MBL's Tiki Adventure

Ok..well not much of an adventure, but here is my first Tiki. I couldn't have done anything without Gman...So BIG THANKS to him. The forum is lucky to have such a fine and kind carver. I haven't had too much time to work on my Tiki..so it is not finished but here is what I have.

Hope its not too disappointing to my mentor. :)
Tim
MBL

Right on Tim! He's looking good - time for a solid 60 to 100 grit hand-sand. Did you pick a stain yet? We'll get together for another day of carving and BoarBQ soon. I enjoyed it. Nice uvula dude!!!

-G

On 2007-06-27 17:54, GMAN wrote:
Nice uvula dude!!!

-G

i'm pretty sure i've never read those words before! :D nice first tiki, mbl. you definitely have a good mentor. keep pluggin' away and posting your progress.

First of all WELCOME to Tiki Central (lovingly called "TC"). Really glad to have you on board. Don't let that GMAN Scare you, he's just a beginner too :wink: :wink: and I'm sure he won't be disappointed with your offering. Your tiki looks strongly influenced by the man himself so he HAS to Like it, I Do and I think you are doing Great if that's just your First one? Just don't quit until you have done at least a hundred!

Welcome on the boards. I've heard you've been working on a tiki. Nice first tiki sand it up and start carving a second... we'll be waiting.

Yeah..I know I really need to get this guy sanded down and stained...I have just been swamped recently. I haven't decided on a stain..but I thought I'd leave the teeth light colored...and make the eyes like an orangey color..the do the rest pretty dark...any thoughts?

I have been wanting to rough out another Tiki ala Gman...but I have to get some equipment squared away...and I need some smaller chisels too.

Tim
MBL

Nice first tiki! Finish him, grab another log , and carve another. :drink:

OK...So I started on another Tiki....you know you can see Gman in my carving....If it weren't for him I'd be nowhere. Take a look at what I have so far.

I had some trouble with the debarking...and I know I need to do a bunch of finish work..but had I been carving for a second longer in the FLA heat...I'd still be in the back yard passed out.
TIm
MBL

I can definitely see the GMAN style in your carving!! Looking good man! Keep it up.

Craig

Keep up the good work! I don't know if it's intentional or not, but I kinda like how the face goes from very defined and clean in the front to just kinda disappearing into the bark at the back of the eyes. Very organic looking. :)

You wild man! Did you have fun, or are you still too light-headed to know?

:D

G

Well it wasn't intentional really but I did focus more on the front and I see what you are saying....I kinda like the effect it gets. I think I need to go deeper...

Gman: yeah I had some fun out there but MAN its hot! I found that the teeth are gonna take a chisel instead of the chainsaw...since it just won't fit...I might have made the mouth too small.
Tim
MBL

Ok so here's another update...the cuts are deeper and more defined. At the suggestion of Tiki Sage GMAN...I took the bark off. Since I think this Tiki may live inside..we don't need any critters running around.

I plan on hitting the cuts with a torch to give them a burnt look..then stain everything but the teeth an amber color...leave the teeth natural and then clear it.

Let me know what you think.

Tim
MBL

So I guess it all worked correctly? Good. Nice job! Good talking to you again...we'll meet up again soon and make some dust-n-chips.

-G

Well...I removed much of the bark on the front using a screwdriver and the mallet...but on the back I used the chainsaw to pull off the bark.....It worked nicely but I can tell how the chain could really snag the details on the front if you are not careful.

Yes...I am looking forward to the next time we can have a carving session... perhaps do something more adventurous?
Thanks for all the help last night...your suggestions have been invaluable.
Tim
MBL

Ok...so Tiki #2 is as done as its gonna get. Here is one pic of it after burning it in..and one right after staining it...The stain got lighter as it dried. I am pretty happy with the results. Now on to the next one...Maybe I can get some legs on the next one. :)

Let me know what you all think.
Thanks
Tim
MBL

Hey man, that turned out really cool!!! I even liked it just burnt, kinda had a bone looking affect to it. Nice job!

