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What's your favorite carving wood? |
Aaron's Akua
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Jul 09, 2004
Posts: 1594
From: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
|  Posted: 2004-11-04 11:04 pm Permalink
Well, how 'bout it?
A-A
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TikimanScott
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 04, 2004
Posts: 12
From: Virginia, USA
| Posted: 2004-11-05 08:13 am Permalink
not experienced enough for a fav, but cherry has some really nice natural colors going on in it!
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McDougall
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 02, 2003
Posts: 489
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
| Posted: 2004-11-05 08:21 am Permalink
I haven't carved a thing besides Mahogany for months, I really like it. Carves easy and has a beautiful grain and color. I went through a Walnut stage before it and will carve plenty more, another great wood. I like Cherry but find it much harder to carve than Mahogany and Walnut. I really enjoyed the Basswood carving I did but didn't enjoy the sanding after. I carved with Ash ages ago and really liked it, though about as hard as Cherry I think, the grain really pops out when finished though. My dream is to score a huge chunk of cured Mahogany like the size of a fridge and make the Tiki of a lifetime out of it. Let me know you see that piece of wood anywhere.
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Gigantalope
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 01, 2004
Posts: 913
From: Shinola, California
| Posted: 2004-11-05 08:23 am Permalink
There's a fellow I know who imports Cherry wood from Vietnam (Charlie's in the cherrytree!) most of it's in the form of massive slab tables and chairs. It's kind of like those redwood burl pieces people make.
The wood is very pretty, and has a nice smooth form to it.
McDougall, he could 'probly get that frigidaire size piece for you (of Cherry or teak), but it would cost a bit. I think he has a can comming in Feb, and another in April.
[ This Message was edited by: Gigantalope on 2004-11-05 08:28 ]
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McDougall
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 02, 2003
Posts: 489
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
| Posted: 2004-11-05 08:29 am Permalink
Yes, I would definately be interested in that wood, please pm or email me with any info, Mahalo!
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cheekytiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 09, 2004
Posts: 1088
From: The Haole Hut, London, UK
| Posted: 2004-11-05 08:51 am Permalink
Cherrys really nice to work with, so is lime. I've just been using some Horse Chestnut which is really flakey if thats the right word.
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rodeotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 21, 2004
Posts: 1513
From: calgary
| Posted: 2004-11-05 10:35 am Permalink
The kind from trees, just kidding. I have only carved pine so that is my favorite for now.
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finkdaddy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 11, 2004
Posts: 2050
From: Wisconsin
| Posted: 2004-11-05 11:04 am Permalink
I've only used pine, but I remember seeing a duck that was carved from applewood and it was very pretty. The coolest piece I've every seen was a huge camel carved from a solid piece of wood imported from Morocco. I don't remember the name, but I know it's closely related to cedar and has that very wonderful cedar smell. The wood is very hard and has a gorgeous, swirly, tight grain that looks almost shimmery and three-dimensional. I will try to find out the name and pass it along. I would love to see a Benzart piece carved from it!
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2004-11-05 11:58 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2004-11-05 08:21, McDougall wrote:
My dream is to score a huge chunk of cured Mahogany like the size of a fridge and make the Tiki of a lifetime out of it. Let me know you see that piece of wood anywhere.
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McDougall - I've seen those huge 8-foot diameter logs of mahogany floating down the Amazon on giant river barges. Don't know how to get one to you, though. Maybe you could move to the jungles of Peru and set up a Tiki-lodge for tourists and do all the giant carving you want.
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McDougall
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 02, 2003
Posts: 489
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
| Posted: 2004-11-05 1:10 pm Permalink
I like it Sabu, I like it alot!
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Gigantalope
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 01, 2004
Posts: 913
From: Shinola, California
| Posted: 2004-11-05 1:52 pm Permalink
McDougall
www.pacificbluetraders.com is his business website.
His name is Doug....nice bloke. He's in Indoneisa just now, but should be checking his mail periodically.
Tell him you are from the Tiki Website, he will be thrilled. He's thinking of going less asian and more tiki in his store.
We are planning a tiki event in April there (SiliKon-Tiki) if anybody out west wants a free vending space let me know.
Cheers
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8FT Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 30, 2003
Posts: 1172
From: Kansas City, MO
| Posted: 2004-11-05 3:58 pm Permalink
I gotta say pine also. It is softer and I think it splinters less than hardwoods.
I did just get some smaller logs from a tree I recently had to trim. Not sure what it is but will identify soon. Will see how carving that goes and if I like it, I might just cut the whole sucker down. TIMBERRRRR!!!!!
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Aaron's Akua
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Jul 09, 2004
Posts: 1594
From: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
| Posted: 2004-11-06 5:50 pm Permalink
Wow, so many good ideas. I noticed that no one mentioned palm wood which is the only thing I've worked with so far. My first mexican fan palm was really dry & hard & had aged for awhile, so it carved pretty well. This second one (also mexican fan)more resembles a large piece of shredded wheat. Not sure how it will turn out.
I've got a couple of 6 foot ficus trunks on the way. They have Benzart's seal of approval, and he PM'd me a few pics of his carvings using that wood. All I can say is the grain looks really beautiful, and I'm looking forward to digging in soon.
Also have some Madrone on the way courtesy of Gigantalope. This is supposed to be good stuff as well.
I've heard lots of good things about white pine, but haven't pursued any yet.
A-A
_________________
"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso
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Tiki Diablo
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Jun 24, 2002
Posts: 1890
From: socal
| Posted: 2004-11-06 6:08 pm Permalink
Palm fo sho!
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Octane
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 23, 2003
Posts: 316
From: SLO California
| Posted: 2004-11-06 9:13 pm Permalink
Palm is nice if it cured, and it also depends on the type of palm.
I have tried Ash, nice to carve hard as hell, and can be a pain to sand.
I actually like Poplar alot, you can carve any direction you want, sands easy, holds detail very well, soft, and very forgiving. of course the only real poplar i have seen is in board form or in a dowl/closet rod size. do'nt know how a actual poplar log would be to carve.
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