Traditional Pahu Drum

Im' about half way done with this Hawaiian Pahu out of Coconut palm.
The hook knife is getting dull, my wrist is getting sore and the wood waits for no one.

I haven't worked on this in 3 weeks and its getting too dry. I'm gonna sharpen that knife and hit it.

Aloha
Mahalo for looking.

http://www.eibass.com

[ Edited by: AlienTiki 2006-05-29 15:32 ]

Nice work Alien, that is a very ambitious project and I can see why your hands are sore. Lots of fine detail. Don't slow down now though!

Thanks Ben.
I'll admit its quite ambitious I'm allways bitting off more than I can chew.
here's a photo of the original and if I can't get close to it I'll be happy.

Hook knife? That looks like a job for - Power Tools!

Power tools - indeed :wink:

What do you use for the skin? Very nice looking work! Looking forward to the final product!

(Added the wink...)

[ Edited by: tikigap 2006-05-30 12:02 ]

power tools on a pahu.
there goes "tradtitional"

[ Edited by: lanikai 2006-05-30 10:57 ]

Wow, and with a hook knife? I'm impressed, you have to keep going on this, I'm anxious to see how it turns out. How did you hollow out the center? I've heard palms can be stringy inside. I've thought about how to do that with hardwoods, but the hollowing process seems like it would take forever.

JP

I stepped into the modern age with my new digital camera but my carvings are still very much primitive. Well as primitive as the next carver. I have yet to meet the carver that uses a stone adz in the traditional method. (Hawaiian,Tongan, Haoli or whatevas). Matter of fact most Tongan carvers I've met here on Maui use power tools.
I never said traditional methods,That would just be an exercise in futility.

Tikigap: I'll use a cow hide when it's finished. Most of these drums I've seen use cow hide.

This is the too I used to hallow it.

As you can see it's just a pipe and a modified chisel.

It allows me to get deep enough on either side. the sound puka at the bottom is important and I know mine will not be perfect. Imagine dropping a big funnel into the top of the drum. the funnel sits about mid way down or were the acrobatic tikis start. That is the shape of the inside I need to achieve.

In this last image you can see the drill hole where I predrilled after hallowing and before the hook knife treatment.

JohnnyP: Thanks. The inside is quite porous. when I started it was still real wet. The sharp chisel sliced right through it. The outside edge is hard though and hopefully thats where the sound will really resonate.

These drums have been made in Hawaii and Tahiti out of coconut palms or the wood of the Ulu(breadfruit tree)

Mahalo

http://www.eibass.com

[ Edited by: AlienTiki 2006-05-30 18:06 ]

[ Edited by: AlienTiki 2006-05-30 18:08 ]

Nice work. That's a classic Hawaiian piece...and those support figures are textbook and hard, openwork carving. This one should'nt be more than you can chew...just a learning journey. Once it's under your belt the next one is easier.

You need to bring that drum to the Venice Drum Circle when your finished! The beach would never be the same. Post more pics and keep swinging the adze!

Beachnik

Looks great alien! The extended chisel is inspiring. I might try someday to make a drum or two. Your information is valuable about the placement of the funnel too. Thanks!

Basement Kahuna: Thanks for the compliments. It's all a learning journey and I've learned alot right here reading your posts. You help inspire me. No shit.

Beachnik: If the drum makes it as far east as Venice than that means I have a buyer. I might take it to the Little Beach Drum Circle here. but I'm far too modest to disrobe and bang on my drum.

Tikigap Thanks. I'll post more progress pics the closer I get.

The drum is getting closer. After being stagnant for several months I've started working on it again. The wood is drieing fine and has not developed any major cracks

I've been whittling on this Hei-Tiki for a couple of days in my spare time.

I need to fix his grill and clean up sanding.

Thanks for looking

Really nice stuff (and ambitious!) - I'm stoked you've posted more progress on the drum. Traditional instruments are a favourite of mine.
Your hei-tiki looks spot-on too. Have you posted any other pieces here before?

Man that's nice! The drum is really great! You're lucky it hasn't checked. The hei-tiki is cool too! Nice stuff!

On 2006-12-14 18:22, AlienTiki wrote:

I've been whittling on this Hei-Tiki for a couple of days in my spare time.

I need to fix his grill and clean up sanding.

Kia ora Alien!

That drum is a beauty. I agree with Paipo, very ambitious. I imagine it'll be one of those pieces that tries to keep you there forever; you'll keep spotting things to alter on all those figures. Cant wait to see it done!

Im also a Monster fan of NZ hei-tiki; eat, sleep, breathe them! Surprisingly Ive never tried one in wood but have made a few versions very similar to this one (including my own). Its kinda cool to be looking at someone elses', I feel as if I 'know' him :lol:
If I can be so bold as to offer a little 'constructive criticism/suggestion' (hot topic/non-topic recently, eh Foamy? :wink:); I would flare those leg holes out a bit & go a thin deep groove to separate the belly & feet. Or is this what you meant by 'fix his grill'?

Ill be watching for the finish of this too!

Ka pai, Tama

Paipo Thanks for the compliments. I've been away from TC for a while. But seeing all this great work you guys are doing has inspired me. I posted some stuff on this other thread.

This one was carved from the same piece of Koa.

Tikigap, Thanks for the kind words.

Tamapoutini, I really appreciate the critique, it's exactly what I’m looking for. Buy Grill I meant teeth but I see what your saying. I'm gonna do it.
When I carved this first one I was hoping there were some stone carvers like you or Paipo that would show up at T.C. and school us amateurs. I'm almost embarrassed to post these pictures knowing it's done better and with a harder medium (stone). But it makes it a lot easier because you guys are so humble.

Mahalo again you guys, I'll post progress pic's soon.

Alien.

Dont be embarrassed mate, your work is fine & streets ahead of the majority of hei-tiki/carving work I see in NZ.

This other tiki is a cracker too! Hadnt seen it.

Keep it up; Im happy to offer suggestions/advice if I can see room for improvement, but you seem to have it all under control.

With all encouragement! Tama

Man that Koa makes a Beautiful Hei-Tiki, Of course you made it beautiful, the wood just looks great by itself.