Gman vs Wild - Page 1; Kotiate Warrior 183; BoatMan 184; Gman Lizard Dance 190; Screamer 193

glad you're back at it, Gman! looking really good. are you going with a dark stain on this guy?

Hey folks,

Still working. Lots left to do....

-Gman

Man it must be nice to have that much time to carve. Great use of time in my opinion. Lets stain it. Good stuff.

Carve on.

PCT,

Yes, carving time is time well spent. I'm off all week, trying to get rid of my "Use or Lose" leave. However, today is the last day I can work on this one until next week. Here's where I left off for today. Still a bunch left to do. I'm thinking dark for the stain, when the time comes. I'll probably do the same type of stain combination as with my last carving.

Thanks for looking,

Gman

Way to go Gman. Your raising the bar again. Cant wait to see some stain on it.

I LOVE your Marq/Tangaroa/Maori/Gman carving!!! It's true, your setting the bar up a couple more notches. That's a big boy in the living room. The wives are so darn understanding aren't they.
Moon
How is Ernie recuperating???

Moon,

Earnie is good. He has 27 staples, a few screws/crimps, and some monofilament instead of an ACL. He's hurting, but momma takes good care of him. He's a tough guy and he'll pull through. The cold air from this last weather system has hit him hard. He hates cold weather (75 or below).

-Gman

Ah yeah........Looking good! Now go shoot a Turkey or something. Time for a break from all the excellent work there. You've definitely made a point.

Uuuuhhhh.....I just noticed I posted under my old username. Sorry bout' that.

Tiki G.

[ Edited by: tikifreak 2005-11-23 09:31 ]

Happy B-day GMAN, hope you had fun. Also hope Ernie is doing better, that was a tough bit of surgery he had.
Your latest carving is incredible with Super detail. It would be nice if it could be worth your while to carve more pieces like this one. How much would you have to sell it for to break even?
I can't wait to se him finished. Happy Hunting.

Very nice piece, and nice chiselwork. Smack dab on the island map, too! Pour yerself a Mai Tai, and make it "Vic" strong!

B.K., I couldn't agree with you more! Make it a skrong one!

That is some NICE work, Gman.

TikiG, Benz, BK, and Tikimecula,

Thanks for looking at and commenting on the fusion carving. It's coming along. I've still got a lot of sanding work to do and the finish will take a few days.

BK and TikiG - I don't drink anymore, but I'll have a big diet coke :)

Right now I'm in Chicago and it is dang cold. This is no place for me. I need to get back home to Florida FAST.

-Gman

Nice detail man. The detailed swirls are so well layed out. Gonna look killer with a stain

Hey all,

Been sanding, sanding, and sanding, trying to work off the 50 pounds of bird and sides that I stuffed down my pie hole. Man I hate sanding! I wonder if Team Tiki from Jax would come over and help a brother out? I still have a long way to go, but here are some progress pics.

A fellow come over today with a past client and he offered to give me my asking price for this piece; however, he wanted it finished with a clear coat. I was going to stain it. I'm looking for a little advice here: Should I stain it and keep it, or clear it and take the cash?

-Gman

"The saw is family"

[ Edited by: GMAN 2005-11-26 18:27 ]

It's lookin better every day. That sanding really adds to the look. I would clearcoat and take the money and run to the logpile to start another one. Ask the buyer if there are any other styles he would like to have. They came to your house out of the blue and you have to take that as a sign he was ment to have this tiki
Way to go.

You have done a awesome job on this carving , just think how much better the next one will be with all you have learned. I would sell it and make a bigger better one for yourself.

Cash.

Nice piece!

GMAN- Go for the Cashish! I would like to see that BMF finished in a clearcoat anyhow. Plus Christmas is around the corner and you'll have more loot to spend on your honey.
With this piece you've shown me you can carve anything now.
How's the shark coming along??
Moon

G.. take the cash and do another one!!!!

I haven't sold any of my stuff yet, but if somebody came to my house and offered to buy I'd sell. Think of the new carving toys, I mean tools you could get. That guy is sweet though, would be hard to watch him walk out the door.
JohnnyP

El Casho Grande. Arrrriiiivaaaaa....

I smell new Tikka .30-.30...with Leupold scope.....

at the risk of sounding redundant....this is one fabulous tiki...i love the arched back look...
like he's ready to bust out and have a great time.....i hope you're getting a nice pile of cash for him!

It was really hard for me to see my pendants leave my house, so I can't imagine a full-sized tiki as cool as yours leaving home! I suppose you should sell though. If you meant for him to stay he wouldn't have been for sale to begin with, right? Move on, upwards and upwards.

I say finish him the way you want to. If you like it, the customer will too. I have compromised on a couple of tikis and felt disappointed that my vision and goals weren't accomplished. But you r gonna do what u want any how.

( Voice in your head) Stain him, Stain Him, STAIN HIM.

G-,
Beatiful piece, I had a tourist stop in front of my driveway today and give me a $100.00 for a unfinished rough piece. He said he wanted to finish himself. Take the money and skeeedattle.

