Step 12. For finishing touches, cover the hollow part of the poles by attaching the round-cut plywood. Use the pneumatic kneeler to secure the plywood. Then wrap the woven rattan around the plywood and tuck it into the surface of the pole. An alternative to woven rattan is leather, banig, or other indigenous materials.

To cover the ends of the woven rattan, encircle it six or seven times with the 5 mm split rattan. Just make sure to hide the end of the split rattan by inserting it beneath the curl and then tuck it on.

Step 13. Polish the bamboo armchair using sanding paper. Once it’s smooth enough, apply the sanding sealer. Then spray the armchair with varnish, using the varnish spray attached to the compressor. The varnish can be mahogany, walnut, or natural depending on what suits the armchair.

The CITC-DTI offers training seminars in making Japanese-style bamboo armchairs in various parts of the country. In-house training costs P600 while special session costs P2,000. If you intend to go into exports, get in touch with the Philippine Trade and Training Center (PTTC) for the details and documents needed. The PTTC also conducts seminar on exporting.

Dos and Don’ts:

• Avoid bamboo with stains; this lessens the appeal of the armchair particularly to foreigners.
• To get them cheaper, buy bamboo when they are in season from November to May.
• Always clean your working station to avoid bukbok (wood borer) infestation, which can damage your bamboo. Affected bamboo should be thrown away and burned so that the other bamboos won’t be affected.
• Soak the edges of fresh bamboo in wood protectants because powder-post beetles are attracted to the smell of fresh bamboos.
• To cut down cost, set up your factory at provinces near the source of bamboo.]
• Employing your family members can bring down your costs especially when you are just starting. You can start production with just three people.
• Don’t throw away scrap pieces of bamboo; instead, use them as fuel to simmer your next batch of poles.

Where to train and to look for supplies:
COTTAGE INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY CENTER
Department of Trade and Industry
20 Russet St., SSS Village, Marikina City
Telephone: (02) 942- 3974

PHILIPPINE TRADE AND TRAINING CENTER
PTTC Bldg., Philtrade Complex,
Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Roxas
Blvd., Pasay City
Telephones: (02) 831- 9988; (02) 834- 1344