My first attempts... Suggestions tips are welcome/appreciated

I've always loved tikis and since childhood I have never had a shortage of them around my house. I have always wanted to try carving but was apprehensive because I can't draw and I've surely never carved anything. Here are my first few attempts...

carving... I bought a cheap angle grinder and a lancelot from Harbor Freight (note my tiki tattoo =)

My second attempt, w/ my first attempt in the background

My third attempt, I saw this guy in plastic online and decided to make it out of real cabbage palm

My fourth attempt, with my Min-Pin supervisor looking on

and my most recent attempt... for my mom, the Harley Davidson fan...

I welcome any feedback!!

[ Edited by: CK 2009-10-19 20:57 ]

ck! welcome to tc!! and those are all awsome for your first bunch!! i like your style. the short guy is my personal fav!! nice sanded finish goin on too! gonna stain or thane these guys? are you gonna letter the harley insig? hope so wld make that one even sweeter!!! p.s. lovin that tat! again great wrk and keepem comin! cheerz!

Scott,

Thanks for the comment! I hadn't planned on staining or sealing them, I honestly like them as they weather. I'm not sure I could seal them anyway as they're still fresh logs and are pretty wet. As far as the letter, definately not (ha!) I made it for my mom and I'm worried I'll mess up the small details and ruin the whole thing! What would you use to do the lettering? Ive just been using an angle grinder and chisels...

ck. i wld prob use a burn knife as that would make decent letters on palm. cldnt go to deep if small cuz your right it will start to fall apart. or you could cut small pieaces of sheet copper or aluminum attach in the insig then engrave the lettering on that. bein wet logs your right prob better not to stain or thane. no biggie i also like a natural weathered patina on certain pieces. but realy its all about what you like!! i luv wrkin w my lancelots also! and chisels are nescessity!!

Hey CK, good stuff. Very clean. If you want to add letters to the harley logo you could try a dremel with an engraving bit. All you'd have to do is sketch out the letters first and then go over with the dremel. Good luck!

Thanks for the tips guys! What do you use to de-bark cabbage palms? Right now I'm using the lancelot and it takes forever...

i usually start w a chain saw to get the big stuff and an electric hand planer for the rest. you reminded me of an old engraving on copper i did for a buddy a while back but heres a photo of it. cheerz!

CK your tiki's look better than my first few.
I come from the same background, I never drew anything but I wanted
to have some carvings. I did my first 18 with nothing but an arbor tech carbide bit.
I have now moved up to some good chisels to get better detail.
Keep browsing here on TC and chopping away !!

Hana Ho !

Nice looking work for just using power tools, I haven't ventured down that path just yet. You can see in your work that you are getting more comfortable, can't wait to see your further progress.

Looking good. I like the crunch face guy.
Just keep going and step up your tools as you go and think about
tiki 24/7 and you will be a master carver before you know it.