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!That sale will definitely lead to many more!!!Get back to sanding and slap on the clear coat.Done deal.The best form of flattery is cash on the barrel head.Capo

Hey Gus,
Progress is looking good. I like all the detail.
I'd take the money and make another.

Hey all,

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've discussed my thoughts with the tiki, and he understands that he'll have to leave soon. I'm working on getting his things together. I haven't finished him out yet as the interested fellow has not contacted me back. I will try to reach him this week, but after that the piece goes up for grabs and will be listed on my website.

-Gman

Man, you now its a good sign when past buyers are coming back with new ones. Cash is always good, and if you look after people, they will tell others how cool your are, and you will have lots of good tiki karma.

BUT, you should follow what you want to do in your heart. Youve already got a day job to pay the bills - this carving is supposed to be for fun, not stressing about making others happy.

If it was me, I would stain in clear for myself anyway. I reckon you should make small changes for customers, but if one wants something too different - find another artist (or charge an enormous pain-in-the-ass tax :) )

Now that you've decided to sell that last really cool guy, what's your next project.

Did you ever get a chance to finish that shark? I've been waiting to see that one finished.

Did the owners of that sawfish send you the pics they promised?

I've been asked to carve a large bull dolphin, I might actually make a sale! I remember you said you used to carve a lot of fish, any words of wisdom?

JohnnyP

JP,

I was going to keep that last tiki because it holds some meaning for me (read pain), although it is/was for sale as they all are and all have been.

I have not been working on the shark and it has taken a back seat to some recent commissioned carvings. I hope to get back working on it soon.

The sawfish and Gman tiki are heading to Honolulu (sp?) in a container ship and will meet up with their new owners soon. I'll post pics as I receive them.

As for carving a bull mahi, there are several ways to do it. Depending on your selection of wood, I would find a 10 - 20 inch diameter log (strong dry pine, oak, or something else workable) and cut a 48" slab off one of the sides. Not a complete half of the log, but more like a third. Cut the profile with a sawsall (or sabersaw), Using the thick round edge as the display side/body and work the thinner edges in as the dorsal and anal fins. Flatten the round side a bit as the fish isn't round, but kinda flat. Be careful around the tail as mahi have long narrow caudal fins and the direction of the grain will cause them to be brittle. Using a chainsaw, sawsall, angle grinder, and a dremel, you should be able to knock out a nice bull dolphin in one day easy. Sand it up and hit it with a stain/poly mix and you are done.

If you can't pull it off, send them my way and I'll bang one out and give you a cut :) We can do that!

I haven't been posting my current work here because I've been working on marine life carvings and not "tiki".

Next up is a full body Maori, but it will have to wait until I catch up and finish some other carvings.

-Gman

"The saw is family"

[ Edited by: GMAN 2005-12-06 16:01 ]

Hey G!
Could you possibly send me some photos of the "other carvings"??
Please, please, please!!!!
You are one of the most well rounded carvers here.
Moon

Thanks for the tips Gman. It looks like I have a project this weekend . I'll post progress pics. I agree with Moondance--post some of your other carvings.
JP

Gman-
Why not start a Carving thread to post all of your fine artwork. I wouldn't think anyone should mind. :)
Moon

JP,

PM me if you run into trouble or want to talk on the phone. I'll be carving this weekend, so I'll be available.

-Gman

Hey all,

Here's the last posting for the Marq/fusion carving. The new owner is picking him up tomorrow. I hope he likes his new digs.

In between putting coats of spar on the Marq today, I worked on a sawfish for Pristidae. This one will be heading to Virginia. I hope he's diggin' it.

Thanks for looking.

-Gman

[ Edited by: GMAN 2005-12-10 15:46 ]

Cool tiki carving Gman, the new guy looks great with the clear coat. Your marine carvings fit in with the tiki them, so keep givin us them shots too

I love the ears and the tattoing designs. Awesome work! Can't wait to see the finished sawtooth!

GMAN-
He really turned out great. The best compliment is when someone buys your fine work. I'm lovin' the sawfish. What are all the dimensions?
Moon

Yo G, those are looking great! You really brought out the good grain in that wood...very stylin. Those maori style cuts are not easy, nice work.
What kind of wood is that on the sawfish?

I like the clearcoat, it's a little different on a tiki, but it shows off the tone and character of the wood well. The tattoos are very well done and graceful. I saw a sawfish bill hanging over a bar in Trader Vic's in a vintage photo of the establishment. It definitely fits the tiki theme.
JP

Fusion-tiki's awesome, Gman! I like the way you dealt with the different wood colors and worked them into the design.

Hewey, Doubravsky, Moondance, Surfintiki, JohnnyP, and AA,

Thanks for the positive comments on the Marq/fusion project final pics. It was fun, and he finished out pretty well. Overall, I am happy with him.

As for the sawfish, he is 12" wide and 48" long. He is cut from pine and will be finished with a mahogany stain and poly. It should be nearly identical to the last one I did, except a little longer in the body. It is intended to hang on a wall straight up and down.

-Gman

Tail up or down?
m

Down!

Bro, where have been. I am finally back on line with a new PC. Santa came early!!
moon