JUMBOKU-he's back!--new pix 11-04 p.15

Hey- I forgot how to change the title of my thread and looked everywhere for instructs, or maybe I didn't----help, pretty please.

Also thought I'd try something more traditional so I started this little marq. It's about a foot and a half tall and about 3" in diameter. Got some new, smaller chisels and figured I'd give it a go at all chisel work-no grinder, chainsaw, etc. Time consuming, but I really dig the little chisel cut look. I've practically used the same chisel the whole time. It's one that's shaped like a ( .
Here's the log/limb-I don't know what kind of wood it is-again, a roadside find.

Rough draw/ cut. I've really gotta start using that template method for symmetry. You can see this wood was really green when I started. Notice-no crack in head-yet.

Always wishing I'd made the eyes bigger or farther apart, oh well, I'll try to remember that when I make those dadgum template things. Notice- little crack in the head.

Hand in pic for size reference. I keep that flashlight you see there on the floor in case I fall down right there in the dark and need to see.

This carving has been going on for months with several week long gaps in carving time so I'll hopefully finish it soon and post progress along the way.

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading. -- Henny Youngman
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=260220&ck=

[ Edited by: surf-n-turf 2006-06-20 22:06 ]

While I'm here, I started this other thing- I had a 14' sabal palm in my backyard that died from to much H2o from my A/C condensation. So I was able to salvage an 8 foot hunk of it, including rootball, that I had to do something with. I had seen a pic of a really cool, simple carving w/ root-hed from the Tropics in Modesto, Ca (I think)- not sure but it seems I read that it was a Milan Guanko carving. Anyway, I thought that would be a nice accoutrement to the backyard so I thought I'd bust out a biggun' in that style. I didn't want to try anything too complicated or detailed because the log was rotten in a few places and sopping wet in some spots. Just didn't want to waste a lot of time/detail on something that might turn ugly on me.
Great log pic!

Here's a couple of pics of the style in mind. A big, looming, overgrown monster that shows no real ethnic origin or indigeonesness (SP?) to any locale-simple, yet probably strikes fear in the hearts of small children while making adults snicker and looks good with green uplighting applied. Will probably look better bamboozled on some cocktailage!

Here's the start- bustin' out some rough-out with the lancelot/grinder combo. Really nasty hunk o' wood-wet, stringy and just a tee-total mess to hack at-keepin' my ambitions low key on this one (as I do for all of them so far)

Keep at it man... you've got some cool stuff going on there... and you have a good eye for the defination... nice deep cuts!

Good luck... loving the rootball! Gotta get me one of those!

Hey Surf-n-turf, Nice hairball you got going on there, looks like fun all the way around.
Did you figure out how to edit your thread heading? Edit the First post in the thread and it will allow you to edit the heading as well!

hey surfntruef - those are some graet carvings, glad to see you back at it. I love that coco joes too, I've done two based on that little guy one I just finished up! (seriuously like 3 days ago).
The rootball one is going to be awesome, you going to lean him when you put him in your yard?

Thanx ya'll.

Thanks for the thread heading editing tip Benz-that worked. this'uns all about the fun.

Polynesiac- yea, i think I am going to lean him forward a little for that looming vibe. He's so top heavy I'll have to mount him from the top-I'm thinking thin steel cable hanging from a tree w/ his feet on the ground. Kinda hanging but still grounded.

WOW-say it 5 times real fast!
thread heading editing tip
thread heading editing tip
thread heading editing tip
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Surf,

Nice to see ya back making saw dust. Dem's some nice pieces you gots goin on over there. Good stuff. So, how's the back holding up? Any problems carving? I saw you were using a come-along, how does that work for ya? I bet it helps. Keep busy and keep us informed.....

-Gman

Tanx, G good to be back.
Back's better than ever. Some people assume that if you have had a back operation-that you have a bad back. Truth is- I HAD a bad back (not extremely bad, according to the Doc) but I had the problem worked on and now there is no problem. Kinda like if your car had a case of the rattles and you took it in to the 'car doctor' and had the rattly stuff tightened up--viola! no more rattles--better than almost ever.
It's all about body mechanics--keeping good form, using legs instead of back to lift, etc., etc., etc. Stuff we should all do anyway. Maybe I should take this over to the safety thread.
Come-along works great and I got it right after back op so I could get busy on some log hackin'. I started the cocojoe style tiki about 2 weeks after back op. Was back on the longboard, bicycle, etc. 2-3 weeks after operation--piece of cake-no worse than going to the dentist to get a tooth pulled.

Man that's a beast I'm sure. Looking good though. Glad to see your back on the ole' longboard. Hope you had some good waves for it.

Man that's a beast I'm sure.

