Rescued Mai Tiki from NJ needs brain surgery.

So I’m new to this forum and I’d like to say hello. I’m here to ask for any opinions on my mission to revive this Beautiful tiki. Unfortunately it’s been outside for a long time in New Jersey and the top is starting to rot. I pressure washed it and took all the rot I could out so far. It is now in the garage laying down for a long winter of drying out and debugging. After it has dried out I will take any loose rot out then treat it, then fill it in with something?? I thought about filling it in with a bunch of wood pieces real tight and then pouring a gallon or two of wood glue in to fill in all the gap’s. Yes that rot goes about a foot deep. Or making a giant wood plug with a doner log. After that I’d like to put a copper or led cap on it to keep and future weather out. This will eventually sit out by my pool for the summer and then be taking inside the rest of the year. If you have any suggestions I’d greatly appreciate it.

[ Edited by: Billymons 2018-08-31 15:25 ]

[ Edited by: Billymons 2018-09-04 07:43 ]

[ Edited by: Billymons 2018-09-04 07:47 ]

[ Edited by: Billymons 2018-09-04 07:51 ]

Dang the pics are sideways! Guess I can’t post them from a iPhone? Sorry. If I figure it out I’ll straighten them out.

Read this post of mine. It may help you a little. Good Luck!

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=6515&forum=1&hilite=Discovery%20&%20Restoration%20of%20vintage%20Oceanic%20Arts%20tiki%20in%20Kansas%20City,%20MO%20and%20now,%20AMAZING%20chapter%202%20!

If you are going to put some sort of 'cap' on it then why bother filling it at all?

I'd use some minwax wood hardener. Let it trickle down the sides all around, probably use the whole bottle.

You could also try an epoxy filler. I've had success filling wood with Apoxy Sculpt. Whatever you use, be sure it won't absorb moisture later.

Jeff

Welcome Billymons. Nice looking Tiki, at least it's lighter now that it's hollow :)

I don't know about loading from iPhone to TC but if edit your post and put the tag  after it, the picture will show on the post. Like this

Do you know the guy who carved that tiki?

And I say go with it, the hole that is.
At the Kahiki they had tiki about that size and they put a light in it then caped the hole with a glass globe, or fishing float.
So then you would have a tiki and a cool light feature.

Coat the insides with a protective coating that you will have to replace every now and then.
The globe will keep some rain out.

Heck the hard part is done, putting the hole in the top that is.

Good luck.

On 2018-09-01 16:07, tikiskip wrote:
Do you know the guy who carved that tiki?

Isn't Mai Tiki the name that Wayne Coombs used?

https://www.critiki.com/location/mai-tiki-gallery-cocoa-beach-478/

Yes it was.

Just wanted to post this picture so I baited someone into asking.

Here is Wayne, Think Wayne would love the idea of flipping people off from the beyond.

know I would.

Heck that tiki looks to be the second tiki from the right on Wayne's shirt he is wearing in photo.

One more idea would be to find a bowl the right size to go in the hole and use it as a bird bath too.
But the birds would poop on it as well.

You really do need to save that Mai Tiki carving. I have experience with serious, hard-core, and permanent repair and restoration of rotted and otherwise damaged wood.

My suggestion is to look up, online, a product called Abatron. It is an epoxy which soaks into the wood very effectively, and it does not care if it finds rotten wood or other organic matter. It incorporates any existing debris within the hole and completely penetrates whatever porous material it encounters to re-solidify and preserve soft and rotten wood. It mixes perfectly with sawdust, newspaper, other bits of wood, etc. to fill large voids. It's not cheap - I recall paying about $30 a pint - but it works incredibly well and comes in larger less expensive sizes depending on what you need to do. Their web site will show you who sells it in your area. I live in a big city and only two paint shops sell it.

Abatron is a clear material with a light amber color. It is sandable, drillable, paintable, weather resistant, and just plain hardy. It is used by a number of historical restoration specialists to repair and preserve damaged wood. Homeowners use it to repair and fill in termite damage along with many other types of wood-destroying organism damage.

For your tiki, which you have already cleaned out, you would mix Part A and Part B of the Abatron, then generously brush the interior of the hole with pure Abatron to preserve the initial exposed layer of natural wood. Be generous, and let the first layer really soak in and harden - about a full day. Then mix more Abatron, add your filler material (wood chips, sawdust, newspaper, etc.) and start filling the hole and packing your mixture in tightly. Abatron sticks to Abatron, so you can build up layers of the material over a number of days at whatever pace you choose. Call their support number if you have questions, especially if it's your first time using their product. You could ask, for example, if its best to use 1" layers of the preparation, or 3" at a time, or 6" at a time. I'm never shy with it - I fill 100% of whatever I'm repairing and then let it cure. It's always good to gain some knowledge (and with it also confidence) before starting to repair any one-of-a-kind item with an unfamiliar product. Before you touch your tiki, you could make a practice test by taking an old 2 x 4 and creating a deep divot by drilling a bunch of holes in the center. Then dig out a bunch of wood and use Abatron to fill and patch the hole. This allows you to practice, see how it works, and even test it's ability to be sanded and drilled once it's fully cured.

Good luck, and please post photos before, during, and after the repair.

(Edited to improve wording and clarify the 2 x 4 test suggestion.)

"Abatron is not a cure for ED."

[ Edited by: AceExplorer 2018-09-02 08:59 ]

Abatron stuff sounds good.
Remember if you use something that delaminates the space where the caulk is kinda on and off of the tiki will hold water to the wood in the cracks and not let the wood dry out.

That is a bad thing and will make it rot more.

If you don't need your backyard décor to be on all the time you could cover the tiki with a trash bag and remove when you are out or have a party, the copper top is a good idea as well and you could take the top off and the the wood dry every now and then.

Make sure you have a drain hole so water will not collect in the hole as well.

So I found a picture of that tiki with the float on top, this tiki was from the Kahiki as well.
This will give you an idea of how that looks.

Here is a photo of Wayne's shop in FLA.

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2018-09-02 06:27 ]

Thanks all! Great advise. Once I’m done I’m gonna hate to see it outside in the summer. Maybe I can find a spot under my deck, near the pooI. I just want it to be a focal point. Yes I found out it was Wayne’s work after some research. I lived in Florida for 6 years and was at his shop once, after a couple cocktails of course.

Billymons, good to hear you have plans to keep it as a focal point in your yard.

In the event you can't find a place for it under your deck, another option would be to consider spraying it with Thompson's Water Seal. It's inexpensive, works very well, and over time tends to evaporate slowly but completely. Re-treatments are necessary in subsequent seasons. But it should preserve and protect your tiki if left outside.

Remember to take care of the very bottom of the carving as well, as moisture and insects and rot can be a big problem on the base. I know the tiki is heavy, but also consider turning it on its side and applying the Abatron to to the base to make it impermeable to moisture and insects. Also ensure that you protect it from splashes from roof drip lines. Much of the wood damage I see where I live is accelerated by exposure to long-term drips from light rain and drizzle on top of the usual downpours.