilapidated greenhouse structures. Here is the current stock that they let me take from:

How much would you pay for all this at a bamboo speciality store?

Each piece is about ten feet long. The pile was three times as large two weeks ago.

I looked at a house in Vista today. The owners want two trees out front carved up



Not the ideal type of log, but I think I will give it a shot...

Today's haul:
The log in front fit in the truck so I took it

Looks like a future table

Bamboo too

Worked all day on everything but carving. Until an hour or so ago, that is:

Do I get credit for two tikis in two days if I finish this one tonight? And can I put three more tikis on my resume when I finish the whole piece. If the general consensus is no, then chainsaw+two minutes of cutting=three finished tikis. I'm all about the numbers. Real work tomorrow. Goodnight all.

One log equals One carving. Put one or eleven tikis on it and still get one carving. Sorry, thats the way it goes. It IS three Tikis though, not just one. so you have One carving which consistes of three tikis which os a bargain for whoever buys the carving. You get as much credit as you want for the carving or carvings, which ever you chooze. I like the one on the bottom, cna I have just that one or will you throw in the top one anyway. Did I say 3 tikis, I meant 2 tikis but even if it was 2 or 3 you still get credit for 1 carving but I like the bottom one the best,,, Whats more,,,,

[ Edited by: TikiLand 2006-05-24 18:06 ]

[ Edited by: TikiLand 2006-05-25 06:00 ]

Something happened to me today called "work." Then something else crazy called "sleep" happened to me. Where did my day go?

Tikiland: I just sent you a short PM.

Hiltiki: I'll write you tomorrow.

Everyone else: Love you all

Right now I'm going to explore this "sleep" concept further.
Buzzy out

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

4:11 AM. That sleep thing didn't work out tonight, so Good Morning.

Taking a break. Here it is in outside light:

Almost done

These Greek keys looking things remind me of the Greek goddess swirl:

Back side of bottom one



Ultimate Fighter time.

Very Nice tiki...Terrible fight. I can't believe I stayed up to watch that fight. Jeeze!

Buzzy basically you are making six tikis in one here. :) :)

Very nice Buzzy! I like the 3 looks!

Hey Buzz, looks like you are getting a little fancy with the detail there. Thats great, it shows youn are getting comfortable with your carvings and tools. It really Adds a Lot to the tiki.

I made three chairs for some friends. One of the chairs was for a six year old girl and needed a footstool. All they wanted was "a block of wood or something." I made it so that when the chair is pushed in, the footstool can be placed under the face and match the scale and design on the chair.
Here is the chair

the footstool was finished earlier today

customized

Here it is sitting up against another chair the way it will used

the stool will be exactly as wide as the chair it was made for. The chair in this picture is a little wider

As Norm would say, "That fits pretty well."

Losing sleep...that's passion, man...you were born to do this. Aloha!