There is a beast within, I'm trying to hack him out of that mutha of a log.

Glad to see your back on the ole' longboard. Hope you had some good waves for it.

You know the story-typical east coast stuff. Doesn't take much to keep me happy-waist high, clean lines on a 9 foot sixer. Being 6'4" and 200 lbs.-there ain't much else to do but longboard.

Did a little mo' hackin' today on the rootball headed one. Started bustin' out some arms and legs and hollowed out the mouth.

here's a full frontal shot taken from the deck-looking down from 9' up.

here's another shot showing half of roughed-out body

close-up of roughed-out body parts

Will try to get this thing looking good (or just better) over the wknd.

Hurry! :)

Good job! but you're givin' me a bad case of root-head envy. Wish Palms grew here.

Lookin great. Careful not to get those legs too small, they have a Big head to support.

SnT,

Wow, that looks like a lot of fun. The body looks great, but as Benz said above, make sure it is still has enough meat to be strong enough to support the weight. I really like this guy. Nice to have you back posting.

-Gman

hiltiki--I'm hurryin' fast as I can go.

Lowcat-thanx! I can send you a whole palm log w/rootball free of charge!-----shipping/handling will be $3824.16.

Benz and Gman---I've got skinny legs and a big head too and manage to stay upright most of the time so he should be OK! Actually, when I was hackin' on his neck I thought--'Wow, that's getting pretty narrow, I better back off. For the legs, I'm leaving a strip of wood between his legs on the backside that runs from his arse to his ankles that will be the thickness of the original log (front to back-minus bark) and about 2" across (side to side) to keep him from snapping at the knees.

as seen here:

and here:

Me (sans mask) in pic for size reference. I'm 6'-4" and the big guy is about 8' to the very top of the roots-the deck is about 9' high

Da Wahine and my dog, Zoot the fearless crab slayer here:

Zoot with ceremonial crab slaying lei gets snipped on the schnoz. He brings these things home from the lagoon across the street and eats them, really! (I prefer mine steamed with a little Old Bay seasoning)

Almost finished. Got to do some 'symmetrifying' and sand and finish--should have mo' pics in a few days.

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading. -- Henny Youngman
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=260220&ck=

[ Edited by: surf-n-turf 2006-06-25 15:33 ]

SnT,

That guy looks terrific! He looks real sharp in the pic with the wahine. Old zoot is gonna loose his snooter if he keeps messing with the blue crabs - those guys are fast and strong! I like mine cooked too.

I like how you left the wood on the back of the legs for strength, killer. Is he heading to a new home or are you gonna plant him at your place?

Killer job!

-Gman

that is one great looking tiki. You should be very proud of that guy.

That is most excellent! Really a sweet piece...I don't think I could part with that one, it's a keeper. That final detailing you did really finished that guy nicely. Bring the dogee north, maybe he'll snatch some lobstahs for us!

Thanks G- Zoot has his own techinque for dealing w/ the crabbies but he pays in blood occasionally.
This'uns staying in the backyard-Wahine wants him to go in the frontyard--we'll see.

Ona-you're too kind. Even though I'm not completely finished yet, I feel like a proud papa of a brand new baby.

surfinT- thanx!-excellent is a strong word--I'm impressed that you guys are impressed! He's a keeper. I can barely move him around the yard much less get him out of the yard. Zoot (and me) likes da lobstahs but neither one of us care for that cooooold water.

S-n-T Sweet works Bro. Iv'e got a root head (9') curing in the back yard pile-o-Incentive. Beautiful work sir. Keep em coming.

Mahaloz

He really came together!. Extra nice job on the hairball. Was he heavy to stand up? Ditto on the nice extra meat behind the legs for support! Well done.

McT- Thanx, bro-Snatch that 9' footer outta that pile and start hackin' The rootball head is a lost art (maybe?-not trad but definitely poly-pop)-like to see what you come up with.

Bnzrt- Thanx. I haven't stood him up yet-got sidetracked for a few days but I picked up some harwdare today so I can hang him from a tree in the backyard. He's extremely top heavy so I'm going to chain him from the backside of his head to a tree limb (his feet will still be on the ground).

Nice rootball tiki, SnT! One day I will have to carve one that's taller than me too. Killer stuff!

A-A

Nice tiki...great vintage vibe, too. You guys are from Folly Beach? Is that near Goose Creek/Charleston? I was raised on the other side of Caroliner for most of my teen years in Aiken County...

Thanx, AA & BK.
BK-Yes, Folly is just outside of Chastn. Raised in Aiken Co. m'sef. N.Augusta grad. Family is still there.

North Augusta HS Class of '88 myself. Man, I hated that school!

