Conga....Wisconsin stuff!

Conga, my friend.. your chops are looking great. Really dig the smilin' happy tiki-guy.. Looking forward to how this one is gonna shape up. Looks good so far... Whens the northwoods chop gonna happen? :) Take care, freddieB

Hey everything, many thanks.
Seeks, alright, just for you, watch for a sunset, maybe tomorrow night :)

Benz, he will be a Conga-Tiki but he just might remind a certain
veteran carver of one of his "old" carvings. I been studying a lot lately,
trying to steal a little bit from one of the masters.

Clarita, you make "Hauoli" a little more happy!

And FreddieBalls, you betcha. I think we gotta finally get together
for a little work and relaxation. I'll be in touch on that.

Progress and a little Wisconsin sunset tomorrow night :)

Conga. You amaze me. You should have been to Huklilau this year. I hear you have a nice home bar.
:)
I'll get in touch via PM.

Hot damn!

Nice stash Conga!

And a prime cut of basswood there.

Nice start already, I can tell this one will be a masterpiece!

Summer is here.... finally!

Yo, Conga, you can't steal what is freely given, sorry, Can't wait to see how he comes out!

Conga, long time! It's nice catching up with your work. That is quite a log stash you've got going there. I guess some of them will help warm your house next winter, but a lucky few will taste the chisel! I'm looking forward to watching your newest carving evolve. You always keep us on our toes around here! Anything new going on with the "Mensters"?

Take care,

Aaron

Hey, some old friends stopping in to say hello!
Gapper and Aaron, nice to hear from you, remember, us CoonTiki alums
need to stay in touch :) Always appreciate your kind remarks.

Oh yea, the Mensters. 2/3 of the original outfit still bang on drums
quite often..the third wheel has been in Florida and didn't make the
summer trip to Wisconsin the past couple of years. Once he makes it
back the Mensters will return to the studio.

Lakesurfer and Benz, as always, many thanks. I am loving summer up
here, and still working on a Conga-Tiki. As Mr. Ben says, what is freely
given is freely taken. I have taken a few ideas for this carving, with a
little conga twist of course. This is based on head carving, without the
body. A little hint.....Tropicana :)

I know I promised a Wisconsin sunset, but with fathers day and all,
I'm not sure I will make it today. Always tomorrow.

[ Edited by: congatiki 2009-06-21 13:38 ]

Looking sharp already!

Another nice start....

How do you see the sunset through all the trees in WI?

AHHHHH Look at all that WOOD!

Yeah, The Magic is starting to happen, he's coming alive Conga, better ask if he wants lunch!

Hey thanks fellas! Too late in the day to get a sunset picture for
you Johnny, but I am gonna get one soon. I'll find a nice spot where
you can see the sun setting over the potato fields :)
Lotsa time cutting holes into my tiki today. Seems funny that I am
calling one of my carvings a "tiki"....we'll see how he turns out.


I think this one is gonna take me quite a while yet but it's turning into
a lot of fun. Gotta keep those chisels sharp, right Ben?

Lookeen goood!

Wow Conga, he's looking nice! Although that guy on the TV screen looks less than impressed. Do you let him watch you carve? That would creep me out...

Thanks Mango and Finkdaddy.
Yea, Finky, the guy on tv creeps me out too. He never says a word,
just stares at me. Must be some new reality show where the guy doesn't
do anything, just makes people nervous.

Conga, this guy is really charging up the hill, where did you come up with this headdress detail, and the Mouth?? You are Hurting me man, I can't stand it so hurry up and take your time with this guy.
Sitting here in awe!

And Loving every minnit!

Thanks Ben, where did I come up with the headdress and mouth?

Well, you know I spend a lot of time studying carvings, and
there used to be a guy who carved pelicans and really fancy tikis.
I think he carved a bunch of them for a hotel in Vegas, I think it might
have been Holiday Inn :)

I have always considered him the best tiki carver and I'm just trying to follow
his big footsteps, do you know the guy I'm thinking of?

No, can't say I do. Holiday Inn huh, hmmm. Where can I see those?
:)
:o
:D

Woo look at this sucker man! The face and headdress are ROCKING!
Dont look like a bear to me?

Conga, You OK? This guy didn't tear off an arm and chew it up did he?
He Looks pretty Hungry And capable of serious mayhem.

Watch these chompers!

Thanks Seeksurf, no bear this time. Gonna stick with this one until he
turns into a tiki.
Hey Ben, he is a "biter" and he takes a pretty big bite too

I had my arm reattached and went back to work, making some progress but
this one is gonna take a little time



Happy Fourth!

Go Conga!

Looks like the weekend is treating you well!

Nice work!

