Using Coconut Wood

Markit

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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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
 
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paulseawind

Guest
Markit said:
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
Click to expand...

If 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

I have pohon kelapa kayu as upright posts holding up the alang-alang roof
I am not sure how old that wood was when it was put into service in 20004/05
And it's still very solid and strong
 
Smoke

Smoke

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Dec 3, 2011
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At OP contact the god Markit . He know everything about that villiage but personally i would check out Ubud area
 
Markit

Markit

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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...
 
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paulseawind

Guest
Smoke said:
At OP contact the god Markit . He know everything about that villiage but personally i would check out Ubud area
Click to expand...

Ubud would be expensive by local pricing standards although one would expect a quality job
Ubud is the 'dress circle' for arty stuff, IMO
The trendy Aussies like to say they go to Ubud on each visit to Bali
It would be about 90-100 minutes drive from Karangasem?

BTW Smoke, what does 'OP' mean?
I have seen in being used but can't give it a meaning yet
 
Markit

Markit

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paulseawind said:
If 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
Click to expand...


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.
 
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paulseawind

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Markit said:
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
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You can say you are not Hindu and you do not want a Ceremony
They will live with that
I would say that without hesitation

I had a pohon mangga besar down in Feb 2013 and another big other tree and no ceremonies
It was an extremely fierce tornado
I estimated the winds to be upwards of 100-120 knots
I am surprised my front windows did not implode

After the event, I had to pepper the tail of the main worker who was taking time chopping the fallen tree into 'stack size' lengths
On a daily rate I said I am not paying for that
And I said they take the prepared stacks out because it started to drag on and the stacks looked like they would stay there until they need to get them for cooking later
He was the hubby of one of the then housemaids (she has long since been let go and so has the other one)

My first 8 months here was a big learning curve and now that I have learned to use that knowledge to my advantage, not theirs

But, you still have to be a nice boy with them all
 
Markit

Markit

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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?
 
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paulseawind

Guest
Markit said:
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?
Click to expand...

Since it's your $13, your ceremony, your involvement and your choice, I think that is quite OK - four good reasons for "why"

A coconut tree should give leaves and berries - that's what they do
The wood later is a bonus because we really bless the living, rather than the dead

And if you are cosmically/spiritually/personally happy about that then your $13 is well spent
Good on you for your beliefs and preferences
 
Markit

Markit

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

kanginkauh

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Dec 6, 2008
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coconut palm tree wood/ seseh

Markit

Use the wood for something else, esp. not for a hand rail. Seseh easily splinters.
Ask my guys in C. D.

kk
 
Markit

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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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?
 
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