Swanky creates elaborate firewood

Latest work. I started doing a little clean up and reshaping the eye and nose. I wanted the eye much lower. I am still not sure this is where I want it.

Yes, that's my blood on his eye. "Blood on the Tikis" sounds like a bad dime novel... But the blood was not from chisels. I either scraped myself on the wood as I worked, or, I actually cut myself with my own thumbnail!

There are areas along the eye, that no matter how I go at them, they do not carve smooth. I get big chips or very rough cuts. I am assuming I can deal with those later.

I have no freaking idea how to carve out the inside of his mouth behind his teeth. I hope to figure that out. Maybe I need a new tool. Maybe I need to get Benzart and Tiki Diablo over here to show me... More on that later...

Also, my 3/4" chisel refuses to work well. I wonder if they put the wrong bevel on it at the factory. It just won't bite into the wood like the others. Won't do it's job.

In order to see it all together as progress, I created a web page with the images in order.

The Swank Pad Broadcast - If it's Swank...

[ Edited by: Swanky 2005-09-04 10:36 ]

Swanky, I think that from another post I saw that you were using primarily flat bevel chisels? Maybe I misunderstood you but if not, you need to get some gouges and v-parting tools. You really need to have a variety of edges. Not that you need as many as BK just posted in his methodology thread today. I must say that your work is pretty fine if you are using flat edges only. Start using gouges to clean those unruly places you mentioned. Good luck you're doing fine. Your friend 8FT

On 2005-09-04 12:42, 8FT Tiki wrote:
Swanky, I think that from another post I saw that you were using primarily flat bevel chisels? Maybe I misunderstood you but if not, you need to get some gouges and v-parting tools. You really need to have a variety of edges. Not that you need as many as BK just posted in his methodology thread today. I must say that your work is pretty fine if you are using flat edges only. Start using gouges to clean those unruly places you mentioned. Good luck you're doing fine. Your friend 8FT

What gouge would be best? A 3/4" number 5? Money to buy chisels is hard to come by, so I have to choose wisely. The good ones I can find around here are about $40 each. The really good ones I can get through my work are still $40, and that's wholesale!

Welcome back to you too Swank.
Your tiki is looking great, can't wait to see more progress shots.

Damn...that's some good work, Swank. Looks better than my first by a longshot. 8ft is right...get a nice really shallow gouge, maybe a 1-inch. Also get a 1/2 inch parting tool..straight, no spoon. If you're going to do Marquesans you'll need a deep gouge, too to do teeth. I can show you an invention of mine for popping them out nice, too. Cheap to make if you have a grinder.

Good hard work Swanky. I like it. Please don't use it for firewood.

Definitely looking good swank. I'll have to come up and show you how to hold and threaten the tools to get them to do what you want. Sometimes you just have to straighten them out.
lookin good.

Looking awesome for a 1st tiki. Way cool. Not quite sure how I missed this thread for so long. Show that tiki whos boss!

Is a spoon what I will need to get the inside mouth area behind the teeth? And just what is this "parting tool"? I have a "V" I bought not too long ago. It makes nice lines, but I have not figured out a lot of use for it. The issue I have had is it works great for making a nice line, but, any little catch in the wood and your nice line is hosed...

Carving has been very therapeutic. A long ass week at work and I carve for a few hours and the concentration and creating helps it melt away. That and a few Gin & Tonics...

A parting tool Is the same as a V tool.
You can get the Flexcut Mallet tools (gouges) for less than $30 and they are really Fine. They are Very thin and cut Fery well. A 1 1/4" #3 or #5 goes for $29.95 at Treeline
http://www.treelineusa.com/cgi-bin/shopper?search=action&searchstart=30&keywords=flexcut-mallet-tool
MAybe your work Has them or can get them?

I put in a few hours on him today. I wanted get the roughing of the face finished around. Mainly that meant clearing the wood out from under the chin and along the head dress. I also worked on the right eye. The red of the cherry is showing through now where I have carved down past the sap wood. I don't know what that will mean it looks like in the end.

Would you guys carve a log with this big crack in it?

The "wet" looking areas that are darker are where the red of the cherry is showing through. On the right under the chin I carved today, so it's still pale.

I need to get the mouth working. He looks a little like an Indain.

Finishing the headdress all the way around the back and over the top will be a JOB!

I still don't know about getting the inside of his mouth, behind the teeth, etc. I may wait on that a while... Unitl I see BK and Benzart and Tiki Diablo for a lesson!

Keep it up there Swank... you'll get it! Looking good so far!

