EXPERTS - How do I preserve this old rotting Tiki ?

I acquired this very old Tiki. Apparently it was brought back on the Matson Ship Line back in the 40's or 50's. It's REALLY old, and the wood is peeling off. I'd like to preserve it so it doesn't continue to dilapidate.

Carver/Wood/Tiki experts...any tips on how to preserve this guy ?

Here are the pix.

FRONT

SIDE

BOTTOM - Really ROTTING.

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-10-23 15:00 ]

Get a bucket or something it will fit in and fill it with some kind of sealer. Be sure and put something under the tiki (like popsicle sticks) that will stop the tiki from sticking to the bucket. Let it soak a while and find a place it can drain and dry.
I have used Jasco sealer before and just let it wick up into the tiki. Best of luck.

Im no expert, but i wouldnt do much to it besides keeping it indoors in a safe dry place. If you put on any type of sealer or varnish it would change the appearance ..

Cool...Thanx. How long should I let it soak ?

So, jasco sealer is a good choice ?

Jasco (clear (not the green) is what you want) is not a sealer but rather a preservative it has all kinds of nasty chemicals that kill bugs, mold, anything alive. If the bottom has a rot which is what it looks like in the photos try soaking that in the hopes of killing it, be warned sections of it could crumble into a pile once it's wet.
Sealing it is a whole other matter which will change the appearance, but it might end up acting like a glue and stopping it from falling apart any further. It also looked to me like there was termite damage, you need to determine that and kill them if they are present.
I have never tried to save a piece that is that far gone so what I'm advising could be great or stupid.

Bosko

I'm with Kirby and would just keep in dry inside.

But you can use epoxy to penetrate rotten wood. West System Epoxy has a technique for this on their website. RotFix® epoxy wood restoration system is another.

There's also Minwax Wood Hardener which you can get at Home Depot for about $8 a qt. It's a clear liquid that you can brush on or pour on.

On 2008-10-23 17:02, 4WDtiki wrote:
There's also Minwax Wood Hardener which you can get at Home Depot for about $8 a qt. It's a clear liquid that you can brush on or pour on.

Yep, I've used the Minwax Wood Hardener but only on vertical surfaces. I don't know how well it would work here though. In my applications (like on rotted fascia board) it worked pretty good but tended to harden up pretty fast before penetrating really deep into the wood. It also tends to leave a glossy finish.

I know a guy named Jesus, he can save it. Really nice guy, drives a truck too.

First things first....:) Are there any live termites? If so, get some plastic bag stock or plastic sheeting to make a fumigation chamber....

Follow mfg recommendations as to airing out and wiping residue off...

Next step is to vacuum any loose wood dust and decay....

Next step is to get some wood hardener and a squeeze bottle made for acetone....Warning!! This method is very effective for distributing the wood hardener but very sensitive to temperature change....Leave the cover really loose...repeat....really loose...to prevent any unwanted/unplanned shooting of the hardener. If the cover is too tight, the heat causes a vacuum to occur and the bottle starts to shoot out the liquid by it self...Wear safety glasses.

To be continued...
Freddie

I would put the Tiki in a room with this hatchet and as you exit the room say to the Tiki “I’m trusting you to do the right thing.” :(

The dry-rot and termite damaged wood is now stable and ready to except the next step....Epoxy adhesive...System Three...T-88

Make sure you tape off any holes and anything you don't want any glue on...

You can put wire mesh or screen material in the holes left from the missing wood...the adhesive will bond the screen to the wood and give it more strength...

Mix equal parts of A & B ...throughly

Pour into the damaged area...you can gently tap the solid part of the Tiki to let the adhesive settle to the bottom or you can carefully use air to force the adhesive into all the crevices...make sure safety glasses are still in place :)

To be continued...

I would soak that thing in CopperGreen Wood Preservitive. I use it on all my stuff.The geen color dries out most of the way and it will help the rot and kill bugs.

Damn...many good suggestions.

If only this tiki was really nice enough to warrant all that effort. I'm not sure it is.

If it is really that old it deserves to be taken care of. If that is mold on the wood I would have made sure it was really dry and then sealed it completely. YOu could just brush on a poly. sealer but I would make it non-gloss due to the age.

Ok! Just go ahead and use it for firewood. Call it a sacrificeto the gods!!!!