****We Need MORE TIKI Carvings****

On 2006-11-14 13:32, Benzart wrote:
Hey Tdav, look down at the bottom of the post you would like to quote and just to the right of the "Edit" button is the "Quote" button. Just click it and it will open a response with the post already there. Just add what you like to it and submit it as usual.
Hope that helps.

Thanks Benz. That was so easy. Duh.

On 2006-11-14 15:42, Tikidav wrote:

Thanks Benz. That was so easy. Duh.

Tama: :lol:

:drink:

[ Edited by: sneakytiki 2007-07-27 12:58 ]

Hey ST, the fuzzy picture does wonders, the tiki looks good, especially seeing the trials and tribulations you went thru to carve it. You get an A for persistence and an A for Joining in.
happyhappyhappy

Hay guys,
I made this in my last 17 hours of tiki time & he did not want his pic taken. May be he's too dark or too shiny.
He is cabbage palm & real dry. It was like carving a corn flake or shredded wheat. Hes around 40 in tall, & real thin.
Will

A little bench for a friend, first carving I have done on a while.

hi carving gods,

I have been amazed and mesmerized by the posts and all the cool carvings. So I finally made the plunge. I wasn't sure I would like it or be good at it, so I bought the new dremel 1100 cordless at lowes and gave it a try, over the laundry sink with the water dripping. :)

It turns out, I love this. I know from looking at the pieces I did, I do not know what I am doing, I tried a wooden egg, and a river rock from the yard. So I have some questions and would love some help.

• How to you get the pieces you all do so smooth and sharp edged?
• How do you make curves and circles and which tool does that?
• Is sanding by hand or with the dremel, and what tools do I need?
• are my hands supposed to hurt this much the next day?

Thank you all for the inspiration to try this. Here are my two attempts over the last few days, please let me know what you think as I really want to get better at this.

Amy

WOW Amy! Those are incredible!!

I don't know answers to a lot of your questions - but from another newbie, my hands (and arms) hurt for over a week after the Oki Oki. They're still sore in places cause I keep carving. (and carving and carving...)

I haven't used my dremel at all, so all my sanding and carving is by hand. It may be easier to do circles and curves with hand tools, although I'm sure there's something you can use on the dremel.

Your egg guy is great! I had much worse luck with my design on an egg, but maybe I'll try again. :) I really like how you brought the arms in, he makes me think of a hedgehog a little bit. Your stone guy will make a great pendant, maybe even string it up on a silver chain.

QueenK: Wonderful first attempts! I think you DO know what you are doing & just need to spend more time at the bench.

Love the little stone 'mask' fella especially!

To try & answer a couple of your questions, but am referring to stone grinding mainly...

A step I often use before sanding is to go over the carving again, running Dremel as slow as you can (5000-10000 rpm) & using DRY... This allows you to see what is going on and smooth out the form in a way that you cant when working under water. Use a dust mask!!

If you can get hold of some diamond 'cloth', this is a good way to start hand sanding. It acts as an (almost) ever-lasting sandpaper & can iron out a lot of ripples/scratches before moving on to wet n dry/carborundum paper, again I find hand sanding easiest & best. Go through grades of 240, 400, 800 (& then 1200 if you want) carb. paper, and this should give you some sort of polish. The degree of shininess really depends on the type of stone used...

Hope this helps. Keep it up!! Tama :)

Ditto everyones "WOW". Damn Girl, you are Goin' to town on those rocks. The right guy answered your questions, and like he says, just keep carving! I think you found your calling.

Hi Mieko, thanks so much for the kind words, I am really enjoying this, but my hand due hurt today....lol. The egg was the first one I did to see if I could do it before I tried the rock. I also cut a bunch of the wooden eggs in half to see if it would work easier, I will try those this weekend. Love the silver chain idea! The help here is amazing, it makes doing these more fun :)

Hi Tama, Thank you for the help also, I wasn't understanding the whole sanding polishing thing, This make more sense. I also read an answer from Ben, so I think I can give the final steps a try. I will also try some easier designs to practice with. Their is a big rock gem show in AZ in January/February, people come for weeks and it is hge. I will go this year and see if I can scope out some other stone material that might be cool to work with.Thanks again !!

Amy :)

Amy

[ Edited by: Queen Kamehameha 2006-11-15 15:11 ]

Here is something else I did while bored. I got a dozen pins and some are wood some are hard plastic. I am gonna have to buy some burrs now.

On 2006-11-15 14:32, Benzart wrote:
Ditto everyones "WOW". Damn Girl, you are Goin' to town on those rocks. The right guy answered your questions, and like he says, just keep carving! I think you found your calling.

