Working With Big Logs

I have a few questions on working with big logs. First, though, I’m going to give you an example how not to do it.

Some time ago, Uncle Ben gave me some good tips on how to make a “Big Log” work stand. I’d been doing my carving sitting down, & it was killing my back.

On 2004-09-19 23:12, Benzart wrote:
When I had my shop under the tiki Hut, I used the bottom of 2 light poles that were 20 inches wide and cut to3 feet tall. I cut a wide fairly shallow v into the top of each one and for large logs used both and for short logs just one would do. Just lay your piece into the V and work away. I also had V's cut into the sides for use with thick logs. Worked well for me.

I always appreciate these tips from you pros. Sometimes I just file them away for later…

I had a vacation day, so I borrowed my Bro’s truck & went down to a local firewood lot.

Coincidentally, a carver was subleasing part of the lot. More on him later…

I picked up two 20” dia by 36” tall pieces. The lot guy was nice enough to cut the “V’s” in them & loaded them in the truck with a skiploader. That was the easy part.

I got them home thinking I’d just roll them onto a furniture dolly & take ‘em out back. These logs must have weighed 300 lbs each. I rolled one onto my dolly, which promptly cracked in half. I immediately went in the house & took two Aleeves before continuing (preventative).

Plan B – just roll ‘em. Not easy, but it worked. The logs just barely fit through my gate.

So, I finally did get them where they needed to go, with no back injuries to boot. These will work like a charm. The log is the perfect height for carving without having to bend over. That’s my next project – a 5 foot ficus log, with beautiful grain.

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So, here’s my question. I’d really like to carve a BIG tiki. Maybe 20” diameter or more, 6 feet tall. But if it was this hard to move a couple of 3 footers, how am I going to move a really BIG tiki log?

How do you guys do it, logistically? Maybe some special kind of rollers? Just getting one off the truck will be tough. And what’s the max. size that can realistically be handled?

Mahalo!

Aaron

"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-12-23 14:27 ]

My Fishertiki was about 20" wide by 4.5'. I used a hand truck to barely move it into my backyard. I actually carved the entire piece standing on end. There was no chance a hammer blow was going to tip it over. Wood is heavier than it looks.

As long as you have a sidewalk or hard surface, you can "Walk" it anywhere you need to go. It always amazed people how I could work with and move such big logs, but there is always a way.
Another thing you can do is remove a lot of the wood before you start moving it. Semi roughed out with a chainsaw lightens it up considerably. Usually though it's just a matter of leverage and practice.
I love your carving stumps!!

What kind of trees are they? That big dumptruck full of logs has me Drooling all over the Keyboard. what kind of trees are those and you didn't get one of those Big suckers?? You are slipping.. Go for broke, get a giant one.

Thanks, Ben & Raffertiki. Aaaahhhh…. nothing like the sight of a 40 foot logging rig to raise a carver’s testosterone level. No, Ben, I haven’t attempted one of these bad boys - yet. I wanted to get advice from all of you guys first.

This firewood lot is near some old fields that are being developed into high priced housing. HUGE eucalyptus trees that served as a windbreak ringed the fields. They are taking out literally hundreds of trees, many of which are inbound to this wood lot. I worked at a wood lot as a teen, and we sold lots of “Euc”. The wood is really twisty & I don’t think I want to carve it. This guy had lots of other wood, though.

I’m not sure what kind of wood he gave me for the carving stumps. I told him I didn’t care what type. I think he might have said it was almond. The guy was really busy with the 40 footer rigs coming in so I didn’t want to bug him too much.

Anyways, that wood (almond?) looked pretty nice to carve. The two stumps cost me 40 bucks total, including six chainsaw cuts & complimentary loading with that massive tractor loader shown in the pic above. I know everybody likes to get their wood for free from tree trimmers, but for me it was worth it having it all cut up & dropped in the truck. I’m sure I’ll be back for more.

So, I’m still not sure how to handle the BIG log. It will be too big for a handtruck, and I’m sure I won’t be able to “walk” it back.

