New stuff added!!

Oh MAN! Like Seeks said...Jaw Dropping! I'm surprised this is your first hardwoods, they look perfect man! Your a proud papa!!

Johny - if you want a better photo let me know.
Surfin - not my first. Most of the stuff I carve is in Walnut or Mahogany. These were just the first ones that are a "series". I like the hardwoods better than the palm - probably because I have so much of it!! The palm is fun to carve but the trees I get access to are too much work to prepare. BTW, love the bone stuff!

I shoulda known that...you know me, hate to read, just looky all the perty pictures!

I was inspired by a couple of posts this past weekend. Went on a road trip and while I was in the back seat i whittled away at this little guy. Thanks to Bowana and Keigs 20 for posting their creations. This is a sliver of Walnut, not quite as small as a toothpick but pretty darn thin. This was fun one. Enjoy

Very Cool! love the side wide front thin.

Really nice work. 8)

Thats a cool little pendant, Great work on giving it two sides.

Holy Moly Tom, Way excellent skinny Moai. Excellent job going the Extra mile and giving him a face on both Sides. Most of us would have said "too skinny, one's enough" but you really chose the difficult path and it could not have been done better. How do you like doing the small stuff? Try it is bone and you will find it way Easier and you will be able to get even Smaller with tighter detail.
I'm Impressed, you've got my attention and respect for this one!
HappyHappyhappy

Nice one! I love the outline of it all. Is the walnut that dark, or did you put something on it?

Thanks for the comps - This little guys was fun while being really bored. I carved one side and still had a while so I went ahead and did the other side while I was in the back seat. Started another one that should be done tonight.

Benz - these are no bigger than the wood ones you carve. However you carve the really hard stuff - Palo Escrito..! Bones and stone are appealing but I enjoy doing this while I'm sitting around with the family. Kind of hard to do the other materials like that. Someday - definitely!! I have some deer antler lying around does that carve the same as bone (I've done a few pens in the antler)? Does bone smell the same as the antler when working on it?

Surfin - The Walnut is nice and dark all on its own. The picture is actually very light. I put either the Rub-on Poly or Linseed Oil on them to protect them and bring out the deep brown color. I tried staining the walnut with Walnut color and nothing changed (I was hoping for a subtle color change). Beautiful wood! You should try using some of the exotic woods they all carve differently and have fantastic results. My allergies won't let me work them any more.

Here's the other pendant I did while on the road trip.

Cool looking little fella.

Lotsa great character on that guy!

Keep up the good work Tom!

When you starting on the next humongous pole? BTW I might be visiting family in Ft Myers in January... maybe a crazy roadtrip to Benzart's pad is in order?

Perfect little neck pendant!

Here's a quick update. This is a piece that I have been chipping on whenever I have a little time. My daughter actually pointed out that it has 2 faces - I never saw it till she pointed it out.

I have quite a few pieces that I need to get rid of - they are starting to pile up. I will probably participate in the Online Art Show with some crazy prices. I only try selling my stuff a couple of times a year so this will be a great opportunity to get an original, wooden pendant at the price of a resin one.

Hodad - It would be great to hang with you guys for the day. Keep me informed.

Man - got some crap from my trip to Disney. Been down for 2 days with a cold. Thats what you get when you swim in a petri dish! In case you missed it here's my latest. Carved from an outside slice of Mahogany. It has been laying around for a while and got really motivated when Cammo brought up the idea of an Online Art Show!

Check it out on page 9
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=30642&forum=12&162

I'm diggin' his full body. Great bird headdress too.

Love this guy Tom, those bird additions are great and i Swear your detail is even getting MORE Crisp and tight.
Take care of that cold, thats how mine started out.

Lookin SWEET TOM!!!All your stuff is lookin aweasome!Have a merry christmas,Aloha , Mooney

I saw this guy few days ago but didn't have time
to comment.

Great carve! love this one, possibly my favorite carve from you
thus far.

Thanks for all the response. Here's a project I have been working on for a while. Just took my time finishing it. This a replica of one of the support posts at the Mai Kai (I believe it is from OA). After browsing the BOT, I saw that the same/similar designed posts were used at several of the old tiki establishments. Doing research for this was fun - another Rum Barrel please!! There is another face on every quarter turn. Twist-style mechanism carved in Walnut.

Whoa! That is Tight! (is that a good word?) How 'bout SHARP!...Or perfect execution...nahh. No words.
YAY Tom!
(sorry I'm sick with some kind of bug, and I just drank a Guinness...L o O p Y )

Yes, Aloha, I Love it when you do your pens, you Definitely have that mastered town to the Nyh degree. The "Pen Master" Strikes again. I am really impressed with how well your skills have developed. You get some of the Cleanest detail around. It really helps with the larger stuff to be able to master the Small pieces with that fine, clean detail.
Happy New Year To You and your Family Tom. Now that the new year is here and I'm feeling alive we need to get you and Will up here with his leg repair?
Cheers

Thanks Benz. I really like switching it up. The small stuff is fun, but the big stuff is personally rewarding. Started working on a large rootball this weekend!!

Check this out. I was interviewed by a Club on the other site I frequint. I'm "tflounder" everywhere else except here (don't ask me why - there's no good reason).

http://news.deviantart.com/article/66748/

Another great pen carving, Aloha! I still love mine better, but this one is a close second. :D

Happy carving!