Thanks Ben, means a lot coming from you.....I have printed out yours and everyones suggestions, I will be hunting river rock in the yard in the morning, lol or as you say "happyhappyhappy" :)

Amy

HappyHappyHappy to see Rodeo posting some of his work again! I, for one, have missed your updates! Can't wait to see what you put together for your upcoming show.

Front figure on the Flesh Knife.

JP

Wow! Look at all this cool stuff that suddenly popped up! Great work, guys n' gals! I love the bowling pin lamp, Rodeotiki! Yeah!

Tama: Ahhhh! A little yellow face is laughing at me for being so dim-witted!!

what a difference a day makes--yesterday...


and a paint job TODAY


the simplicity of this is REAL misleading--that section had ALL the palm crap on it and I stripped and shaved & Shaved & SHAVED to get it that SMOOTH--kinda miss the white wood but the redwood style paint is pretty IMPRESSIVE--hides flaws too

New Dude here...

Yesterday I found a couple of nice cuttings laying on the side of the road and decided to do something with them. Found this Site today...it sure is loaded with a plethora of cool information on carving...Thanks!

So, armed with a fast sketch, and a few chisels that I dug out of my tool box, I just dove in today to see how it felt....Feels good!...Didn't take long to hook me. Now I will have to go spend some money on tools.

Babalu

On 2006-11-15 14:57, Queen Kamehameha wrote:
Their is a big rock gem show in AZ in January/February, people come for weeks and it is hge. I will go this year and see if I can scope out some other stone material that might be cool to work with.Thanks again !!

Amy :)

Aloha Queen K,

You must go to the Kon Tiki in Tucson while at the Gem Show. I was there last year during....for the re vamp for the Kon Tiki Tucson. All of Tucson get's sold out. It's muey grande!!!

I got to see the Queens Stones yesterday in person.

They Are Arrrrsome!!!

She's going to be the Queen of the Stone Age Tiki's soon!!

( I hope this doesn't kill your thread Queenie :) Mucho Alohas to You's!!!

Big Welcome Babalu, What a day, Find a log, Carve a Tiki, Fuind Tiki Central post a picture. Excellent work for your first. Keep coming 'round and Keep carving and most of all keep posting those pictures.
Moondog, Wow what a difference that day made. NICE Paint job and Perfect color. Nice going.
Rodeo, Ditto what tikidav and jenTiki said, Nice to see you posting more pix!
Johnny, Thanks for the close-up, Excellent work.
Amy, You're Welcome, keep carving and posting and Have fun at the Rock Shop/sale/whatever it iz.
BambooBen Rocks, or is it that he has rocks in his head??

Hey Benzart,

Thanks for the warm Aloha. I will post more on that first tiki of mine as I progress....the chisels are starting to move around easier now...the palm speaks.

My youngest daughter "Babalu Babe 2" is getting married at the Bali Hai on February 18th. We have the outside space, and the South Pacific Room reserved. My job (not including finding and booking the spot) is to build a tiki alter for the kids. I was initially thinking, and have started sketches, on a bamboo archway (done in that 50's lounge flavor) that will have small islands connected on either side. These rolling islands, that will anchor the arch and over hang, in part are to have period tonga torches, small stone fountains, cool lighting, plants, etc....Now, it looks as though they are going to need a tiki flanking either side as well...hope this wood can dry out enough to put finish of some type on it...it's pretty green...the carvings may just have to do in a more raw form?

At any rate, with all the work for "the man" and holiday traveling coming up....I predict there will be a few late nighters.

Best,

Babalu

You might check with the management staff at Bali Hai to see what tikis they have around they would use for decorations. I know they have a lot in storage, or so I heard. Congrats.

Kia ora Babalu.

Great start, love seeing people approach carving with a great big bite!!! Its the best/quickest way to learn... Looks like you'll have no probs.

Keep us posted on the progress of the wedding Tiki Alter!

Tama :)

Great performance for a first Mister.

Ben

Here's one I've been working on. It a Taiaha Mask out of poplar. Still have a ways to go but It's coming along. Probably the hardest piece I have done detail wise.

really nice, wood burning, very even and detailed, nicely done!

Amy

Wow. Great start Tikimecula!

*One of the 'reasons' for intricate Maori surface decoration (on weaponry) was to confound/confuse/befuddle & generally overload the senses with 'otherworldly' stimulus/image - often as a diversion whilst you ran up and banged a few heads. Same with the flashing paua/abalone that was often inlaid for eyes.

This piece certainly holds the eye in that way - look out! behind you..!

The burning highlights the chiselwork nicely!

Tama :)

love the burning, adds even more texture. are you going to finish this in a light or dark stain? either way keep up the fantastic work.

mahaloz,
TikiKirby

Here are some of my tikis... I call them mini tikis they are about 2 inches in diameter and about 12 inches high....Most of them are designed to hold business cards...