Any other ideas, guys?

"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2004-12-23 16:41 ]

Yeah, one more Idea that is actually fun. Have a neighborhood Beer Party and after the first keg, suggestthe lot of you aren't men enough to carry the log into the back yard.No beer'd yp guy can pass on that challenge. It would only take 6 or 8 of you to carry the log back. After you have it set up on your stumps, break out the second keg and offer free carving lessons. At this stage, you Don't use the chainsaw though...

A tractor, fork lift or crane is the only way. Otherwise, somebody gets hurt and it's not worth it.

I would just chain a log to a ford truck with a 390 and yank away! Tiki tony and I have done it. Just like Grandpa Jesse Duke! To move them big logs jsut move it like an Egyptian would. Rollers and momentum.

yup, towing palms, works good! You could also rent a trailor for caring a vehicle, with a winch, and winch the log up onto the trailor. Or, Utilize your AAA club membership and tell them your log ran out of gas, and needs to be towed home to carve.

I Really Like your V carving Stumps.. think I might use that idea myself.

Well, I suppose this is a good time to post up the log I started on this week... could become a fountain but I may use a smaller one... this tiki's mouth won't be high enough like I wanted originally...

Anyhow, this log is just inches shy of 5 foot and 2 feet in diameter... it easily weighs over 300 lbs...

I have been stupid and deadlifted it from the bottom a few times... you know, bear hug it and then heave up... not suggested...

Ben has a great idea about "walking" the log on end... I do that a lot with big heavy ones...

I use a hand truck that I bought for $19.99 at Harbor Freight... it is rated for at least 300 lbs and has inflateable tires... that is how I got it down a flight of stairs into the basement to carve... log on the handtruck and grabbing onto the handle slowing lowering it down one stair at a time...

When I got this log my arborist friend and I heaved it into a pickup truck bed... to get it out I just pushed it off... before I got the hand truck I "walked" the log...

More progress hopefully after the holiday weekend is over...

That wood dump looks like heaven to me!

Oh, this will probably take a while to carve because I'm on this "traditional" kick where everything I carve is chisels only. Chainsaws have scared me, and while I could probably crank this one out quick with one I tend to enjoy the sore arms and the tedious process that carving with chisels brings. The ancients did it that way and it makes me feel kind of connected to that primitive art form in a way by slaving over it. This one is real solid pine, so it takes a little extra effort. I'm into this big one for the enjoyment and taking a little extra time gives me a chance to squeeze a little more out of the art :wink:

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer on 2004-12-24 12:05 ]

Looks good LakeSurfer. It is an impressive log.
The Ancients.. you know they started with stone chisels and when the bronze and then steel came around, they Jumped a every upgrade, Their mood was the faster you can remove the wood the better and the steel was definately faster than stone or glass. of course they weren't around when chainsaws ame along OR They would have jumped on the chance to use them. Its not that chainsaws are inferior for sculpture its that "Chainsaw Art" is far inferior to "Chisel Art". You have All seen Chainsaw Art where the chainsaw is the only toolused except for a grinder and a torch. It has very little detail and doesn't take too much skill. For Chisel carvers the chainsaw can be dangerous in that without trying, you can remove too much wood and ruin a good piece of are or really degrade it. A chainsaw can be an excellent tool only if used wisely.

[ Edited by: Benzart on 2004-12-25 07:51 ]

Ben, I gotta agree with JT - A bunch of drunk overweight middle aged guys lifting huge logs may be a recipe for disaster. Maybe after its done & a lot of wood has been removed I'll have a tiki raising party & we'll break out the kegger then.

JT, the crane or lift route may be the safest, but how much does that run you? I saw some pics of a crane setting that last huge tiki that you did.

Danny & Tony, you guys are nuts. I like that! I won't need a trailer though, cause this guy can set the log right in the bed of my Bro's truck with that skiploader. Getting it home isn't the problem.

Ono, the "V" stumps were Benzart's suggestion. My solutions are usually way too complicated. Ben always sets me on right path, though.