Sometimes it is the method in how you carve and not only the tools. I've found you don't have to spend a ton on a variety of chisels... my favorite tikis are created with 3 flat chisels and a v gouge... watching your progress has given me some ideas on how you can go about your tikis in the future.

Swing by my table at Huki and we'll talk tiki for a bit!

I'd say between Ben, BK, Diablo, Tiki G., Me and any other veteran carvers in attendence we can give you a crash course right there at Hukilau. You should bring the log along and work through it on the beach!

The important part is you're having fun though... even through the frustration!

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2005-09-18 15:57 ]

Don't expect to get it perfect on yr first try. That said, It looks pretty damn good! You should be proud of yr results so far.

Swanky...
I vote NO on the firewood concept. Hell, I have problems even burning scrap bamboo, much less a tiki...
It looks great so far! Very ambitious carving Cherry on the first go. I'd go with Basswood or Balsa at first, but I'm not very brave. I wouldn't worry about the checks (cracks) showing up. My father carves wood and it happens all the time. You just gotta go with the flow. He now dries his wood for years in his studio before carving, but he's retired and has got the time. Plus his things are really detailed (doors with stained glass insets, puzzle boxes, jewelry boxes, etc). I've been trying to get him to carve me a tiki, but he is an artiste... Oh well...
Can't wait to see it finished! Maybe in time for the Hukilau? Well, you better hurry. Chop, chop! Or is it Chisel, Chisel! :wink:

JonPez
http://www.playgroundzero.net/tiki/
------_-

-On the eternal search for the recipe for Kobe's white sauce -

Wow. No update since September 2005. I suck! I spent the summer of 2006 gardening instead. This year I moved and started the gardens all over, but, kept it small. Coon Tiki is coming up, and I am wanting to carve more. I bought a couple of pieces of basswood to start a new project, but I aim to finish this guy first.

Great weather here today. Cool and bright and breezy. Set the table up on the lanai and went to it.

Working on the mouth today. This is the hardest part I think, and I wanted to be working on it while I had BK and Benzart here to guide me. I mostly wanted to get the wood out of the way.


Still a bit to go.

You can see the pencil line around the mouth. That is where the teeth will be cut. I lost some chips up top. Oops. No idea wehn.

This gets tricky because I aim to clear out the area behind the teeth. I cut straight donw for now, but, I'll be clearing out that wood back there next, and then cutting the gaps between the teeth. That's when I gotta get the super glue ready!

Need to blow his nose too...

Well you know it's dry.
Looking good Swanky.

If I remember right, it looks like you have done a Lot to him since last year. I'll check it out Soon!

It looks good to me, I haven't even attempte to start carving yet. Put I do have some wood saved up to give ita go one of these days.

If you don't stain it, you can expect the outer (white) wood to stay fairly white over time, and the inner (dark) wood to continue to get darker and richer with exposure to the sun.

I built a high-chair for my first daughter out of cherry that was almost a very light pink when worked, and it is now an extremely deep, dark velvety red, more "cherry" looking than even the best minwax stain.

Personally, I think it will give nice contrast to the piece!

I probably won't stain it. Might put a little Briwax on it is all. Been looking back at my source pictures and seeing a lot of changes to make. A long way to go. But if I spend the whole 2 day Coon Tiki time on it, by the end of Saturday, I should be very far along. Can't wait to have Ben and BK to keep me on the right track. And if I need a new tool to get what I want done, it's just steps away!

While the other COon Tiki folks were working on Ben's Moai, I worked on my Ku more.

Worked on hollowing out the mouth and getting out behind the teeth. Also started cuting out the area that will be the teeth.

Also reworking the headress.

Very cool!

Swank, he has Really come a LONG Way and it looks like you have too. Thanks for doing the Coon Tiki II thing, I Really enjoyed it.
Keep working on this guy, he should be done in about 3 weeks!

He's looking really good. Keep going!!

Now Swanky this is a cool looking tiki...but is this the one that you first posted in
September 2005? That's almost two years and I thought I was the slowest guy on tiki central.
It's looking great...but we gotta get this one wrapped up so we can some more of what's
in your head. There must be some funky PNG stuff in there somewhere.
Just giving you a little crap....it's gonna be a nice one.

Keep going, Swanky! You gotta keep at it. I forced myself to do some carving after work so my moai wouldn't end up like your Ku. :wink:

Oh great, I'm now poster boy for carving slacker! "Don't get like Swanky and not carve for a year." Great :wink:

Yes, this is the one from September 2005. Summer of 2006 I gardened instead.

I already have a couple of pieces of basswood for my next project, which will be the Donn Beach cannibal trio. A small version. I consider them the "gods of the mixologist." I also have a sister cherry log to this one which will become Kane to have the duo from the City of Refuge. I can have them sort of buried up to their shoulders, Easter Island style...