<Br>
<Br>
<Br>
<Br>

The more heads the better!

[ Edited by: capotiki 2006-12-07 17:59 ]

For lack of a better place to post my latest, I will try to resuscitate this thread with my last tiki for 2006. I was trying to replicate this bugger here that was posted a while ago

..keeping things as primitive as the source material. Got into some hard times with this palm logs so its a little more 'weathered' that I would like and the bodys a little squashed--other than that , am pretty happy with it even though painting it caught me a NICE sore throat to end the year with


comments? I know it won't be too gushing as this one sat in that garage a little TOO long--I coulda gone deeper with it but it needs to jooin its friends by the pool

I like it, reminds me of a little warrior. Maybe even a little football player. I like the little compact body. Squat

ya know what? he strikes me as BIRD LIKE---its weird. The arms are tight to the body like wings...I am not 100% happy with it but I think it will grow on me-plus hes with SIX other tikis and hes definitely the odd man out

Nice stuff guys,, Tmec TikiJohn, Capo and Moondog thanks for posting and we Still need More tiki. I guess we just Never get enough!!

Aloha!

I just recently decided to try my hand at carving tikis- and carving in general (September 2006). Whenever I go back home, to Honolulu, I try to return with a tiki or two. (I came back with five this last time)

After visiting many web sites from tiki artists, I wanted my own tiki and thought that the best way to get one the way I wanted was to make one the way I wanted. So, here's a sample of my first tiki. It's nowhere near done, as I do this when I have time to spare, I'm a student and an artist of a different sort and this is an exploration into a realm that I'm fascinated with and love, but have no clue as to what I'm actually doing, yet. Experience is the best teacher...

This tiki is only about 3 or 4 inches tall and carved with hand tools bought at a craft store. The block is maple. This is a tough thing to carve and for some reason, I'm beginning to think that carving a larger tiki would be easier. It's still fun as Hell, though!

Nice start Lukipela! If that's your first one, you are going to do just fine. Post more pictures as you go along. Welcome to TC!

Thank you for the welcome and the kind words TikiDav. I do plan on posting more pics as it progresses.

Aloha!

Bump.

This seemed to generate a good responce last time; how're you no-thread-of-my-own carvers going..?

I agree with Tama. What happened to you guys? Lukipela, where are you?!

OK You guys I was holding this one back but I'll show yous anyways!!!! This one right here is my very first attempt in carving wood... It's a piece of 4by6 that I found holding a car from rolling around the shop so I grabbed a angle grinder and the block of wood and went to work.....30 min later I got this..I then torched,stained,sanded the edges!!!!! Watcha think!!!!! Next I'm gonna try using chisels...

Aloha Notch!!! Tiki runs in your veins....mean talent...Watch out world....Da Notch...Can't wait to see some chisel work...Aloha, Freddie :tiki:

I just carved this King of Tikis today. King Kamehameha. In progress, but gettin' there.

Don't mess up your neck straining to see it.

[ Edited by: Jungle Trader 2007-02-16 17:00 ]

Excellent first tiki Notch and Welcome to TC's Carving world. Looks like you will fit right in, just be careful what wood you start grinding away on as lots ot Pressure treatesd and other treated wood can be very toxic and once you start on a tiki it seems all Safety logic goes out the door. Thanks for posting.
Digger, Excellent stuff from you too, Look at the King, Top Shelf for sure. How ya' been, OK?

Thanks for asking Ben. I'm doin' better. The back is slowly healing. Thank goodness the chainsaws are light weight.

Hey Notch, see ya' at F.I. in March?

Shit Howdy Jungle T!!!!

Looks like you're gettin' all artsy fartsy on us!!

Ride on! and Rope on! Rock on!

What's the deal with everyone's back goin' out on 'em? GMAN, me, you, benz, (benz?) JungleT?, I dunno - WTF? Seems like a relativley larfge number.

On 2007-02-16 16:42, NOTCH wrote:
OK You guys I was holding this one back but I'll show yous anyways!!!! This one right here is my very first attempt in carving wood... It's a piece of 4by6 that I found holding a car from rolling around the shop so I grabbed a angle grinder and the block of wood and went to work.....30 min later I got this..I then torched,stained,sanded the edges!!!!! Watcha think!!!!! Next I'm gonna try using chisels...

C'mon man! You're kiddin'. The first one? That's very hard to believe. But from a suckass perspective, it's easy to believe. I'm in the 'suckass' perspective.

Very nice work. I still don't believe that this is an example of "My First Tiki" tho :wink:

Yo tikigap thanks.. I carved a few out of foam But never out of wood.... And Believe it or not thats my first one that I carved with a small angle grinder.. I think using chisles will make a true caving...for me I think?

[ Edited by: NOTCH 2007-02-16 23:03 ]