New Tufa Tiki -Tikula 10/25/13 pg3

My old screen name was Alexdog1 but I thought that Tiki V sounded better on this site. Anyway I just completed my latest Tiki.
In the beginning

Finished

Optional Table top

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2008-08-06 08:34 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-05-30 14:52 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-06-01 10:56 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-08-12 12:17 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-08-12 12:18 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-08-12 13:09 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-11-11 13:00 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2013-10-16 14:44 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2013-10-25 16:16 ]

Welcome back! Tiki is really looking good. Your getting into some respectable depth on those features. I like the added detail on the table. Add some carved tiki chairs and your set. Can't wait to see what's next.

Some new ones.

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2008-08-06 08:37 ]

Aloha Tiki V
great Tikis with good details
keep up the good work

Akuae

Thanks.

Nice work love the look!

They look great! The tiki has some nice detail and the tiki pedestal is awesome. Nice work. Can't wait for what's next.

If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything.

[ Edited by: Tikilizard 2008-08-07 10:59 ]

Yeah, what Seeks said! I'd like to have some of those skulls in my garden...too cool!

COOL, Not only excellent deep detail but the media has an instant, Built-in Ancient look. Win-Win All around :P
Love the new name too TikiV

Carved a new Tiki today.

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-05-30 14:50 ]

Looking great!

What kind of tools do you use to carve the concrete?

would love to see some 'in-process' pics...

Peace,
Jason

I use some basic chisels and some homemade tools. I have recently started using a dremel reciprocating tool with a grout removal blade. I'm going to carve some tommorrow so I'll take some in progress pics.

Here's some pics of today's carve along with pics of some of my tools. It took 4.5 hours of constant carving from layout to finish. Looks a little like something from the planet of the apes.

Great work! Thanks for posting the tools pic!

Where have you been hiding? New one looks great! Nice unique tiki and very nice material and thanks for the progress shots.

Facebook
If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything

[ Edited by: Tikilizard 2010-06-01 11:46 ]

Thanks for the positive remarks. I know it's been a while. I just retired yesterday officially so I'll have more time to carve. Not next week though. I'll be at the Hukilau 2010 in FLA .

Congrats on the retirement! And welcome back! I've helped my mom working with some stuff on tufa. It's a neat medium. Next year you'll have to vend at Hukilau and sell all the cool stuff you'll make in the next year.

These are pretty cool!!! I've been making tiki's out of steel. I love how people find their nitches!

Keep up the good work! Congrats on the retirement!

[ Edited by: metalhead 2010-06-01 16:32 ]

Metalhead, I've seen your metal Tiki's and they're great. I've always wanted to work with metal. I might try something in metal in a few months. If anyone's interested I used to go by the name of alexdog1 and have some posts of other tikis under that name.

Love it! How do you keep them from crackin? ( when you chisel)

They're fairly soft for about 5 days as long as they're in their forms. It's more of a scraping and gouging operation (no mallet). Once they're out of their forms, they start to dry out and get hard so you have to basically carve them until they're done. I let them sit out in the sun after carving for a few days to dry out and then spray on some concrete protectant. I have several that have been outside for almost 3 years now with no problems.

dude....is that cement?

That kicks ass!!!

I totally want to make one!!!!

It's 1/3 portland cement, 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 sphagum moss. You can get all this stuff at a home improvement store like lowes or home depot.

cool!

Thats very cool & I would like to try it out, feel like giving us some pointers on how to get started?

The easiest way to get started is to mix the stuff up and pour it into one of those cardboard tubes that they use as concrete forms (see it laying on the ground in the first pic). Coat the inside of the form with some spray cooking oil. I let it sit for at least 24 hrs. but usually 2 days is best. I've actually waited 5 days before carving. Draw up a design then when you cut the tube open use chalk or a shape tool to draw the your design on the tufa log. After that it's just trial and error. It's pretty inexpensive so if you mess up, you can start a new one and you haven't screwed up a nice wood log. I'm interested in seeing what y'all come up with.

Thanks Tiki V!

Really authentic looking
How do you make your molds ?
Ideffinitly got make one of those!

The only thing that I mold is the log shaped piece of tufa. For this I use a cardboard tube (in first pic) or round metal air vent. Once you make the log, you just carve like you would a log except no mallet.

Really impressive carves, especially the last one. Very vintage looking both in texture and design and the fact it only took 4 hours is awesome!

I'm curious about carving the concrete - you say you don't have to use a mallet, so that means the concrete is still pretty soft? is it dusty, like carving AAC or does the dust only start once the mixture really begins to dry?

Sorry about all the questions, but I've wanted to do a concrete tiki for some time, and my lungs can't stand the dust (like what AAC produces) even with top notch protection masks.

I'm looking forward to seeing what else you produce!!!!

If you use basically the mixture that I provided, then it doesn't get dusty. I would describe it as crumbly. The only time it get's dusty is if you use power tools. Here are some other projects. http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=28917&forum=18&vpost=390633&hilite=alexdog1
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=28598&forum=7&hilite=alexdog1

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-06-04 14:11 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki V 2010-06-04 14:12 ]

Very cool! I REALLY like your tiki torch idea - it looks very nice all lit up!

Crumbly...hmmm...good to know and thank you for the information. Is it like the consistency of carving clay then?

Have you tried adding any color to the cement when you first pour it into the tube?

I am very impressed with your concrete tikis, thank you for sharing them and adding the link to your older post!

It's not really like clay, maybe a dirt & clay mixture. I haven't tried to put color in the mix but it should work okay. Maybe I'll put that on my list of things to try.

Worked on this guy for about 3.5 hrs today.

Getting things ready

Out of the tube.

Layed out.

After a few passes with the Dremel and a few chisels.

Finished product!

Nice!

Finished these three guys today.

thanks for all the info , i have to try this .
inspiring stuff.

Love the Tufa! (but hate tofu!) I gotta try that someday

Decided to carve a Frankenstein out of tufa.

Nice!! I like it a lot.

Great Halloween decoration, those are some hefty bolts!

Just finished Tikula.