Lake, that guy is cool. I think its good to start with an irregular shaped log sometimes. It forces you to think different, and makes for a one of a kind tiki. You've gotta show us more after the holidays. That must be murder hauling those logs down to the basement, then back up again when they're done. I guess that's the only way to work when it's freezing outside?

I agree on the chisel thing. It feels good and you have way more control. I'm just working on figuring out which tools work best at which stage. The Lancelot is my favorite right now, but I also need a chainsaw, which I'll be getting SOON. Of course, there's the later stage where chisels seem to work best, rather than dremel or die grinder. Still figuring it all out as I go.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So, here's my plan so far.

1. Skiploader sets the BIG log in the truck bed. Strap it down & take it home.

2. Pull into one side of the driveway with the tailgate sloped down toward the street. Put a tow strap aroung the log & hook it up to my Blazer. Pull the log out fast & drop it on the street behind the truck. (Normally I'd tie the log off to a big tree or something, then drive the truck out from under it. I don't have a big tree, though, & it's probably not wise to tie it off to the porch post).

3. The last part depends on what I can find at the rental yard & how much it would cost. I was thinking of renting a cherry picker to lift up one end of the log to get some kind of (rental?) heavy duty caster wheel dolly underneath. Same thing for the other end. Then it's just a matter of rolling it into the back yard & dropping it on the ground.

4. Break out the brewskis for all of my buddys that I commandeered for the job.

Have any of you guys used a cherry picker to lift logs? Whaddaya think?

Last question - What's the biggest log that you guys have attempted? There must be a cutoff point where its just not possible to move without heavy machinery.

All thoughts appreciated. :)

Aaron

Well i will lend you my motor lift if you wanted. I am in Hesperia. The Red neck way of getting the logs out of the back of your truck is to drive in reverse quickly and then hit the brakes hard where you want to unload them. It works really good. Hope it saves some time. I also think if you would have put the logs on your dolly in the other direction it would have held the weight. Talk to you later.
Bob

AA, it cost the owner of W.R. 300 clams to have those 8 logs delivered and dropped and then 200 for the crane work.

BobFJ40, Welcome to TC. Are you carving or doing other tiki art? That is super nice of you to offer the use of your lift. Mahalo! I've figured out that you're about 80 miles away, so it's probably easier to rent one nearby (and cheaper than the gas to get out your way). If I can do anything for you down the road, let me know. The great thing about TC is that everybody contributes advice & opinions & helps each other out. You'll fit right in.

I like your "redneck method". Reminds me of my favorite Alan Jackson song. I'll just make sure there's no kids in the way, throw it in reverse, aim for the driveway, & hit the brakes. With the bedliner it'll slide out slicker'n goose... well, you know. And yeah, you're right about the dolly. I could probably shore it up with a couple of 2x4's.

JT, that sounds about right for a commercial opeation with 8 big tikis. Well worth it. But in this case, I'm the owner, & I'm a real cheap b*stard! I called the local equipment rental. I can get a towable engine lift for $22 a day. They also have some kind of "drywall dolly" that the guy thought would work well. I have no idea what that looks like, but I'm gonna stop by there today & check it out.

MAHALO for the advice.

A-A

Took the little guy for his first trip to the equipment rental yard today. Here's the engine lift with tow hitch - $22 per day.

Once I lift the log, I can roll this drywall dolly underneath the middle and strap everything down tight. It will easily roll 1,000 lbs or more, and can pivot around tight corners with the big caster wheels. $17 per day.

Hell, I could practically move a giant log all by myself with all of this rental equipment. So I guess I'm all set. I figure I can carve my giant tiki for about $100 in materials including the rentals.

That's it for now. It's all planned out, but probably won't happen for a month or so. I've still got to finish that little Leroy, and another five foot Ficus log is all skinned up & ready to go. After that, the BIG log project begins.

Thanks for letting me bounce all my ideas off you guys. I'll post some pics when I get started.