Excellent interview Tom, I really enjoyed it

Luv that pen! Cool design and base. Also love that last mahogany carve. There always seems to be some extra little original elements in each one of these. Fantastic work!

Nice! Looks like the Chiefs set.

winebear - Yours is still one of my favorites!

Benz - it was fun getting a little boost to the ole ego.

BigT - I try not to do stuff that is too "authentic". I consider my stuff more Poly-Pop than Tiki.

Seeks - Chiefs set??

Here's a new little mini-tiki. 2" in Walnut

On 2009-01-05 08:12, tikiwinebear wrote:
Another great pen carving, Aloha! I still love mine better, but this one is a close second. :D

Since the Mai-Kai pen is now sitting on my desk, it doesn't look too happy about that comment! :wink:

Thanks Tom for a fantastic job. You really nailed it.

Good interview Tom! I hear ya on the staring at the computer thing.
You did an awesome job relating everything in the interview, I always have a hard time puttin' it to words. Very cool.

Here's are some photos of projects that I have laying around. First is another very small pendant carved in Walnut 2" tall.

Next is a collection of different stuff I have laying around. Shows some of the variation in sizes. Cypress - Mahogany - Walnut.

Here are some closeups of the Moai. This piece of wood is Cypress, collected from the scrap pile left over from the Mai Kai's new valet roof. This was a test piece, so I didn't spend much time on this. I'm am not crazy about the dark stain. It did accent the grain of the wood nicely. The Cypress carves nicely - alot like white pine.

Last but not least is another piece of Cypress in progress.

Right ON! Me liken the big guy on the bottom this
is going to a treat.

Chief set ??? took me awhile to figure out what i was saying.

Like Indian chief and Set like in more than one. = Chief Set (don't ask
i don't know what im thinking at times).

Just a quick drive-by during lunch. The Cypress stuff needs to dry for a little while before I finish it - it is starting to check. Here's a project I started in the meantime.

that moai made of cypress is just awesome. the grain of the wood makes the piece look beautiful.

bd

Most excellent stuff there Aloha and that Cypress is looking Awesome!

[ Edited by: Benzart 2009-01-26 18:09 ]

Me likey the Cypress! :)

The Cypress was a surprise to me. I had never carved it before and was shocked at how well it carved. Thanks to Benz for his advice. The pieces I have are very fresh so I'm letting it dry a bit before finishing. There will be more to come. I still need to contact the Seminoles in reference to getting more (they are the only ones legally permitted to cut the stuff). I would love to get a big piece of this!! Wish me luck.

On 2009-01-26 09:58, AlohaStation wrote:
The Cypress was a surprise to me. I had never carved it before and was shocked at how well it carved. Thanks to Benz for his advice. The pieces I have are very fresh so I'm letting it dry a bit before finishing. There will be more to come. I still need to contact the Seminoles in reference to getting more (they are the only ones legally permitted to cut the stuff). I would love to get a big piece of this!! Wish me luck.

Didn't know it was so rare. Good luck!

Greet looking stuff!

On 2009-01-26 09:58, AlohaStation wrote:
The Cypress was a surprise to me. I had never carved it before and was shocked at how well it carved. Thanks to Benz for his advice. The pieces I have are very fresh so I'm letting it dry a bit before finishing. There will be more to come. I still need to contact the Seminoles in reference to getting more (they are the only ones legally permitted to cut the stuff). I would love to get a big piece of this!! Wish me luck.

Is that a State or Country regulation?

Nice work on the new Moai! I've been checkin out this site for a year or so. I've always liked your style. I like your bigger carvings myself. the size just tends to give the piece power. Just started carvin myself and I'm trying to work out a Moai with a personalized style to it. When i get one going I'm gonna try a few Ku's. You mentioned the Mai-Kai? You carve in S FL?

Mango - The regulations about Cypress were passed on from Benz. I believe that Cypress has been deemed a "native species" by the state of FL. That means that there are strict regulations for the commercial cutting/sale of Cypress. The Seminole tribe doesn't have to adhere to state regulation on their own land, so they can cut and sell it. Sable/cabbage palms are also protected, so be careful if you go to cut a live tree.

nickyr - Yep. I live just north of Ft. Lauderdale and visit the Mai Kai whenever I can. If you like my big stuff - keep an I open as I will be posting some progress pics of a 14' rootball that I am working on!! Give me a shout and maybe we get together for a Carving Jam.

Here's a bit of a switch. I did this tiki for the Summer Swap in 2007...
http://tflounder.deviantart.com/art/Summer-Swap-64655143

Got a message from a guy in Romania. Yeah - Romania! He was inspired and created the following.
http://scottytat2.deviantart.com/art/carving-112854999

Holy crap thats not gonna come out! I think Tiki Lee has that one in a less permanent location.

Yo, Tom... I always knew you were non-removable in the tiki carving industry!!! Its a killer piece!!!! Props all around~~

I guess they're gonna Like that one for a LONG Time! Way to Inspire Tom

Here's something I have been sitting on for a while. This was carved from a piece of Cypress. Its the first full tiki that I've carved in cypress so I wasn't really paying much attention to detail. The result is a cool expression and a tiki loaded with character. Here are the glamour shots.

That's Awesome , Nice background for it too.