Craig

Yeah...I thought so too...I almost left it...but I had this idea that I wanted to go through with. I plan on making a bunch of these before I'm done..so I am sure we'll have some bare ones too. :)

Thanks for the kind words!
Tim
MBL

Tim,

Yes, for sure...next time we get together I will help you block out something a bit more difficult and with some Hawaiian feel. Great job with this one. We'll get together soon.

-G

OK...so its been a while...and it's been because I have been building guitar amplifiers and hot rods...And wood around here is scarce...yada yada...

Anyway, we are building a Tiki themed hot rod out of a chopped 1926 Model T sedan with a 1959 Studebaker V8...Gold frame, Green metalflake paint, bamboo interior...the works....So I thought I needed to carve a shift knob.

I was looking around and I saw Maui Tiki's thread and thought..."Hey that'd make a cool shift knob." So I swiped his idea. :)

I was over at GMAN's place dropping off some rubber tree logs, and he hooked me up with a nice piece of mahogany. With that I started carving and here's what I have:

Its not done but it's pretty close. I think I might burn it in, sand it a bit and put some clear on it. Oh..and drill a hole with a threaded insert for the gear shift.
Thanks GMAN for the wood!
Tim
MBL

Watch he doesn't bite when you change gears :lol:Take your time and clean him up well. Looks Great.

So how did it go Tim? Have you put in any more time on the shifter knob? We need to see pics of it in the hotrod. Hell, show us your 26 (or was it a 29?) cruiser too!

-G

I have done some more work on it…with those chisels I got from ebay..yeah they aren't flexcuts…but they work a littl. I might get some use out of them.

I rounded out the eyes a bit and dug out the mouth a bit more. I am trying to think about what else to do with him. Perhaps something around the outside of the face and along the back? I don't know. I am open to suggestions. I just don't want to ruin it. I might have do make a GMAN visit for some guidance.

I will post pics of the Freaki-T-Ki when it is done. Its all in parts now. Perhaps in a month or so, it will look like something. In the mean time, here is a pic of my 1926 Model T Roadster:

Not Tiki themed...but there are some palms in the backround. :)

Tim
MBL

[ Edited by: MBL 2008-01-23 04:24 ]

[ Edited by: MBL 2008-01-23 04:40 ]

Nice palm in the back ground i like the green and brown contrast:)

Looking fwd to seeing the Tiki Rod coming together
make sure you up date us with pic's. The shifter is bad a**.

Ok...so I think I am done with this guy. We still have to drill the hole for the gear shift. Big thanks to GMAN for the guidance! I know it is far from perfect..but hey...I'm new to this. :)

I will post pictures of the Friki-T-Ki when we are done. Gots lots of work to do, but we is workin'. Hope to have it ready for Billetproof.
Tim
MBL

Lookin' good MBL, keep up the carving and you'll be doing excellent tikis before long. Noce smooth finish, not easy to do.

Thanks Benzo! I figure what I have here is passable for the hot rod..it's only a shift knob after all. I left much of the chisle marks deliberately...I know some folks like that and some don't. I also thought since this was a "Hot Rod" tiki, I'd burn it in...I know it's not everyones taste, but hey, at least I'm getting some carving in. I would like to think I could do some excellent work soon, gotta keep carving.

The next project is a Tiki Tropy for the Billetproof Hot Rod show in Ocala on March 22. :) A chainsaw will be involved for sure. I'm gonna have to bother GMAN on that one again. I'd be nowhere without his help!
Tim
MBL

OK...So the big BilletProof car show is coming up, and I figured that a Tiki Trophy would be cool. This is what I have so far. I thought I'd give this guy a little "Elvis type" pomp. :) Kinda. Anyway, he's not done yet and certainly not up to the standards of most of you real carvers, but I gotta learn somehow.

