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Timbers Section Flashcards

(66 cards)

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1
Q

What is a hardwood

A

A wood taken from deciduous trees such as oak

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2
Q

Properties of deciduous trees

A

They lose their leaves in winter
Made of hardwood
Grow very slowly (some take over 100 years)

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3
Q

Properties of Birch

A

Sandy coloured wood with a smooth easy grain

It has a low resistence to rot and insect attack

Common uses:

Veneers → surafces cheaper materials that are used for indoor use (furniture

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4
Q

Properties of ash

A

Strong tough flexible hardwood that finishes well

Low resistance to rot and insect attacks

Common uses
Handles for tools / sports equipment / ladders

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5
Q

Properties of jelutong

A

Hardwood
Even close grain → easy to cut

Soft and not very strong

Common uses
Making models moulds or vacuum forming

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6
Q

What are softwoods

A

Wood that comes from coniferous trees

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7
Q

What are coniferous trees like

A

They are made of softwood
They have needle like leaves that are not lost in winter
Seeds in a cone
Grow quickly - around 30 years

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8
Q

Properties of larch

A

Softwood

Tough and durable → resistant to water.
Can be left untreated outside → fades to a silvery grey

It costs more than most softwoods

Common uses:
Small boats + exterior cladding on buildings

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9
Q

What is manufactured timber

A

A board of wood that has different properties to regular softwoods and hardwoods

Often large thin sheets

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10
Q

What is chipboard → properties / pros /cons

A

Wood chips mixed together with glue and pressed into flat sheets.

Uses waste materials so it is cheap

Not much natural strength especially in damp conditions

The surface is very rough so usually its plastic coated

Common uses
Kitchen tops
Chep flat pack furniture

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11
Q

Where are softwoods and hardwoods found

A

Hardwoods are mostly found in temperate climates like europe
Softwoods are found in colder regions

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12
Q

What are surface finishes /treatments

A

A material that fills the pours in wood making it water resistant and changing its appearance

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13
Q

Description of surface finish / advantages / disadvantages

Painting

A

Coloured pigment in a liquid that dries out

A
Available in a range of colours

D
Covers the woods natural grain

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14
Q

Description of surface finish / advantages / disadvantages

Staining

A

A coloured liquid that soaks into the wood surface

A
Makes a pale coloured wood like pine darker to mimic more expensive woods like oak or mahogany

D
Doesnt look fully like another wood as the grain still shows

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15
Q

Description of surface finish / advantages / disadvantages

Varnishing

A

A clear coating that dries to a shine

A
Can be high gloss or a matte finish
Hard Wearing finish that shows the woods grain

D
Can scratch / chip and expose the wood

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16
Q

Description of surface finish / advantages / disadvantages

Wax

A

A soft solid that is rubbed into the surface with a cloth

A
Easy to apply
Gives a plain natural look

D
Surface feels oily

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17
Q

Description of surface finish / advantages / disadvantages

Shellac

A

A cloudy liquid made from a resin secreted by a beetle

Lots of layers are rubbed on and polished to create a finish called french polish

A
Traditionally used on expensive furniture for its glossy lustre

D
Easily damaged by heat or watet

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18
Q

Description of surface finish / advantages / disadvantages

Veneering

A

A thin layer of wood glued onto a surface

A
Expensive decorative wood like mahogany can be placed onto a cheaper wood like pine

D
The veneer is still natural wood so it will need a finnish applied

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19
Q

What are knots (in wood)

A

A knot appears where a branch had grown out of the wood

As it causes the grain to swirl around that area of the wood is harder to cut than others

Knots can also fall out, leaving holes in the wood

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20
Q

What is the grain of wood

A

Fibres that run the length of a tree trunk that give it strength and make distinctive patterns

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21
Q

What is wood seasoning

A

Drying out timber to below 18% water content

Seasoned timber has increased strength and is less likely to warp

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22
Q

What is the impact of logging on local communities

A

In many areas e.g. the amazon logging is poorly managed

It often pushes people away from their ancestral homes, leaving them nowhere to live

It also destroys traditional ways of life

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23
Q

What is trend forecasting

A

A method manufactures / investors use to predict what people will want in the future - so that they can design products

An example of this is the use of softwoods from more sustainable sources
Another is the use of manufactured boards in construction

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24
Q

How is timber reused / recycled / disposed

A

Timber is biodegradable so will rot away over time
Manufactured boards are often harder to dispose of (as they are covered in plastic)

Timber can be disposed of by burning to create heat
It is also reused to make manufactyred boards

