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Swanky creates elaborate firewood |
Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
|  Posted: 2005-06-04 3:31 pm Permalink
I wasn't going to post pictures of my carving until I was done and it was perfect, but, when will that ever happen? I do want a bit of input.
Here is my little cherry log after about a half hour of torturing it.
After another 1/2 hour or so.
I set up my work table outside. Shop Fox tool table with some stock cut to a V and screwed together and a little non-slip mat under it. Worked well.
After about 2 1/2 hours today.
After another hour or two today.
I made a big mess of his headress right up top. I am not sure how to fix that.
I keep hitting very small spots that are maybe rotten. Like pea sized and near the surface. Maybe 4-5.
I keep finding I can work one way fine, but the other makes for crap. Like the eye. On the upper side it's very smooth and easy to carve. On the lower side the chisel skips around and makes rough cuts. I assume it's a grain thing. You can see a little in that last picture on the eye near the center and to the right. I just can't get it to smooth out.
It just looks totally rough and I am not sure it will ever look good.
Any advice is appreciated. No pats on the back please, but advice.
I can barely get my chisel down in the area around the eye, so I have no idea how to smooth it out dow in there.
My neck and shoulder hurt and my right arm is tingling. Is that a good thing??? 
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[ This Message was edited by: Swanky 2005-09-04 10:20 ]
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Sam Gambino
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Dec 02, 2003
Posts: 2197
From: www.samgambino.com
| Posted: 2005-06-04 3:58 pm Permalink
Lookin' good, Swanky! Post that guy when he's all done and carved up!
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Capt'n Skully
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 28, 2005
Posts: 404
From: The Lost Lagoon
| Posted: 2005-06-04 4:21 pm Permalink
Immediately start working on the other half- for symmetry purposes- do a little on one side and then transpose it to the other. (from my limited knowledge). I see GOOD tikiness already. When the numbness calms down, and never past your 4th cocktail, keep going! It looks great and those other pea things are just going to make it look authentic and natural imperfect.
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2005-06-04 4:37 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2005-06-04 16:21, Capt'n Skully wrote:
... I see GOOD tikiness already. When the numbness calms down, and never past your 4th cocktail, keep going! It looks great and those other pea things are just going to make it look authentic and natural imperfect.
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4th cocktail! You've never had my cocktails! We have a standing 3 drink limit in this house when it comes to the Grog Log, et al!
Naturally imperfect. I like that. It looks better in the picture than in real life.
I think I have actually raised him too high off the ground. I am holding my arm up and close to my body and it's cutting off circulation. My arm has been tingling for an hour now. And I keep going out and carving more. It's obsessive!
Maybe starting the other side now is a good idea. In case I get better, both sides will be equal. If I wait to start the right side, it might look better than the left. Yeah, right!
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keigs20
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 02, 2002
Posts: 528
From: WA
| Posted: 2005-06-04 5:01 pm Permalink
lookin good, I dont think you can ever screw up a tiki. Just make it look like the other side and pretend you ment to make it the way it turned out. Your idea of what it should look like only changes but it is still your idea.
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Raffertiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 31, 2003
Posts: 1527
From: L.I.
| Posted: 2005-06-04 6:03 pm Permalink
I think we all get that, "fuck, what am I doing" feeling when we first start. But you will get a feeling for your log, and make it work. Keep on carving.
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Kailuageoff
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 27, 2002
Posts: 1486
From: Honolulu Lounge,Lewes, DE
| Posted: 2005-06-04 6:55 pm Permalink
[ This Message was edited by: Kailuageoff on 2005-06-06 08:06 ]
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Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2005-06-04 7:36 pm Permalink
RAffer said id best"we all get that 'what
the fuck am I doing' feeling during the
tiki carving". When you start a tiki it
goes through that "Ugly" stage where it doesn't look like a tiki or Anything. It starts with about the 10th cut and finally smoothes out and starts looking like a
tiki just
before you start the sanding stage.