If its not nice enough after I'm done...I'll make another for the trophy...we'll see.
Tim
MBL

Looks like a pretty sweet trophy to me. Much better than those fake gold plastic ones they usually give away. :wink:

Is the trophy for a particular category at the car show?

Yes the category is Real Mill. Basically it refers to a perfectly done engine. To that end, be sure that it won't be a small block chevy mill. Rather a Cadillac flathead V8, a Flathead Ford, Packard engine...something obscure and interesting. Most of the trophies for this type of show utilize welded together car parts and tools. These are really cool as well but I thought a Tiki would be interesting as well.
Tim
MBL

Nice work :D :D The tiki carvings are coming along sweetly, and love the traditional roadster too. Cant wait to see pics of the sedan

You are doing great! I love that twist in him
it gives him character.

The Model T Sedan is almost done. The Tiki interior is not in it yet...that's the next thing..but here is some progress. You can't tell in the pics but the green is a radical metal flake.

More to come.
Tim
MBL

Where's mine?

Dam, that Munster Car is the same color as the stones in here.
That paint job is so perfect it doesn't look real.

GMAN...I'm still looking out for raw matterials. Get to BilletProof in Ocala on March 22. You will probably find something there.
Tim
MBL

Aloha MBL!!! cool tikis for a start my friend, and I really love your HOT ROD very cool,Aloha , Mooney

Ok..well the BilletProof trophy is essentially as done as it's gonna get. Here are some pics:

The trophy is for the Real Mill category. Someone...the "Winner" will have to lug this home with them. Hopefully it doesn't wind up in a dumpster...since I actually worked for a while on it.

Now today we drove around a bit in the Tiki sedan. I put in the shift knob today..the rest of the bamboo interior is not in yet...here is hot it looks so far:

I will post more pics when the interior is done.
TIm
MBL

BADA$$, that's all I have to say!!!

Sweet yes that is bad ass.

Tim,

The Real Mill winner will be getting a great trophy. Congratulations on a great carve. Good on you for taking the time to make something with heart.

The shifter looks right at home in the tiki rod. I'll really enjoy that feature and the personal touch in my new rod.

-G$

Ditto what G Said, Excellent tikis, Love the gear shifter knob. I'll stand guard by the dumpster to rescue that tiki should anyone decide to toss'em in there however I expect my stay will be for an extended amount of time as No One in their right mind would want to get rid of this trophy. NICE!
Also, that "T" has FUN written All Over it. Cool!

Hey...Thanks for the kind words...I think the shift knob is the best thing I have carved so far. I'm nowhere near the GMAN! Although you certainly can see his influence on my carving. I still lack the vision so many carvers on the board have. Hopefully it will develop soon.

Hot rods...now thats a different story. We can build some hot rods. :)

GMAN...get your ass to BilletProof this weekend!
Tim
MBL

Here was my Tiki Trophy at BilletProof in the middle of all that welded metal. :)
The winner seemed to like the carving. He has a 32 Ford Tudor with a 1957 DeSoto hemi in it. He drove it all the way from GA to Ocala.

The show was GREAT.
Tim
MBL

MBL's adventure continues.....this time working at Club-Greg and chipping out this Hawaiian-based figure. Smooth chops dude!

-G$

DUDE! Another HUGE THANKS to the GMAN!!! As most of you suspect, that carving is 99.9999 GMAN and .0001 MBL. Still gun shy with the chisels. GMAN's a man of vision for sure, and way too generous with his time, guidance and skill. I could not have hoped for a better mentor.
Thanks again GMAN. I'll try not to screw it up.
Tim
MBL

Hi MBL,

Nice beginning on this one.

Benjamin.

WOW, Look it that woodja, He has the Power carver going, GMAN, Don't feed him too fast he will get too good and it will be your fault:P :lol:
Excellent stuff MBL, glad you got GMAN to finally git going! You're a Natural so just practice, practice, practice, makes Perfect.