Section A - Materials and their working properties - natural and manufactured timbers

Question 1

Timber is ______,____________,_________

Answer 1

Timber is recyclable, renewable and reusable

Question 2

Timber is a ____ material

Answer 2

Timber is a natural material

Question 3

What is the original source of timber

Answer 3

The original source of timber is trees

Question 4

What are the names of 2 classifications of wood

Answer 4

Hardwoods and softwoods

Question 5

Draw a typical leaf from a tree from each of the two categories of natural timber

Question 6

Define hardwood

Answer 6

Hardwood - woods that come from deciduous trees

Question 7

Define softwood

Answer 7

Softwood - woods that come from coniferous (evergreen) trees.

Question 8

Explain why hardwoods tend to be more expensive than softwoods

Answer 8

Hardwoods are woods that come from deciduous trees.
Softwoods are woods that come from coniferous (evergreen) trees.

Deciduous trees take a long time to mature (than coniferous trees) before being able to be felled (cut down) and turned into useable timber - as a result they tend to be more expensive than softwoods

Question 9

List the characteristics of a softwood tree

Answer 9

A softwood tree:
mostly evergreen
retain leaves all year round
Needle - or scale-like leaves
Bear cones
Branches are located the whole length of the trunk
Triangular shape

Question 10

List the characteristics of a hardwood tree

Answer 10

Hardwood tree
Mostly deciduous ( trees that generally lose their leaves in the autumn)
Shed leaves each autumn
Typically flat leaves
Branches are grouped at the top of the tree

Question 11

Examples of hardwoods

Answer 11

Ash
Beech
Mahogany
Oak
Balsa

Question 12

Properties of ash

Answer 12

Tough and flexible,
wide grained
good for steam bending
Finishes well

Question 13

Common uses of ash

Answer 13

Sports equipment (e.g. cricket stumps and bails) (because it is tough and flexible material, making it durable enough to withstand impact from a cricket ball travelling at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour

, ladders

Question 14

Properties of beech

Answer 14

Hard, strong, close grain
Prone to warping and splitting
Durable
Finishes well

Question 15

Common uses of beech

Answer 15

Furniture, children’s toys, workshop tool handles and bench tops

Question 16

Properties of mahogany

Answer 16

Strong and durable
Available in wide planks
Fairly easy to work with but can have interlocking grain
Finishes well

Question 17

Common uses of mahogany

Answer 17

Good quality furniture, panelling and veneers

Expensive - so its used for good quality furniture

Question 18

Properties of oak

Answer 18

Hard, tough, durable, open grain
Can be finished to a high standard
Finishes well

Question 19

Common uses of oak

Answer 19

Timber framed buildings, high quality furniture, flooring

Question 20

Properties of Balsa

Answer 20

Strong and durable
Lightweight
Easy to work with
Wide-spaced grain due to it being a fast-growing hardwood
Prone to snapping

Question 21

Common uses of balsa

Answer 21

Model making
Floats
Rafts

Question 22

How long does it take coniferous trees to reach maturity

Answer 22

Coniferous trees are quick growing and take around ten years to reach maturity before felling.

Question 23

Explain the advantages of coniferous trees being fast growing

Answer 23

Coniferous trees are quick growing and take around ten years to reach maturity before felling.

This makes them an extremely sustainable group of materials as they are renewable

Question 24

Examples of softwoods

Answer 24

Larch
Pine
Spruce

Question 25

Properties of larch

Answer 25

Reddish in colour and has a striking grain pattern Tough but easy to work, although quite resinous and prone to splitting High sap content gives it good water resistance Naturally resistant to rot Easy to machine

Question 26

Common uses of larch

Answer 26

Fencing, fence posts, cladding and decking and joinery (this is because of its toughness and natural resistance to rot from moisture. It is so durable in a moist environment) very few types of softwood that is used outside

Question 27

Properties of pine

Answer 27

Straight grained Light yellow in colour Soft and easy to work Can be quite knotty Lightweight Easy to form

Question 28

Common uses of pine

Answer 28

Interior joinery and furniture Window frames

Question 29

Properties of spruce

Answer 29

Creamy white in colour Easy to work with small knots Lightweight with good resonant properties

Question 30

Common uses of spruce

Answer 30

Bedroom furniture Stringed musical instruments

Question 31

What types of products are softwoods most commonly found in

Answer 31

They are most commonly found in products designed to be used indoors and for joinery as most softwoods have poor resistance to decay and require the addition of preservatives before being used outside

Question 32

Which type of woods are less dense

Answer 32

Softwoods are less dense than hardwoods - but not always Balsa - hardwood - but it is soft, lightweight - can be easily cut with a craft knife

Question 33

Name three different manufactured wooden board

Answer 33

Medium density fibreboard (MDF) Plywood Chipboard

Question 34

Two categories of manufactured boards

Answer 34

Laminated boards (produced by gluing large sheets or veneers together) Compressed boards (are manufactured by gluing particles, chips or flakes together under pressure)

Question 35

Advantages of manufactured boards

Answer 35

They are available in much larger sheets than solid timber They have consistent properties throughout the board They are more stable than natural timbers, meaning they are less likely to warp, shrink or twist They can make use of lower grade timber, so can have environmental benefits They can be faced with a veneer or a laminate to improve their aesthetic apprearance Due to their consistent quality, they are well suited for CNC machining and volume production

Question 36

Describe the manufacture of Medium density fibre board

Answer 36

MDF is a compressed board that is manufactured from fine fibres of wood combined with a synthetic adhesive (usually formaldehyde resin) The MDF pulp is compressed between two heated plates where the adhesive bonds the fibres together.

Question 37

What type of wood is used for the manufacture of MDF

Answer 37

MDF makes used of low-grade softwood and hardwood timber, along with waste created from other wood manufacture processing.

Question 38

Why should care be taken when manufacturing MDF Are there any potential risks when manufacturing MDF

Answer 38

Care should be taken to limit the dust produced when working with MDF as it can cause respiratory issues due to the size of the fine dust particles

Question 39

Properties of MDF

Answer 39

The surface of MDF boards is smooth - which makes it easy to apply a high quality paint finish The edges of the board are fibrous as so need additional sealing before painting

Question 40

Explain why MDF is denser than most other manufactured boards

Answer 40

The MDF is compressed to 0.25 per cent of its original thickness, which is why MDF is denser than other manufactured boards

Question 41

State the types of specialist versions of MDF

Answer 41

Moisture-resistant board Fire-resistant board Flexible MDF (it has a series of small grooves or kerfs cut into one side of the material that allows the board to bend around a radius.) - This particular form of MDF is often used in shop fitting applications

Question 42

What is MDF commonly faced with and why?

Answer 42

MDF is commonly faced with a veneer to improve its aesthetics

Question 43

Examples of common veneered or faced boards

Answer 43

Oak-faced Ash-faced Beech-faced