Could this drive down the high cost of big tikis?

I have been looking into automated carving equipment lately sort of on a whim (thinking of trying to prototype and market some more affordable big, real wood tikis)and stumbled onto this page: http://www.duplicarver.com/uses.htm They even show a few cool tikis on the homepage!

mass production vs hand carved, just like repro mugs they'll be nice but it wont affect the price on something orginal. but cool idea it would make those other repros cheaper.

Well, there is a "feeling" that only a hand-carved object has, but not everyone can step up to the pricepoint when you get to the 5-foot-and-up level (usually 300.00 plus). When you buy one of these you're not paying for the wood, you're paying for the intensive hand work involved in freeing that tiki from his wooden shell. A machine-made object would by no means be a replacement for the feel of hand carved, but would give the same basic look at about 1/3 of the price.

thats cool to make a $ for small items!!but, if I was to go to Oceanic Arts and buy a Leroy Tiki vs one that was machine made...I think you already know the answer. The max produced tiki could be intricate,crazy lookin and just plane out awsome! but I would like the tiki from the artist! I have purched machine made items at OA which are nice small tikis and mask but if it's a 2" and up tiki, I prefer one by an artist...crazy al, bosko, leroy. There is more mana in a hand carved one. This is my opinion only though, others might like the machine made tiki.

I agree with Gecko in that everyone wants something hand made and one of a kind. If I were to get something like this xerox carver, I think that I would use it only to rough out the basic design and then go to work on each tiki seperately for the intricate work to make each one original. It'll still never replace the old hammer and chisel but it could allow someone to produce more in less time.

I agree fully. I mean strictly at a commercial or budget pricepoint. I mean that it would be cool to even be able to own a 6 foot tiki for about 125.00. I, too like the hand carved stuff all the way; I have paid royally for a couple of original vintage examples, but not everybody can or will. If you are a college kid with barely 200 bucks to spare a month but want to get into PP with a bang?....you get my drift

I see what you are saying BK. That would be great for someone like that.