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