Carving a Tiki

[stoneaxe]

I had to take down a birch tree on the corner of my driveway last fall. I cut it high with the idea of carving a tiki out of it. I figure now is as good a time as any since I can't do much else at the moment. It will be about 5' tall when done. Going to be something like this I think. Never done one before but they look pretty easy. If it ends up looking stupid there I'll move it into the backyard.

[surf4food]

You should post that pic here:

http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/

[stoneaxe]

That pic isn't mine....just grabbed off the web.

Cool website.....going to look for some additional inspiration....already has me deciding to up my game. I also have a few big cedar logs around that I've been waiting to do something with...maybe some Tiki fence posts.....I need to rebuild the fence around my Asian inspired garden....maybe make it into a Polynesian inspired garden.

[pdxmike]

stoneaxe--you're on your way to living my dream.  I've always wanted to carve tikis for a tiki grove roof terrace or garden, with colored flood lights, and maybe a reflecting pond and torches. 

When I was growing up, I met Paul Luvera, who was an Italian grocer in Anacortes, WA who decided to learn how to carve totem poles:
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19901109&slug=1103265

He wrote a book that's still available:
http://www.amazon.com/Carve-Totem-Poles-Paul-Luvera/dp/B002DSXD5G




He carved them and his wife, Mary, painted them, in between baking sugar cookies.  We had several at home when I was growing up (the totem poles and the sugar cookies). Their son became a famous trial lawyer.

[surf4food]

You might want to look into this also:   http://www.tikimagazine.com     https://www.facebook.com/TikiMagazine

[bigdom]

the musee quai branly in paris, which has a fantastic oceanic art collection, had an exhibition on the american tiki fad - interesting to see the comparison between real oceanic carvings and those from a motel bar !

http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/exhibitions-and-events/at-the-museum/exhibitions/event-details/e/tiki-pop-35369/

[Jradtke]

I did this one about 4 yrs ago with a hammer, chisel and torch. It took forever to finish. Make sure you treat it with something so it doesn't rot. 

[Bean]

Wow, talk about your idol hands...

[supuk]

if you want to do wood carving i would really recommend trying the arbortech tools i have a industrial wood carver, i use it to carve huge wood bowls and its a monster and the carbide bits last for ever.

http://www.arbortechusa.com/view/woodworking/

[stoneaxe]

I like to do most of my carving with hand tools but I've only done smaller stuff. I've thought about getting the arbortech or similar off and on but have never pulled the trigger. This might be a good time to do it.

[pdxmike]

I like to do most of my carving with hand tools...

What are the odds, with a name like stoneaxe?

[stoneaxe]

In the spirit of the unwritten man rule that every new project requires a new tool....I bought the industrial wood carver..... . I'll rough it out with that and finish with chisels and rasps. Will definitely go much faster.

[surfinJ]

The totem poles have been on my "to do later when I'm retired" list.  I've actually got three small blocks of koa wood plus hand chisels that I've had since living in Hawaii.  The links supplied here are now saved as well, great stuff.

Looking forward to seeing yours take shape.

[supuk]

In the spirit of the unwritten man rule that every new project requires a new tool....I bought the industrial wood carver..... . I'll rough it out with that and finish with chisels and rasps. Will definitely go much faster.

You won't be disappointed! Just watch the fingers! The other ones to look at are saburr tooth bits, I have only used them on eps on the cnc but they are designed for wood.

[surf4food]

Have any of you ever been to this event here in San Diego?  It's now the largest and most popular tiki event in the world.  Definitely epitomizes the tiki/mid century sub culture.  Held every August.  Some of the best tiki carvers display their work at this. http://www.tikioasis.com.