Uncle Trav's miniature tiki huts....Small Paradise. Diving into a new project

Trav, I missed last week's post, the pictures of it all lit up are a thing of beauty! This is definitely one of your best and most ambitious projects.

You have found your calling and we have found one fun thread to watch. If you are keeping what you make you could build the best village on earth a place we would all want to go. Thank you, Wendy

Awesome, just awesome... I love the scale.

Uncle Trav,

Another mini marvel, awesome work! Glad to own one of your masterpieces.

I saw this montage on the web and thought it might be a good look for your Mai Kai scene!

DC

That is sooooo Cool Trav!!!
Your detail is amazing. SWEET!

Thanks for all of the kind words everyone. I finally hit the creative wall back in January and had to walk away from the miniatures for a bit. I am starting to try out some ideas for the sign for the mini Mai Kai but nothing to post as of yet. Thanks again for taking a look.

Hang in there Trav! Take a little break then hit it again HARD!

Nice work Trav, I didn't know the Mai-Kai went topless, cool beans!

I found these miniature wood barrel shaped wood pieces at a craft store. I thought with a bit of detailing and staining I may be able to in incorporate them into a new build. A Tiki trading post sounds fun and yes, I still have to finish that dang mini Mai Kai sign one of these days.

Looking forward to "Trader Trav's". How you're gonna weave miniature fishnets? :)

Trav, Glad to see that you back at work, 'fighting the good fight.'

I'm planning for the "Sea Creatures of the South Pacific" tiki art swap is keeping me busy these days, along with work, my new grandson & life in general. But I love checking in on your artistic adventures in mini land!
~kele

Great job I love these.
They kinda remind me of these old Christmas decorations.
You need some with snow and santa.

Thanks guys!! I do have an idea for miniature fishing nets but the idea of snow in miniature is going to have to be on hold, we will have a bunch of the real stuff soon enough :D Here is the first try at a mini rum barrel. Thanks again.

All your miniatures are amazing Uncle Trav and that certainly looks like a miniature barrel now. Nice work.

That's a super cool barrel. Wendy

Snow is coming down here at my home port so the basement workshop is up and running. Went back to the craft store and found some very small wood blocks. A bit of detailing and some stain and now I have a crate to add to a future miniature build. I have some ideas in the works for more items as well. Thanks for taking a look.

I bet these take as much labor as a larger size. Small is not easy and you do a terrific job. They are perfect, Wendy

Looks great Trav. Eagarly awaiting the next mini masterpiece!

Trav,
I LOVE this thread! Can't wait for your next post!
~kele

Nice to see you back at it, Trav!

Thank you for all the kind words guys! My work situation has improved to the point where the fun things have to wait for some free time now. One of the things I love about doing these miniatures is finding new ways to use common items and tools for a build. My basement workshop is on the other side of the wall from my lounge. A perfect combination for escape and inspiration when cabin fever sets in. Thanks again.

A little work on a smaller crate. Any smaller and I'll start to go cross eyed.

It looks great!

That's not a Mad Dog Mike coin is it?
:)

Lookin good

Ha ha, no MDM coin. It's the real deal.

Here is the smallest of the cargo crates ready to go.

Trav, I just got back to TC, and am so impressed by your work. I've been thinking about making a Tiki hut myself for my garden rr. You've given me a ton of inspiration! Rocky.

Hi Rocky. Thanks for taking a look and I'm glad you enjoy my work. It's been a little slow going with the hut construction lately as I have been working quite a bit. When you start a build please start a thread and share your progress. Thanks again.

Trav- with items like that,
your tiki bar could contain more stuff than any other tiki bar in the world...

Way cool

Jon

Now here is a fun one. Bigbro asked how I was going to make miniature fishing nets. Well I'm trying to use of all things cheesecloth. It seem to be the right scale but I'm trying to work out the right look for the finished net.

This tiny coil of rope has been the easiest piece so far. Just thread coiled and dyed but I think it looks okay with the other cargo items I have made so far.

Very nice Trav, I think that cheesecloth net is going to catch a lot of little tiny sharks!

UT- those look great

Jon

Good thinking, Trav. Keep us posted.

Trav, great idea with the cheese cloth. I posted some pictures of an A frame close to my apt. in General Tiki, under the listing "tiki as a job" It might be the model I make after my Tiki shadow box.

Thanks for the comments guys. I am doing a test to see if wood will work out for the roof for my next build. I have always used paper or card stock for this in my other models. Here is the test roof in the glue up stage. I use the metal flats to hold the pieces in position until they are dry. I will post some pics of how it turns out a bit later. Thanks for taking a look.

Innovation, very cool. Wendy

Very detailed inspired work Trav...great job. Your eyes must be going batshit crazy. OGR

I love your work! Are you going to hang battery operated dollhouse size Christmas lights on the inside, or do they not put off enough light?

Thanks guys. OGR not batty yet but getting there fast. Tikilongbeach, I haven't thought that much about lights lately but it's always an option. I finished the glue up of the roof and I may try this out on a build. It will need a lot more details to start looking like a traders hut. Please excuse my beat up hands but they make my living in the real world.

Uncle Trav,
REALLY love what you're creating here!
~kele

Nice! Keep the updates coming, my friend!

way kool

jon

Thanks guys. Still not sure about the roof design but going ahead with some detail pieces. The glue up is always the longest wait in the building process. The small pieces will be gables. Also putting structural pieces to stiffen the roof up a bit.

A bit more work on the roof.

Love it Trav! Those gables have a great Polynesian upsweep to them.

Thank you MDM. My huts are not based on any real native design. I make the design up as I go. Thanks for taking a look.

I sure dig all the attention to detail. Nice.

Wow that glue time must really take some patience! Looking swanky so far!