I have an update on this one, but no time to take a picture since last weekend.

I have the stuff set up on the lanai so that I can grab a chisel and carve without much prep. I hope to get at it regularly for the rest of the summer at least. And a nice shed indoors to work in winter. I will get him done. I didn't wear out myself and build these muscles in my arms, back, shoulder and hands over the weekend for nothing!

Very nice!

More work around the mouth and the left eye.

Been working on this a bit. Thought I'd update here to prove it!

Looking at this picture, I fubared that eyelid. Nothing like th eother one! So much for symetry! I cleaned out in the mouth, behind the teeth and I cleaned up a lot of messy cuts and shaped the headress a bit. Just so you know, the teeth will be cut last. May look a little odd at this point without them.



I really regrte the earlier deep cuts I made in the headress. I'll have to work around them. The sap wood on this is easy enough to carve, but the heart wood is hard as hell. Mallets only pretty much.

Learned a lot about how to work with the grain at Coon Tiki. I am putting it to use now.

I need a chainsaw badly. I have large amounts of wood to remove on the back of the head...

Swanky, LOOK at This guy coming alive, Are you surprised you have the skills to get this far? You can actually finish him if you just Believe and take it a step at a tome. Lookin' Good.

Looking great Swanky!
Be carefull though that he doesn't dry to quick coz' he's cracking up a bit

Greets

He's classic! I can't wait to see 'er all done. I'm sure the headdress will look just swanky.

Keep plugging, Swanky. It looks good to me.

Ditto...looks great, brah.

Rock on!

Geez, or, um Jeez, 2007? Man. Been a freakin while. I have done some stuff, but not really touched the chisels.

I must dedicate this to Tiki-Kate. It was her find that really inspired me, and her pictures that I have printed out as my inspiration. I must have my own cannibal trio for the Hideaway. Sort of an ode to Don Beach. So I started these three in Pawlonia, or is it Catalapa? Any way, some nice carving wood. Been taking an hour or so after work to hack on it. One guy at a time. Started as a straight copy, but it has evolved into my version. Still close to the original, but probably taking my own feelings into it. Feels good... Til I dropped a chisel in the driveway!

Your key to Beachbum Berry's books. Login and start concocting!

[ Edited by: Swanky 2010-10-13 18:47 ]

Great start!
Kate's cannibal thread inspired one of my carves, too.

Driveway? You should be carving in the back yard! That way you have tiki mulch instead of dings in the chisels!

Good start Tim, Take your time and remember,, GO Deeper!

On 2010-10-14 07:24, Benzart wrote:
Good start Tim, Take your time and remember,, GO Deeper!

Yep. I keep working my way down and down. Need a couple of new chisels I think. A deep 30 degree V for one.

I usually carve in the yard, but it was hot and I wanted shade. Never again! I think I may buy a new chisel rather than try to grind this back into shape!

A weekend carving project I have put off for many many months. Redoing the bar front and the rafters.

Basic Maori carving design, and my wife figured out the whole thing could be made with one spiral stamp!


3/4 inch round bit.


Torching it to get rid of all sharp edges and to stain it in one step!

That's terrific looking woodwork, I want a router for Christmas, Wendy

Looking Good Swank and I'll Bet you'e tired of Going round in circles? Are'ya Dizzy yet? Nice to see you more comfortable at removing large amounts of Wood too.

It is getting there...

It's not a block of wood with some stuff on it anymore. Not sure when I'll be happy with it, but I am very happy with the process!

And I have 2 more to go after this, so, all I learn will make the next one faster and better I hope. And, I keep buying more tools, so, I should have all I need by then too...

Looking good. And he's sitting on a stool?! Very cool.

On 2010-11-01 09:16, TheBigT wrote:
Looking good. And he's sitting on a stool?! Very cool.

Actually he's sitting on his defeated enemy he is about to eat. Once I get to doing their faces it'll be a little more clear. So, that's the other guy between his legs, not some enormous member...

I am beginning to see the end and researching finishing. I see a lot of sanding in my future. Can anyone point me to a good resource of anything they recommend other than good old paper and elbow grease for sanding?

I also read a few places about people wetting their pieces, drying them and then sanding them as the grain raised up. Do this 3 or 4 times to make it so that when you put on the stain, you don't see the grain raise up when you can't fix it. Anyone done this and have any thoughts?

These short days that have me getting home from work in the dark have slowed my work. Gotta regroup...

And then I keep thinking, maybe I chuck this one and start over... Nah. When I finish the 3rd of the trio, I'll consider the possibility of redoing the 1st and then the second and then.....