Tiki Rancher breaks out the chisels!

Ever since building the Bamboo Barn I've been itching to give my hand at some carving.  I saved some 6" round scrap wood left over from a Twin Peaks railing. They used this cool material to build railings at the Buckhead Twin Peaks recently built.  Pine isn't the best carving wood but it was free and I figured I could get a little practice in before I start carving larger tiki statues. I prefer Bass wood when carving and I have some in my shop so next carving will be with that and will be much more detailed due to the material. Tjhe finished tiki was polychromed (painted) because the pine wood grain was ugly.

Here is my first attempt at a tiki god...I just did from my head so it's not very authentic but fun. This carving was done with hand tools (home depot chisels and a wooden hammer) It took me about 4 hours total over a couple of sessions. It stands 18" tall by 6" round. 

a good start but still about an hour left of work

front view still incomplete

This is the completed tiki next to another piece of wood identical of what I started with. I decided to polychrome the wood since it was pine. 

PRO photos thanks to Kevin Garrett

This week Kevin Garrett world class photographer came by the ranch and took the best pictures of it yet.
ENJOY!