Aloha for now,

Aaron

AA- Danny and Tony have the right method. Go to any hardware store and buy 3-4 pieces of schedule 40 pipe 1 1/2" - 2" diameter. Just role the log onto the pipes (which are spread evenly below the log) then roll the log forward. You still may need a few people to advance the log, and the small child photographed can move the pipes from the tail end back to the front as you advance. Also, you might want to actually REMOVE the tailgate prior to dragging the log off the truck. If the log is heavy enough, it will permanently bend the hinges of the tailgate and it won't ever close correctly again. This is a speaking from experience point.

AA,
There are special hand trucks made for moving plants that can handle up to 1000 lbs. Usually I will get one of my friends to grab one handle while I grab the other. I have moved several large redwod logs this way. Sometimes, I will get several pieces of abs pipe. You can set the log on top of these pipes and roll it by rotating them from the back back to the front (Egyptian Style).
I also wanted to let you know that I often find myself heading down to So Cal on 101. If you would like, I could drop you off a piece of redwood one of these days.

Will

Hey Aaron,
My Girl friend has family that lives in SC and she goes down there often so if you did want to borrow it just let me know and we can make it hapen. I am new to carving and I got started because I was buying big tikis for my house and was spending too much money so I figured I could save some money and have some fun at the same time. I am about half way finished with my first one and it is so much better than I would have ever thought. I am doing it on my luch break so I only get 30 min at a time. I have some more logs that I just got cleaned up at home so I might get started on one of them this weekend. I will post some pics when I get a chance.

Tikifille, that's great advice. I'm using my brother's truck, so I'll make sure & remove the tailgate before I pick up that BIG log. I may still use the drywall dolly just for convenience sake rather than the pipe rollers. I think I'm only doing the BIG log once - gotta get it out of my system. I usually work with much smaller stuff.

Will, do you have any pics of that special hand truck? I'd love to see what it looks like. You mentioned in your other post how the logs wash up on your shore. That must be a real chore salvaging the big ones up from rugged terrain.

And yes, I'd love to get ahold of a real redwood log. The only redwood around here comes in the form of 4x4's. I'll PM you on that. MAHALO for the offer!

BobFJ40, Ditto to you. Thanks for the offer, & I’ll PM you when I'm close to being ready for this project.

It's great to see that the aloha spirit is alive & well here on TC!

On 2004-12-27 20:40, BobFJ40 wrote:
...I am about half way finished with my first one and it is so much better than I would have ever thought. I am doing it on my luch break so I only get 30 min at a time. I have some more logs that I just got cleaned up at home so I might get started on one of them this weekend. I will post some pics when I get a chance.

That's funny, Bob. I'm doing the same thing on my lunch break. It's hard to find enough carving time. Can't wait to see your first carving.

**Cheers!

Aaron**

I'm ready to buy my first chainsaw, and doing a little research. There's just too many options for me, so I thought I'd ask for some TC advice on selecting chainsaws. I've figured out a few things at least:

1. Needs to be electric.
2. With a "carving tip" bar.
3. 1/4" link chain.

Here's my questions:

1. What is the best bar length for carving?
2. What's the best tip? Quarter tip, dime tip, etc...
3. Any favorite Manufacturers? I heard Makita made a great electric chainsaw that will work with 1/4" chain.

I'm sure there's lots of queations that I just don't know enough to ask on this, so any general advice on chainsaw selection would be great.

Mahalo!

Aaron

Aaron, go to Baileysonline for chainsaw stuff
http://baileysonline.com/chainsaw_carving.htm
The dime is great for carving detail so you Don't want that, besides it will separate on the end sooner that the others. the quarter tip is the best and the longer bars are better. Husquevarna has a new electric that is powerful And has an "Inline" Motor which is Super for more mobility. in other words instead of the motor being 90 degrees to the bar it is lined up going the same direction as the bar so doesn't stick out the side. Take my word for it , that is Much better. Now if I can remember where I saw it, I'll send you a link. Gas saws are great for mobility and power but lousy for noise and air polution. You really need both but for carving will use the electric the most.

