Using Coconut Wood

Markit

I'm having some stairway bannisters (hand rails) made from an old coconut tree that came down on my land and I was wondering if anyone can advise me on keeping it nice as it will be exposed to Bali's extremes of weather/wind/sun. I'm looking at getting it carved so if or how I do that will be based on your answers - is it worth going to the expense of carving it if it's going to only last 2-3 years or how do I make it resist the elements better? Does anyone know of a good wood carver in Karangasem? Cheers Markit

Smoke

At OP contact the god Markit . He know everything about that villiage but personally i would check out Ubud area

Markit

Is Ubud in Karangasem? If your uprights are holding up the roof then they aren't exposed to the elements and should be in pretty good shape. But thanks all anyway...

Smoke

OP is Original Poster

Smoke

Markit wroteIs Ubud in Karangasem?

good question maybe an Ubudder can reply:icon_wink:

Markit

paulseawind wroteIf it was me I would go to one of those places that make the traditional Balinese doors They do a lot of carving and front doors need to have some protection applied to them, so it follows they can handle pohon kelapa kayu easily

Thanks for this and it would be a great idea if we had such here in Karangasem - there may well be but I don't know of them - will ask around.

Braveheart_shaped_box

aye ask advice in Ubud an no doubt they will advise you on performing the 'death of a tree ceremony'

Markit

Braveheart_shaped_box wroteaye ask advice in Ubud an no doubt they will advise you on performing the 'death of a tree ceremony'

Had that when the damned tree came down, but I must be getting better or the gods cheaper cause the first one cost me IDR300k and this one "only" IDR150k

Markit

Frankly I didn't really mind paying $13 for a lovely ceremony to help the spirit of a tree that gave coconuts, leaves for cooking and building into the local economy and finally timber for my hand rail for over 50 years. It's one of the things most of us love about Bali, after all, isn't it?

Braveheart_shaped_box

If a tree falls in Ubud and there is no one to hear it scream does anyone really give a Donald?

Markit

Problem is most of the trees have been taken down to make way for coffee joints, villas, trendy restos and Gucci knock-off shops.

kanginkauh

[b]coconut palm tree wood/ seseh[/b] Markit Use the wood for something else, esp. not for a hand rail. Seseh easily splinters. Ask my guys in C. D. kk

Markit

Too late my friend - splinters it will have to be. It was a fairly old tree and therefore the wood is also fairly hard so with a bit of varnish (or a lot) it should hold up to mild usage. I won't be sliding down it. What or where is CD?