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Sabal palmetto tiki carving

TikiRick

By TikiRick
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

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TikiRick Veteran

TikiRick

Posted
Posted

Haven't carved in awhile, so when some neighbors took out a few dead Sabals, I fired up the chain saw.

The Sabal is my preferred wood choice- diameter and hard wood, slow to rot.

These tikis are over 7 foot tall, and I've used a blow torch for "aging" them. A coat of urethane helps protect the wood.

Every tiki is unique! 

Once into the garden, a yellow flood light keeps the tiki vibe alive....IMG_3023.thumb.JPG.361f5520f5ab1d144161b

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  • Like 5
  • Upvote 20

Rick Leitner

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

26.07N/80.15W

Zone 10B

Average Annual Low 67 F

Average Annual High 84 F

Average Annual Rainfall 62"

 

Riverfront exposure, 1 mile from Atlantic Ocean

Part time in the western mountains of North Carolina

Gratefully, the best of both worlds!

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Sanips Mentor

Sanips

Posted
Posted

Wow, impressive work! you're an artist! :greenthumb:

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Really full garden Grand Master

Really full garden

Posted
Posted

Really well done! 

El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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PalmatierMeg Grand Master

PalmatierMeg

Posted
Posted

Those are so neat!

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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Mike Evans Mentor

Mike Evans

Posted
Posted

Very nice Rick. no wonder you have the name TikiRick.  The Sabal trunks are very tough.  I remember reading an article about a Fort in SC made out of Sabal trunks that repealed the British during Revolutionary war.  Cannon balls just bounced off the trunks.  The Brits were probably wondering "what the hell"?  What a nice complement to your great garden.

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annafl Proficient

annafl

Posted
Posted

Wow!  Rick, these are amazing!  You are so incredibly talented.  Perfect pieces for your incredible garden.  Love the crotons, by the way.  They caught my eye even before the palms.  You're into the Thai ones now?

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richnorm Grand Master

richnorm

Posted
Posted

Nice work. So what tools are required other than chainsaw and blow torch?  I'm keen to have a go myself. Any tips?  cheers Richard

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The Germinator Mentor

The Germinator

Posted
Posted

Nice; both the trunks and the Rick are cut. That first one reminds me of Scooby Doo.

Ed Mijares

Whittier, Ca

Psyco Palm Collector Wheeler Dealer

Zone 10a?

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realarch Grand Master

realarch

Posted
Posted

Well, those look fantastic, Edward Scissor Hands with that chainsaw Rick. 

I can see those cannon balls bouncing off those tikis now.

Tim

Tim

Hilo, Hawaii

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palmislandRandy Grand Master

palmislandRandy

Posted
Posted

Sweet! The one I had gotten from you about 8 years ago finally started to soften in the middle. Nice work.

"If you need me, I'll be outside" -Randy Wiesner Palm Beach County, Florida Zone 10Bish

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Palmaceae Grand Master

Palmaceae

Posted
Posted

Very nice! Can you make me one :D

Lived in Cape Coral, Miami, Orlando and St. Petersburg Florida.

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Josh-O Grand Master

Josh-O

Posted
Posted

very cool job Rick.

 

I'm also a carver

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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Hammer Grand Master

Hammer

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, Josh-O said:

very cool job Rick.

 

I'm also a carver

Josh, got any pics you can post in a thread?  Got a buddy who may be in the market for some work.

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TikiRick Veteran

TikiRick

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks everyone for the kind words and encouragement. Like anything else, the more you do the better you get. I'm still learning, and have yet to master cutting through the log to see space between the arms and torso for example. 

Ive carved a few more, and I think I'll try selling a few at a local plant festival. Tallest? 8' Shortest? 2'

But all are chain saw only, only sabal palm and never painted with colors. That's my brand! 

Rick Leitner

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

26.07N/80.15W

Zone 10B

Average Annual Low 67 F

Average Annual High 84 F

Average Annual Rainfall 62"

 

Riverfront exposure, 1 mile from Atlantic Ocean

Part time in the western mountains of North Carolina

Gratefully, the best of both worlds!

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  • 2 years later...
  • 3 weeks later...
TikiRick Veteran

TikiRick

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Dig out as much soft wood as possible. Cap the top with a cut circular piece of wood or copper disc. Secure it.  They are prone to rot from the top due to weather. 

Rick Leitner

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

26.07N/80.15W

Zone 10B

Average Annual Low 67 F

Average Annual High 84 F

Average Annual Rainfall 62"

 

Riverfront exposure, 1 mile from Atlantic Ocean

Part time in the western mountains of North Carolina

Gratefully, the best of both worlds!

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doubravsky Mentor

doubravsky

Posted
Posted

Great advice! Here's one that was rotting out. I took a slice of a King palm trunk that I cut down and sanded, stained, sealed and used construction adhesive to attach it to the top. Now it's a table for holding my beer while I sit out and admire the garden :)

 

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  • Like 2

Dave

 

Riverside, CA Z 9b

1700 ft. elevation

approx 40 miles inland

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Dypsisdean Grand Master

Dypsisdean

Posted
Posted

I might add that I've had them rot out from the bottom after many years in the garden - even when placed on gravel or stepping stones. So I use the "nastiest" post preserving liquid you can buy.  I set the tiki in a large saucer - then fill the saucer with the liquid. The end grain sucks it up, and I keep adding liquid over a few days. I have some over thirty years old with no problems. You can even repeat the process after they have dried a lot and they really suck it up then.

You can do the same with the top by flipping it over, and/or just pouring any left over liquid over the top.

Some preservatives even have a copper base to them that adds a cool highlighted green tinge to the tiki that lasts a little while in drier locations.

  • Like 1

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Kona, on The Big Island
Hawaii - Land of Volcanoes

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Zeeth Grand Master

Zeeth

Posted
Posted

I drove by a house that had chopped down an old Sabal palmetto the other day and snagged some trunk sections. Now I gotta figure out how to carve them up! 

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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NOT A TA Mentor

NOT A TA

Posted
Posted
30 minutes ago, Zeeth said:

I drove by a house that had chopped down an old Sabal palmetto the other day and snagged some trunk sections. Now I gotta figure out how to carve them up! 

Harbor Freight came out with a disc with chain saw teeth that fits on a 4 1/2" right angle grinder. I've been going to buy one but haven't yet for a different project and thought I'd try some artistic stuff with it after my main project is done.

EDIT: found it https://www.harborfreight.com/22-tooth-carving-disc-61638.html

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Johnny Palmseed Mentor

Johnny Palmseed

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

Harbor Freight came out with a disc with chain saw teeth that fits on a 4 1/2" right angle grinder. I've been going to buy one but haven't yet for a different project and thought I'd try some artistic stuff with it after my main project is done.

EDIT: found it https://www.harborfreight.com/22-tooth-carving-disc-61638.html

That is a great idea. Looks like it should be easier to control than a chainsaw.

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  • 1 month later...
Zeeth Grand Master

Zeeth

Posted
Posted
On 5/7/2020 at 4:18 PM, Zeeth said:

I drove by a house that had chopped down an old Sabal palmetto the other day and snagged some trunk sections. Now I gotta figure out how to carve them up! 

Ended up using a hammer and chisel and it didn't turn out too bad! I've got another one to do later in the week as well. 

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  • Like 3

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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