Personally what I would do is use a
V-liner and mark out All your lines,
carve it right in, that way it won't get erased. Then where ever you start, Don't finish 1 area and then move to the next, you Need to keep the WHOLE Carving going at the same speed or level. The eye you are working on should have another eye next to it getting carved down at the same time, otherwise you end up with a finished eye and now you have
to match it to another eye that is just a
line on the wood and you will have
forgotten all the moves and tools you
used to get to where you are now.
Slow down and be Deliberate with your actions.
You are at the stage where you are just figuring out what each tool does so take it easy.
Do you know a carver you could come watch? Come on down here and I will show you how I carve . Or visit a closer carver. I is different now that you have actually removed wood with chisels so that if you see it being done you see it totally differently than before.
Lots of carvers do the 1 eye at a time, or nose first or teeth first and everything else follows, but don't do that! do it right. I'll add a lot more later cause I don't want to bore everyone. Hope this helps.
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[ This Message was edited by: Benzart on 2005-06-05 14:57 ]
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2005-06-04 7:53 pm Permalink
Ben,
I'll be at Pablus place in a couple of weeks. You anywhere near Tampa?
I'll work on that tomorrow. I only have a small V, but I'll see what I can do to mark it out and then start finishing it all at once.
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RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7197
From: Huntikington Beach
| Posted: 2005-06-04 7:56 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2005-06-04 19:36, Benzart wrote:
RAffer said id best"we all get that 'what the fuck am I doing' feeling during the tiki carving".
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DoH! They said FUCK!!! Hamford?? (and grand members to boot!)
Hey Spanky, just do it! My carvings suck shit but who cares! It's all better than nothing!! Put on some Dillengers Escape Plan and go to town!!
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RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7197
From: Huntikington Beach
| Posted: 2005-06-04 8:00 pm Permalink
Quote:
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My neck and shoulder hurt and my right arm is tingling. Is that a good thing???
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Yes!!
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha ! Welcome to the club. the more you carve the less it hurts.
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Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2005-06-04 8:48 pm Permalink
BooBen you're a bad influence stay away from these new carvers lest they get corrupted ideas about how to do stuff. Yeah its a good thing if you are tingly All Over, do it some more and call me in the morningHA.
Swank,I'm due East and south anfew miles over on the east coast of Fla. Port Saint lucie Just south of Ft Pierce and North of Jensen Beach. Not far, C'mon over,,Link here
We'll figure it out someway.
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[ This Message was edited by: hanford_lemoore 2005-09-03 20:37 ]
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2005-06-04 8:49 pm Permalink
Okay, I don't have a V. The cheap chisel set I bought turned to crap when I sharpened it. The edge broke off with the slightest touch!
So, I need some chisels now. All I have is a set of various sized flats.
Maybe I can get some tomorrow.
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The Sperm Whale
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 1538
From: Lakewood California
| Posted: 2005-06-04 9:19 pm Permalink
[/quote] I'll add a lot more later cause I don't want to bore everyone. Hope this helps.
Ben-
You aren't boring anybody? I am all ears!!!
SWANKY-
I am really enjoying this post!! I will be starting my first TIKI Tommorrow by going out to Arons Akua's house to pick up some logs!! Thanks for posting Pics!!!
Later,
Spermy EEEEAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW
[ This Message was edited by: The Sperm Whale on 2005-06-04 21:23 ]
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Aaron's Akua
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Jul 09, 2004
Posts: 1594
From: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
| Posted: 2005-06-04 10:10 pm Permalink
Swanky, I've carved lots of stuff with flat chisels, but the "v" can really help sometimes. But if you haven't gotten one yet, you might also consider picking up a 1/4" shank burr or burr set to clean up after the rough chisel cuts. The cheap chinese ones will work for starters, and you could even improvise & use a drill with them in a pinch. Hey, whatever works till you've built up your tools - it all takes time.
As others have said, it's good to do the features all the way across the face. I find it impossible to do it all at once, but at least take a feature like the stylized brow all the way across. Do it all rough, then come back with a second and third pass. That will keep everything symetrical. Same with the eyes, etc. My current piece is easy in that respect, 'cause it has only one eye.
I think it will look good. You're going deep on the carving and you've got a nice design, and it's bugging the shit out of you cause it's not coming out perfect right off the bat. That's all good!
Welcome to the club.
Aaron
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