Oh and yes the 1/4" pitch chain is best for carving and you can get the 1/4 pitch sprokets for most all saws and Baileys has them. You also want Full Chisel Chain if you can get it. the anti kick back doesn't cut as well either.
Again Baileys is about the cheapest for chain loops.
I'll have to do a lesson on chainsaw carving?

I've been lookin at new chainsaws myself recently, theres the small top handled stihls that are great for detail work ( it is not recommended but you can use them one handed) and the husquavarna version, they even do a carbon/kevlar version but its expensive.These are not really for cutting up big logs though!
I've decided on the electric stihl as its got power and quiet it's only fault is its traditional style grip.

You talking about the .020's. Thats what I used to use.
heres a link to the Husqy electric
http://www.alamia.com/index.asp?PG=80&ID=380&VSP=1
If you want the best gas model, go with this 200 Stihl
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS200T.html
Like cheeky says the top handle makes it Really maneuverable.

[ Edited by: Benzart on 2005-01-08 19:58 ]

Ben and Cheeky,

All of this input helps tremendously. I definitely want to go with electric, it'd be strictly for carving. I'll just get the guy at the wood lot to do the big cuts at either end of the log with the long bar, & make sure he cuts 'em nice & straight.

You guys have given me lots to think about. The Husky looks nice. I'll take a look at the equivalent Stihl too, Cheeky.

I've recently allocated myself $500 to spend on tools. I absolutely must buy a mid size chisel set (been using flat Stanleys), so that will leave about $350. I've been keeping a "tools wish list" which has just been getting longer and longer. So, I think I'll probably get a standard chainsaw along with some other stuff that I want, then add the carving bar, 1/4" pitch chain, and sprocket kit at a later date.

Ben, that Husky link shows a 16" bar. Would you say that's the best all around length for "general" chainsaw carving?

Also, do you guys think I can get by with a standard bar (not carving tip) for a little while? The carving tip would be nice, but is it a "must have" item?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On 2005-01-08 16:15, Benzart wrote:
...I'll have to do a lesson on chainsaw carving?

Now really, Ben. Do you even have to ask???

Cheers!

Aaron

Hey Aarons Akua I use a 12 inch bar. 16 is good for cutting logs but you will get tired of holding the saw that much higher to use the tip. Then again if you taller like Benz a longer bar might work better. So far I have carved with only a standard tip bar and have done ok. I hope when I finally buy a dime or quater tip bar I will be amazed at how much easier it is to carve or it might be harder. Good luck with the big log

[ Edited by: keigs20 on 2005-01-09 22:43 ]

You can do fine without a carving bar and a 14" works best for me. !6 is just too much and 12" not enough. The carving bar , once you get one is so great, you will kick yourself for not getting it sooner. I carved a Long time with a standard bar. When I finally did get a quarter tip bar I was really angry that I had not goten it earlier. It made a big difference in my carvings. It made the chainsaw a whole different tool.

Even though I don't have much to offer to the Creating Tiki forum, I do read it avidly and appreciate the skillful work done by the many tiki craftsmen here.

On the subject of big logs, I though you all might appreciate this old image of Barney West carving tikis at his Tiki Junction in Sausalito, CA. Check out the size of that tiki pole that is almost finished, then take a look at the log behind it, ready to carve next. That is one big log:

Here are 2 logs that are 13' long by 30" thick. They were Cypress Heart wood meaning all the sapwood had been removed which would have Doubled the diameter.


And a few other big Logs I have met during my carving years. They all seem to be about 13 feet tall

[ Edited by: Benzart on 2005-01-31 05:45 ]

BIG Logs indeed. Thanks, Sabu for the contribution. Seeing Barney's actual work yard adds some insight to the storefront pics shown in the BOT. That log behind him is huge!

