Architect turns to coconut wood for making furniture<\/p>\n
By Bambang Tiong<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Creativity can lead to a potential gold mine.
\nAn architect from Bantul district, Yogyakarta has proved this to
\nbe true. In his hands, glugu (coconut wood), which is usually
\nused as building material, has been turned into various
\nattractive items with high marketability.<\/p>\n
Nurdi Antoro, who formerly designed and constructed buildings,
\nnow produces furniture and tableware made of this wood.<\/p>\n
A sturdy raw material is needed to produce a good product.
\nFerry Santoso, Nurdi's assistant, said coconut wood from a
\ncoastal area is good because its water content is low and the
\nwood is tough. To make good products, the wood must come from a
\ncoconut tree that is over 35 years old with a diameter between 20
\ncentimeters and 30 centimeters. Sumba, Riau and Manado are places
\nfrom which coconut wood meets the above criteria and is usually
\navailable.<\/p>\n
The wood, purchased between Rp 300,000 and Rp 350,000 per
\ncubic meter, is transported by truck to the workshop in Pleret,
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
The lower part of the trunk is chosen for tableware because
\nthe wood grain is very clear. When it is made into plates, bows,
\nsalt and pepper shakers, spoons, forks or trays, the product will
\nlook more artistic.<\/p>\n
\"In the case of furniture, the grain can be made visible with
\nthe help of melamine. Melamine is also useful as a preserving
\nagent,\" said Nurdi.<\/p>\n
The workers use simple tools, such as an ax, a carving device,
\na plane, a lathe and sandpaper.<\/p>\n
In joining the wooden pieces, they never use nails but bamboo
\npegs and glue instead.<\/p>\n
To make tableware, the device used is a dynamo-driven lathe
\nand sandpaper. \"We do not need to join pieces with pegs or glue
\nthem together because the items are made from a whole piece of
\nwood,\" Nurdi said.<\/p>\n
It usually takes three weeks for two craftsmen to make one set
\nof furniture from a tree trunk.<\/p>\n
To add a graceful appearance to an object, the grain on the
\nsurface must be given prominence while efforts must also be made
\nto emphasize the naturalness of the furniture. For this purpose a
\nsolution called milk liquid made from a number of materials,
\nincluding melamine and some additives, has to be used.<\/p>\n
A set of tableware, comprising 4 place settings of plates,
\nspoons, forks, bowls, glasses and other dinnerware, plus kitchen
\nutensils, may be completed in one week by two craftsmen. The
\nitems are usually not colored or given any melamine to ensure
\nthat they look natural and also that they will not be harmful to
\nhealth.<\/p>\n
\"Foreign buyers are very serious about the health aspect. They
\nare afraid of a reaction produced by chemicals,\" Nurdi said.<\/p>\n
He added that tableware such as plates, bowls and glasses
\nremain durable in quality up to 60 degrees Celsius.<\/p>\n
A set of regular-sized furniture measuring 40 cm by 40 cm by
\n40 cm with a head support of 80 cm high, plus a table measuring
\n90 cm by 90 cm is sold from Rp 1 million to Rp 1.5 million,
\ndepending on the model. A set of tableware consisting of 10 items
\nis sold from Rp 500,000 to Rp 1 million, also depending on the
\nitems.<\/p>\n
Nurdi said the biggest domestic demand comes from
\nBali where some 35 sets of furniture and tableware are sold a
\nmonth. The company has exported an average of 75 sets of
\ntableware products to Singapore, Spain and France. \"We have never
\nexported furniture because usually we send our products abroad by
\nsea and we are afraid that the color will dim as the lining
\nsubstance, which is made of a kind of oil, will be contaminated
\nby the sea air,\" he noted, adding that these items should be sent
\nabroad by air.<\/p>\n
Nurdin's company, Griya 70, which is now dealing in
\nconstruction, interior designing and furniture making, was set up
\nin 1994. In 1997, it began to produce furniture and tableware
\nmade of coconut wood. Nurdi is assisted by two staff members. One
\nis assigned to administrative affairs while the other is an
\narchitect who oversees 20 experienced craftsmen.<\/p>\n
The craftsmen are paid in two ways. First, the craftsmen are
\npaid between Rp 12,000 and Rp 15,000 a day, depending on their
\nskills. Second, for every item they make on order, the craftsmen
\nare paid about one third of its overall price.<\/p>\n
Yanto, a craftsman who has been employed since the company
\nbegan to produce furniture made of coconut wood, prefers the
\ncontractual payment system as it drives him to work harder. He
\nsaid the better the items they make, the more orders the company
\nreceives and, as a result, their earnings also increase. Bukori,
\n30, agreed with Yanto and added that he liked working there
\nbecause, apart from the income, his superior treated him like
\nfamily.<\/p>\n
Occupational safety is important in this company. All the
\nemployees, most of whom come from rural areas, have to use gloves
\nand masks while working.<\/p>\n
\"Coconut wood has very fine fibers and there is a fear that
\nthese fibers will be inhaled into the lungs. Also the wood chips
\nare very sharp and can get into the pores,\" he said.<\/p>",
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