Carving a 3.5 metre high cedar totem pole on Pellow's Island

[Frank Pellow]

As I said in this thread (http://festoolownersgroup.com/various-woodworking-crafts-topics/i-am-carving-a-small-totem-pole-this-week/), I liked carving a small totem pole so much, that I decided to tackle a bigger one.

In July, Gilles Boucher who  also has a place on the Lake Pivabiska mainland, told me that he might have a cedar log that would do for my totem pole.  The next day, my friend Terry West  and I checked his large pile of cedar logs and, sure enough, there was a log that was perfect –dried about two years, straight, about 3.5 metres long, about 35 centimetres in diameter at one end and about 25 centimetres in diameter  at the other.  Gilles refused to let me pay for it and, furthermore, said that he would move it down to the shore that evening.  Here it is on the shore:

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Early the next afternoon, Terry helped me take the log to Pellow’s Island:
       
This is how the towing rope was attached to the log:

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The log behind the boat:

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Frank running the outboard (carefully):

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Terry pulling the log up on shore

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[Theshipstore]

Frank    Good luck wth the next project. Looking forward to seeing pictures as you progrees

Sal

 

[Michael Kellough]

That is so cool! Enjoy it Frank!
Looking forward to the progress pics.

 

[Frank Pellow]

Early in September, my brother John and our friend Chris, and I spent 8 days at the island and we moved the log up to the shed where I will carve it next year.  The two of them helped me move the very heavy log up to a site just outside The Shed.  I would guess that the log weighs about 100 kilos (220 pounds):

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With the ropes, one guy on the smaller end and two on the large end, the log proved quite easy to move.

I made two of these supports, intended to be inserted onto a Workmate, that will hold the log ion place for carving:

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I thought that I had two old Workmates at camp, but I only found one, so temporarily, we placed the supports on one Workmate and one Walko:

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With this arrangement, the log is too high.  I need to collapse one set of legs on the Workmate and get something else to replace the Walko.  I purchased a cheap ($29) Workmate rip-off in Hearst that will do the job.  It doesn’t hacve a two tier leg arrangement, so I needed to cut off the legs (using a special carbide blade on my reciprocating saw):

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Now the log is ready to carve:

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I do need to decide what to carve into the pole.  My instructor told me that the Haida people  claim that Mother Nature as well as the log itself will make it clear what one should carve and that he had found this to be true.  I had evidence that this is true upon my first arrival at Pellow’s Island this summer.  As we approached the island, we noticed an eagle sitting on a rock along the shore to the east of the cabin.  He remained in position for a long time and we got to within about 10 metres of his position.  Unfortunately, my camera was not readily available.  I take this as a sign that an eagle should be at the top of the new pole.  Of course, all the animals on the pole will be native to the region.  Right now, I am thinking that I will carve another beaver, another loon, a bear holding a fish, and a wolf.  We will see if this is what actually happens once I start to carve.

 

[Frank Pellow]

This is turning out to be my project with the longest elapsed time ever.  My excuse is that I don't get to spend nearly enough time at Pellow's Camp and, when I am there, there are many tasks that seem to take priority.

Last week, I made a small start on carving the eagle that is going to occupy the top quarter of the pole.  But, I am now back in Toronto and it will be at least six months before I get back to the island.  I resolve to spend much more time carving the pole in 2014.

Here are a couple of photos to prove that I did make a start:

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[rmwarren]

Great looking log Frank! I can't wait to see your inspiration take shape.

I tease my wife every time we walk the beach about dragging home every piece of driftwood we come across for my growing driftwood collection. When we see a large piece I exclaim "that will be perfect for my totem pole"!

Being a city girl she had no idea what a totem pole was, so I showed her yours. Unfortunately she has exercised her veto power so far... Our deal is she has final approval of everything in the house (except in the confines of my office/workroom) or visible in front of the house.

Some day I will drag a good log home and into my shop, until then I will be following your progress.

RMW

 

[Dan Clermont]

Pretty Cool Frank!!!

That is allot of log to carve and look forward to seeing pics as you progress along.

Cheers
Dan Clermont

 

[Mauri Motti]

Hello Frank,

Noticed you're using a Fiskars hatchet for your project 
Have Fun on your totem!

 

[Frank Pellow]

Hello Frank,

Noticed you're using a Fiskars hatchet for your project 
Have Fun on your totem!

Well spotted!

I have two Fiskars hatchets and quite like them both.  The larger one is used for the types of tasks that hatchets are normally used for -such as chopping kindling.  I modified the blade on the smaller one quite a bit in order to get the shape more to my liking for carving.

 

[Frank Pellow]

Great looking log Frank! I can't wait to see your inspiration take shape.

I tease my wife every time we walk the beach about dragging home every piece of driftwood we come across for my growing driftwood collection. When we see a large piece I exclaim "that will be perfect for my totem pole"!

Being a city girl she had no idea what a totem pole was, so I showed her yours. Unfortunately she has exercised her veto power so far... Our deal is she has final approval of everything in the house (except in the confines of my office/workroom) or visible in front of the house.

Some day I will drag a good log home and into my shop, until then I will be following your progress.

RMW

A totem pole is not to everyone's taste and I can understand her reluctance.  Perhaps your wife can be eased gradually into the appreciation of west coast native art with a carved cedar box -see the thread: http://festoolownersgroup.com/various-woodworking-crafts-topics/carved-cedar-bentwood-box-(part-1)/

 

[Frank Pellow]

Pretty Cool Frank!!!

That is allot of log to carve and look forward to seeing pics as you progress along.

Cheers
Dan Clermont

Thanks Dan.  By the way, can you recommend a good source for British Columbia yellow cedar (for bentwood boxes) .  They would have to ship to Ontario.