Ben, the chainsaw tips from you, Cheeky and Kiegs were really helpful. Thanks especially for all the chainsaw links and research that you PM'd. I'm odering my new chainsaw tomorrow - The Makita UC3500 electric in-line model, well balanced, with a 14" bar. I'll also be picking up my BIG log soon, hopefully within a couple of weeks.

I've been think a lot about what to carve. The log will probably be about 20" diameter (every added inch of diameter seems to add weight exponentially). It should be a little larger than life, so probably 7 foot tall. I was kicking around the idea of doing a replica of that "Mysterious Tiki X", because it looks fairly simple. But this is going to be a pretty long carve, and should probably have some good detail, cause I don't know how many of these big tikis I'm going to do. Might as well make it count. It will probably be a Hawaiian tiki god, pretty traditional. I'll post as I go along.

BTW - Those 13 footers are all astounding.

Aloha,

Aaron

"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2005-01-30 23:18 ]

My thoughts exactly. It sounds like it is going to be a Much better than average log and it deserves a top of the line carving, one that will test your ability and one that you will be proud of for years to come. My recomendation is an authentic Hawiian God such as Lono or Ku. Are you done yet???
Of course we expect a few pictures of every step.
Go GO GOOOO
HappyhappyHappy

Okay, I’ve pretty much given up on carving a Barney West size log, but I did pick up a nice piece yesterday with the help of some our local carvers.

Carving at the park every day, I’ve gotten to know the grounds people pretty well. The supervisor, Alan, stopped by a while back to let me know he was cutting down a large cherry tree in his front yard. So I stopped by to scope it out one evening. The piece was about 48 tall x 30” diameter, with lots of burl. Now, that doesn’t seem that large, but we’re dealing with cherry wood here. Using this handy log weight calculator, I found out that the log actually weighed somewhere between 700 and 800 lbs.

PolyPop, Spermy, and Riptide "volunteered" to lend some muscle, but all the same we decided to slice the log in half to get it down to a manageable weight.

Here’s the stump.

Alan, the grounds guy used to be a tree trimmer in his earlier days. He borrowed a 30” bar gas chainsaw from a friend, and did all the cuts for me.

We wrapped some bungies around the top then wedged a few wood chips into the cut to keep the cut from pinching or splitting when the saw got down to the bottom.

That’s PolyPop, Riptide, and Spermy in the background, left to right.

Here’s what we wound up with – 2 large slices of cherry burl, ready for a couple of large “against the wall” tikis or masks.

Everybody went home with logs, and the warm fuzzy feeling of having helped out a fellow carver (namely, me). Thanks for the muscle, guys!

And also BIG MAHALOS to Alan for supplying this fine cherry wood to us local tiki carvers (I'm sending him a link to this post).

Cheers,

Aaron

"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua on 2005-06-07 13:06 ]

Wow thats some beautiful wood , cant wait to see what you get from it.

Here is a link to philtotem and has a video of the carving of a large log. Could be 10 feet or more.

[ Edited by: rodeotiki on 2005-06-06 15:25 ]

I like the shot with the park guy's wife in the background watching the tiki-like baffoonery from a safe distance. :)

Yeah In that photo, I thought he was making one of those bear chain saw carvings.
Have fun with those. I'm sure you'll create something very unique!

By the way Aaron, thanks for posting the link to that log weight calculator. I just used it to find out what this log I have here is weighing in at. It has been sitting on my driveway since I got it from my church a few weeks ago. They took out 2 trees on a grounds cleanup day and I got some nice pieces. This is a sycamore log and
OH MY FREAKING GOSH, it says this weighs approximately 693 pounds! I got it delivered by a relative with a lift gate delivery truck but how am I gonna get it to the back patio??? I don't dare tell the suckers who will be roped into helping me what it weighs until they get it moved and have a cold beer in their hands. I am gonna have to plan this out good.

When we first met.......

[ Edited by: 8FT Tiki on 2005-06-07 15:14 ]

WOW Aaron what a Nice pile of logs and a beautiful Burl.
8Ft, waht an Awesome log, WOW.
You guys are Killin' me but I Love it. Nice way to die.