Darn it Man, I Told you to be careful! Once they get the taste, they are hooked for life, Now you gotta be Double Careful, I'd say a Leg's next on his menu!
Despite the danger you are Really puttin' it to this guy, he's gonna be a Killer. :o :lol:

Hi Conga, it has been a while since my last posting here. But I´m checking from time to time. Must say, you really defined a unique "Conga-Style". It is always nice to see all the progress stuff and also the results.
The new project is going to be great. The headress is looking like a crown of bones already. I can see, why certain guys are afraid of him anyway. :wink:

Thanks for popping in Lake, Benz and Tok Tok. Always appreciate a little push
when digging into the basswood. I have to be very very careful now cuz I have been
digging deep into the headdress. If this sucker ever tips over...he's gonna
break into a billion pieces. Some areas of the fancy headdress are less than a
quarter inch thick....Conga better be careful :)

Tok...thanks for your comments on the "Conga style." All I'm trying to do is
create stuff that's a little different...I appreciate the fact that you've visited
over the years and come back now and then.

Don't expect this one to be finished any time soon....it might be my last tiki for
a while so I don't want to cut any corners. My daughter wants me to carve our
dog...that looks like my next project.

wow conga,

your "biter" sure looks like a mean sob. the headdress looks like he ripped the backbone off of some poor unfortunate souls and plopped it ceremoniously on his head. now if he get too unruly to handle you can always send him my way for punishment. great looking piece and great work.

bd

Oh I see you had a little cut, be more careful! :)
Looking great so far

Whoa Conga, look at that headress! Can't wait to see it complete!

On 2009-06-16 18:09, congatiki wrote:
Alrighty then. Over the weekend I found a little time to poke around
the back yard to select a new chunk of carving wood

Not much to choose from but I did select a nice chunk of basswood

Not much to choose from... hahahaha! You are funny guy! (or extremely picky) :P

AHHHHH! Conga! That is looking fantastic! Did ya grow a new arm back yet?

Yes! this sucker is turning out Awesome!

Many thanks Big Daddy, Clarita, Finkdaddy, Big T, Surfintiki and
Seeksurf, we appreciate your visits to CongaLand.
Another week, another batch of progress pics on the big Lono.
We are really starting to have some fun around here.





Ya all come back now, ya here?

Wow, Man Look at that Snarl! Conga, you are Really putting the Stuff into this guy and he's coming alive. Where'd you get all this stuff, I think you've been Holding out on us here, this guy is incredible. See what happens when you feed'um an arm now and then?

Sweet, sweet work Conga!

Summer weather is here and it is showing in the hot carves you've got going in this fella!

Thanks Benz and Lake, having a well-fed tiki and nice summer weather
sure makes for a lot of carving fun.
Here's one more shot...the first "shadow test."

Niiiiiice! Luv the teeth on this guy!

Great looking Lono conga. Looks like you had a good time carving this fella and
it shows.

Wwell it looks like he passed the "Shadow" test with flying colors, He looks good from anywhere. I Think his headdress reminds me of 4 racks of ribs tied to his head lets call hin the "Spare rib LONO","Hey buddy, can you spare a rib, a Spare rib that is? :lol: :o :P Only it looks like the woods rats got to most of the rib meat!.. Hhahahahaha

Yea....I think the headdress looks like rib bones too...maybe I could
name him Porky...or Porkono...come on Ben...help me with this one :)

Ahhhhhhh Yeahhhhhh... Lono, conga style!! Looking sweet so far!

How about "The Lone Bone Lono"?

"Sweet-Rib Lono".

WOW, a totally different and wild style! You are reaching for the moon on this one and delivering. The headdress is killer.

JP

Another unique Conga take on 'ole Lono. I know where you got the inspiration, but this one looks all yours!

another, great and detailed tiki, love it!

amy

Hey..gotta catch up here!
Thanks Amy, Aaron, Johnny, Benz, Finky, and Surfintiki, you are all helping me
push ahead on this guy.
This has turned into a massive sanding job, but I wanna do my VERY best to be
worthy of all of your comments. I am also spending a lot of time dealing with
the large crack down the middle. I used the crack as the starting point, between
the legs and feet, but the crack down the torso has been bothering me more than
usual. I used the multi-purpose "Great Stuff" to fill the biggest part of the
gap in the chest and base, with wood filler on top of the foam. I think it's
working.
Stay tuned friends...gotta get back to sanding the headdress :)

Yeah, that part is the worst! So you're hand sanding then? and given the wood filler, I guess this dude will be painted? Keep us posted!

Hey BigT....yea...quite a bit of hand sanding to do in the headdress. I've
used all the power sanding equipment at my disposal...but I still have areas
that I need to "hand-sand." Tiring work, hard on the fingers.

There will be some paint, but only minimal. Just on the front peak of the
headdress, where one of the "Conga Birds" will be perched.

Thanks for stopping by!