Been a busy boy (lotsa non-tiki stuff)---long time no post pics. Here's my latest offering to the Ohana. I saw a pic online somewhere of a small Marq/canoe with 5 little Marqs in it and thought--I must have one of these! So I started hacking away at this a few days before Xmas--and haven't had tons of time to fool with it on the crazed holiday schedule I'm still running on. I'll show you my inspiration pic first and then some progress shots of my interpretation.

my inspiration pic, from OA, I believe

rubadubdub...5 marqs in a tub...

bandsawn

various stages of doneness (and undoneness)

I can't really make out a lot of details in my inspiration pic so I'm gonna just 'wing it' for the most part which will give it some of my own style. I would like to make a more ornamental bow/stern/prow kinda thing but I've google image searched "marqesan canoe" and other variants of the words as well to no avail.

SOOOO--If any of you have any resource pics or ideas, at least loosely based on tradition, my ears and eyes are wide open.
Mo' updates soon-thanks for peekin'.

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading. -- Henny Youngman
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=260220&ck=

[ Edited by: surf-n-turf 2006-12-28 10:49 ]

surf-n-turf, great piece to work off of. Your's is looking good, looking forward to the finished piece, nice start. I like to see wall carvings and such-like. It's a niche that could use some tappers.

Beautiful!

Very nice! This a pet subject of mine (polynesian canoes/voyaging) and I'm working on a variant of this design too - but with Cook Islands figures and canoe rather than Marquesan. Here is some stuff that may help you out...

Marquesan War Canoe model at the Bishop Museum

Marquesan bow/Stern figure from my Oceanic/Tiki folder, sorry I can't remember where I got this:

More info from Polynesian Voyaging Society (scroll down to "Parts of a Canoe").

v TC Thread v

myspace

[ Edited by: Paipo 2006-12-28 15:23 ]

Sweet!

Tiki Terrace in the Chicago area has one of these from OA... I've wanted on for myself too and took a bunch of pictures of it.

Now I just have to find the time to make it...

You've got a great start on this one and great detail work.

I really think you are on the right track with these guys Surfer, the whole project is Lookin Great!

SnT,

The canoe project is looking killer...and like a ton of work! That's a really cool idea. Maybe when JohnnyP gets the big tree on the ground you can fly up and lend a hand building the biggin'?

I like the little marqs. Are you gonna make them to "peg" into the canoe? Who is the Chief or the Man in charge?

-Gman

That's a pretty ambitious project, Brad. I'm sure you'll do it justice. Here is a pic that C'Al shared with me a long while back. Maybe it will help with some of the details on your figures?

A-A

This is sweet. I've seen similar pictures of the canoe before but assumed all the figures were attached. I like the way you are doing it, especially the 3D effect.

JP

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2007-01-02 17:42 ]

On 2006-12-28 06:35, surf-n-turf wrote:

This is looking like a real nice piece SnT! Nice!

What are the dimensions? What kind of wood?

Wow--I can't beleive it's been over 2 MONTHS since I've been on this project! FIRST and foremost-my apologies to all the good peeps who took the time to dish out kind words of encouragement, inspiration, etc. I was planning on responding with an update soon after but I got waaay side-tracked so I was unable to work on this project for a good while so I never got back to responding to the onlooking Ohana. Sorry guys--I wont let it happen again, I promise.

FOAMY--thanx my friend. I too like the wall hangings and such--stuff that's just on the outside of the box of 'tiki', ie., not a statue, pendant, mug, etc.--kind of obscure, I guess.

PAPPY- "Beautiful"--wowzy, that's a strong word--hope the finished product lives up to the word.

PAIPO-

I'm working on a variant of this design too
. In greenstone, perhaps. That would be the most! I can't wait to see it--you are gonna show us, aren't you? Thanks for the links--very helpful in that it pretty much said, in so many words, that no ornamentation for these things was written in stone. Just a 'go with the flo' kind of artistic freedom, albeit within the realm of that particular ethnicity. I spent alot of time on the Polynesian Voyaging Society website--good reads-THANKS!

LAKE SURFER- I beleive my inspiration photo is an OA design--not real sure and I don't remember where I found the pic. You're a prolific carver, I beleive you could bust one of these out in no time at all. Thanks for the comps!

BENZART-Thank you as well for the kind words. Always encouraging to hear from you and It may look like I'm on the right track now, but I've been known to throw a wheel in the ditch reeeal quick! (fingers cramping from keeping them crossed for 2 months now)

GMAN-Thanks! It has been a ton of work. Especially trying to duplicate the 5 lil' marqs in an identical fashion. Gave up on that idea. they will differ some--gives'em character, individuality. Yes, i plan on cutting the block part at bottom off and pegging them into the boat with dowels, maybe even un-glued so I can take them out if necessary--in case someone else want to be the captain/cheif. Maybe JohnnyP can bring his log south with him and we can all scoop it out and go for a ride.