Rodeo, I couldn't get the carving video to work, but got completely sidetracked by the website. Man what a carver that Philtotem guy is! I'll try it again - what viewer download will I need to watch this video?

Skully, don't be misled. The lady in the background helped Alan cut that tree down. She's no stranger to the chainsaw! I think she was fairly intrigued by us tiki carvers though.

8 foot, Yeah that log calculator comes in handy. Look at that whopper log you've got there. You just can't judge the weight of a log by looking at it. Sometimes it's better that way though! Don't give your friends any cold beer till it's safely in the back yard!

Benzart! Some cherry limbs are on the way. Same for Finkdaddy. Carve 'em small, make 'em look big!

Mahalo,

Aaron

It's been a long time since this topic was discussed last, so I thought I'd bump it up with a little story.

I live in an older neighborhood well populated with mature trees. This morning I stopped by a neighbor's who was having a old oak taken out of their front yard. I kept telling myself, "It's OAK! It's hard-carving and HEAVY! You don't want it!" But O-M-G look at the SIZE of that log! "It'll flatten your tires as soon as they put it in the truck bed!" I said to myself. But still I dreamed of what I might be able to do with it.

Well, away it goes to the dump. I know when I'm beat. If there was a way, I'd have it in my garage right now. Oh well.

Classic Silver Line Boats

[ Edited by: SilverLine 2006-04-13 08:48 ]

New News---Oak is NOT that bad to carve. Look Here to see carvings by Chris Pye, a Formal carver who carves for the Royal Family and for other architectural concerns. Most all his carvings are done with the Traditional carving wood,,OAK. Yes it is hard, but it has integrity and will last forever and stand up to major abuse. SO, Don't throw those Oak logs away..
Chris Pye is the guy who does the carving lessons I have posted a few times. All are available free (with a promise to donate Something to your favorite charity) to download. Check it OUT.

My two cents. First, avoid dropping the log on concrete. I've seen large logs break concrete. I wondered how the guy I get New Guinea stuff got the giant poles in his backyard around. He said on the islands it was easy to get a bunch of guys to pick it up and load it for him. In the the US he had some truck put them in his back yard. Old ways are best though. You might easily get some 300-500 capacity tires and make a cart, but, the axles and all would be tested and it would not work well. Rolling it on pipes would be the easy way as long as you could strap it to something to keep it from going too fast and getting away from you. I would think you would carve it in place though and not want to move it after it's done.

I have been considering getting a huge log and putting a massive tiki in the corner of my yard. It would require a good bit of roughing with a chainsaw though. If I can get that done first and then the log delivered where I could carve at my leisure, that would be ideal. That's on down the road though.

Well now you're making me wish I'd tried harder to claim one of these!! The fact is, I'm just not set up for anything this large (yet). The handy-dandy log weight calculator estimates one 4-foot section of that log to be 3,000 lbs. I just put a 300-pounder in the garage this morning. I can't imaging moving something 10 times heavier.

How big does a balsa tree get?? :)

About 5 months ago, I was walking by some tree trimmers that were taking down a canary palm on my way back from work. They were very efficient and had the tree down and ready to chop up in minutes. I approached and asked what they were going to do with the palm log and before I could explain why I wanted it, they said "you carve tikis? do you want the logs?" I said yes, but explained I had no way of getting it home and they said "where do you live? we'll drop it off!" Luckily I lived about 100 yards from where they were and it was only after they dropped off the logs that I realized just how huge and HEAVY they were.

They turned out to be slieghtly larger than 2 feet in diameter and cut into a 4 foot section and two 3.5 foot sections. At first I was bummed that I didn't specify a 6 foot section, but it's been over 5 months now and I can just barely roll them on my own. To add to all that, my carving area is 32 steps uphill from my driveway, so when I do start carving these I'll meet a lot of people again. I'm looking forward to it.