AARON- Ambitious--indeed! Me doin' it justice---to be determined. That pic you got from C'Al is what I'm shooting for. I love that heavily ornamented/highly detailed look although I may have to tone it down a bit to match my experience level. Thanks!!

JOHNNYP- Thanks, bro. Always good to hear from the elite carvers. These figures will be attached sooner or later--hopefully sooner. I think I heard a rumour that you were heading south--is it true?

TIKIGAP- thank you sir for your kind words. The whole thing is very close to 36" long-not sure how tall it will be, won't know till I cut their little feetses off and mount them to the boat. It is made out of poplar. I just got some poplar 'hobby boards' from Slowe's and glued them up. 2 -3/4 x 6 x 36" to make a 1.5" x 6 x 36 slab. Same for the mini marqs, glued-up mini slabs.

-----------------------------------_____-----

Here's where I'm at with this thing now that I've had a couple of days to get back on it:

my intentions:

my intentions with indentions:

one of the mini-marqs, with some ornamentation sketching based on the Marquesan panel that you can barely see on my monitor in the background. This actually changed some during carving:

a lit'mo progress:

No idea what's going on here:

A little closer here so you can see my 'cuss marks' --the places where my chisel overshot intended carving area and made me cuss!

Still got a few days open for tiki stuff so I hope to have an update within the next 2 months--just kidding :) Going to be sanding a lot tonight and weather providing, I may do some finish work this weekend as well.

I'd like to leave you onlookers with a question: In my inspiration pic (at beginning of this project posting) Do you think the little guys are holding spears (or some other form of weaponry) or paddles? I'm inclined to think they are paddles but if this is a war canoe of sorts, it could be the former.

Thanks for looking and I'll be back soon!!!!

SnT,

That is an interesting and detailed piece. I love the attention to detail, beautiful!

Amy

Hooper drives the boat Chief....

Ah yes, SnT, that is gonna be freaking great. Dunno about the paddles. I would make spears..but I likes paddles too :D

The chisels made you mad?

-G

That is awesome man! Great idea and she's coming along tops :)

Very interesting project! It's progressing nicely, keep posting please! Greetings!

Thanx Amy,
Attention to detail= the apple of my eye and the pain in my #$%&!

Gman--Hooper can drive but we're gonna need a bigger boat. Yes the damn chisels made me mad- they'd just wander off wherever and whenever they wanted to no matter how careful I thought I was being.

Hewey-Thanx mate. Always good to hear from way down yonder ways!

Thank you kind Clarita. It's nice to be progressing, finally.

I started to sand the little'uns last night but decided I needed to do a little more carving/wood removal so I've got moooore sanding to do now. Here's some pics of them in their half sanded state as of last night. Didn't touch them today--back on them tomorrow.

The line-up. A motley crew indeed.

A little bit closer now-needs a little clean up work:

Was trying to set it up kinda like it would be when finished but it kept falling over so here's what we get:

Thanks--back soon,
Brad

Surf, a real ambitious project but looking superb, can't wait until I see the whole thin finished and together.
Regards
Flynny

Yo Brad....

Man those look great! I loved that shot on your monitor. Sweet stuff. Any decision on the paddles/spears? I was thinking you could make both and have the second set ready......that way they could travel AND make war depending on how you felt on any particular day?

Yep, chisels can be like that if you're not nice and/or your wood is chippy. On your next project, keep a tube of superglue gel with ya and when the grain (or a rogue chisel) gets away from you, back out carefully and glue the offender back in place. Let it dry and then go back and attack it from 180 degrees if possible. Once you sand it out ya won't see the glue or the crack.

If that doesn't help, try singling out the evil chisel and humiliating it in front of his peers. I've done this with some success.

-Gman

Nice looking piece, man. The detailing on the figures is dead-on. I can't believe there is another soul on Earth once tortured by North Augusta High School that carves wood that well! Kitty Stalk was the only redeeming quality to that school if you were into punk rock..

WoW, This project is REALLY looking Great! I Can't believe the detail you are getting here, Utterly Fantastic and All those other Overused words.

I see your 'Cuss Marks" and they happen to all of us. I use the good ol' trusty HOOK KNIFE to do all those type lines, especially in the soft woods. You have Much more control and get way less Overshoot. Usually the Cuss marks are on the fingers though so Be Careful.

A little closer here so you can see my 'cuss marks' --the places where my chisel overshot intended carving area and made me cuss!
Thanks for looking and I'll be back soon!!!!

Excellent piece tha will be to die for!