On a side note (no pictures unfortunately) a 40+ foot canary palm came down along paseo del mar here in 'pedro and when I went to check it out and grab some, the trimmers had chopped it up into 6 foot sections and stacked two trunks ontop of each other. when I walked up to them they were WAY over my head! they looked like more than 4 feet in diameter! I had to decline becuae not only would they not fit in my driveway, but I really am not set up to carve such hernia sized pieces!!!

Ok, Here's my pathetic log story that will probably make some of you veterans chuckle.

Two weekends ago, I get home late Saturday night and find a PM from Polynesiac letting me know that the local Target just a mile or so from my house has cut down all their Mexican Fan Palms. The logs are just lying there and he wanted to know if we could use my truck to grab a few logs. Being the stand-up guy that he is, he says he's willing to help me move a few for myself if I'd like. We should move fast since the tree-trimmers will probably pick them up on Monday.

I look at my clock. Midnight. Too late to call Polynesiac, but the perfect time for some log-rustling on my own I think to myself. I might as well go pick up a couple logs for me, right now. That way on Sunday any logs that we get together can go straight to Polynesiac's home.

I put on a jacket, get some gloves, and drive my truck over to the Target parking lot. Sure enough, there are logs lying everywhere. I spot a six-footer about two-feet in diameter. That's the log I want! I pull the back of my truck right up to the log and get out, put my gloves on and get a good grip on that palm. Bending at the knees I heave with all of my might and... move it about six inches. Puzzled, I scratch my head. I've lifted the end of an old vintage palm tiki that had fallen at an apartment building and didn't have any problems at all. Suddenly it dawns on me that these logs are wet. They've just been cut down a day or two before and they must be full of water. I realize that I was far too cocky and now I get a low-grade feeling of panic as I look at the rest of the logs around me. Will I be able to move any of them?

Lowering my sights, I pick a 12"-diameter log just over six feet. Lifting one end with a lot of exertion, I manage to prop it on another log, at a good angle to wedge my truck tailgate under the high edge. Once that's done, I walk around to the other end of the log, grip it good, and give it as huge a heave as hard as I can, using all my strength. It moves about 4 more inches onto my tailgate. A few more massive heaves inch it further and further up. By now I'm covered with sweat and palm dust and panting like a dying man.

Another heave and the log rolls off my tailgate and thuds back onto the asphalt. I shake my head numbly. I realize I am in way over my head. But instead of giving up until tomorrow, I get this typical male feeling of dogged stubborn-ness. I am not leaving the parking lot without that log. I start the process all over again, first propping one log onto the other, etc. and about 15 minutes later, the log slides all the way into the bed of my truck with a satisfying thunk.

For my next log I decide on a five-footer about 12" in diameter as well. What a difference that single foot in length made! I was able to manhandle this log much easier into the back of my truck. One minute tops. I then decided that two logs for the evening was plenty for me and drove them home. I now have a lot more respect for you carvers. Those suckers are heavy!

The next night, Polynesiac and I moved several more logs over to his house. From now on I'm always going to get help when moving medium to large-size logs. Two men made all the difference.

Sabu

I once had to dump a 7-foot log from my jeep that a guy loaded in with a Bobcat...probably 600 pounds. I tied a 50-foot length of 1 inch Manila rope (looped around the inside end) to the log, and the other end of the rope to and oak tree in my yard, and just put it in drive, hit the gas, and it pulled it right out!

This thread deserves a bump! What's been the progress on these large carvings??

I'm contemplating a large carving and trying to figure out what kind of wood to do it in.. I've only worked with Palm. Looking for deciduous trees in Ohio.

I've seen the suggestions of White Pine, Walnut, Cherry and even Oak, but wondering the pluses and minuses of each?

Is fresh White Pine sappy?

I found this link of tree types in the area:
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/forestry/trees/default.htm

Any further advice and suggestions would be appreciated!

Can't speak for Mr. 8 FT., Polynesiac, or Sabu, but my BIG log is till sitting in the middle of the garage floor where Riptide, Polypop, Spermy & I dropped it over a year ago. Dohhhh!