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25
What is an ecological footprint
The amount of / effect of the environment required to produce goods and services to support a particular lifestyle
26
What is sustainable timber
The idea that there are always trees available to be used When one tree is cut down the same type is replanted
27
How does processing wood effect its environmental impact (and what is it/
It will be sawn out into planks and dried out (seasoning) Seasoning can be done through kiln drying which uses energy, adding to the ecological footprint of timber
28
How is timber transported
Timber is typically transported on lorries which produce large amounts of fossil fuel A more sustainable method is floating wood down a river
29
What wastage is made in farming timber
Small parts of the tree such as leaves and branches will be left to rot / burn More frequently - part of trees such as the trunks and branches are being used to make manufactured boards
30
What pollution is caused by the farming of timber
Trees absorb co2 and release o2 When trees are cut down / burnt they release co2 back into the atmosphere adding to the greenhouse effect. Co2 is also released in the transportation of timber (burning of fossil fuels)
31
What is seasoning
A process where timber is dried (10-20% water reduction) Seasoned timber has an increased strength, resitance to decay and stability, meaning it is less likely to warp (bend) It is either dried in air for a few years (up to 18% reduction) Or it is dried in a kiln where hot air is pumped around the wood. This dries the wood faster (a few weeks) but less water is removed 12%
32
What is upcycling
Repairing / reusing old products to make a new one Sometimes only parts of the old product are used
33
What effects the availability of timber
Costs - as more timber is used / farmed the availability of it decreases causing costs to rise Hurricanes / storms / disease - destroys trees by infecting them / blowing them over
34
Benefits of using stock sizes
Stock sizes are mass produced This means waste and cost are reduced Time making is also reduced
35
What effects the cost of timber
Quality of material - higher grade timber is more expensive Timber that is less warped / has less knots will be cheaper Manufacturing - using stock sizes and standard components reduces the overall cost of manufacturing making a product cheaper
36
What effects the cost of timber
Quality of material - higher grade timber is more expensive Timber that is less warped / has less knots will be cheaper Manufacturing - using stock sizes and standard components reduces the overall cost of manufacturing making a product cheaper
37
What cultural / ethical factors should be included in a product
Avoiding offence - emg using symbols or words that may offend people Sustainability for intended market - products should be designed for specific ages (understanding needs of the user) The consumer society - many companies try to sell things that we do not need - this is very environmentally unfriendly and could cause many problems
38
What is built in product obsolescence
Manufacturers deliberately make products which fail after a specific time, and the parts cannot be replaced These products typically have a short life span and are built to be replaced
39
Effects of mass production (on making timbers)
Significantly cheaper than getting carpenters to do it More can be made in a shorter time (inside large factories) Manual workers have lost their jobs to machines
40
What is lamination
Process of bonding several thin layers together to make a thicker material
41
How are products reinforced to combat forces applied on it
Many products will be strengthened using frame structures These can be reinforced by: Putting thin panels in the frame Adding a diagonal strut / triangles across each corner
42
What are braces and tie bars used for
They are placed diagonally across a frame to strengthen it
43
Why are composite materials added to wooden products
To improve their properties and strengthen them. E.g. adding fibreglass to wooden beams makes them more waterproof
44
What are regular sections
Stock sized pieces of timber that are sold in specific shapes / sizes This is done by sawmills for convenience (limited sizes have to be cut)
45
What are mouldings
Lengths of timber cut into regular decorative shapes They are made for specific purposes such as skirting boards. They save time for manufacturers but can be expensive
46
What are dowles
Small stock sized wooden rods They have many uses, from making models to strengthening simple joints They require accurate drilling of holes to use
47
What are sheets
Manufactured boards that come in est sizes / thickness They are available in large sizes but are relatively difficult to cut + edges often splinter
48
What does PAR mean
It stands for planned all round All four surfaces of the material have been 'planned' and the edges are rounded, making them safer to use
49
What does PSE mean
Planned square edge All four surfaces are planned but the edges are left square
50
What is routing
A process using a tool called a router to make straight slits in wood It quickly removes wood and has many different sizes If cutting larger bits of wood it could be possible to burn the timber
51
What are mortisers
A machine that creates a square hole on a piece of timber. It uses a round center chisel to drill a round hole and then a square chisel cuts out the corners to make a square It is very fast but requires accurate marking out to get the exact sizes required
52
What is a bag press
A bag which is sealed and has air sacked out of it. A mould is placed inside along with laminates. When the air is sucked out the laminates will be stuck to the mold
53
One of production
One product made at a time / to test an idea No set up cost, made with existing equipment, products can be customised to the users needs. Slow, so expensive to make several
54
Batch production
Several copies of the same product made at one time Jigs, templates and moulds are used to speed up the process and can be kept for further use Special machinery is not needed Labour intensive (expensive to make) Takes time to make jigs / templates
55
Mass production
Factory machinery set up to make loads of identical products Makes a product quickly and cheaply Machinery is expensive
56
Continuous production
Factory machinery making the same thing 24/7 Makes the product very quickly and very cheaply Machinery is very expensive to set up (not worth making small quantities of product)
57
What are jigs
An object that can be placed over a piece of work to guide drilling / sawing. It is a quick way to make accurate cuts in the correct place
58
What is a dixture
An object which holds the work in place while making it
59
What is a pattern (templates)
Term used to refer to the collection of templates used to make the complete product. One pattern can result in many accurate products, If the template is accurate
60
What are templates
A cut out shape you can draw around to mark out the shape you want. They can be wingle use or multiple use They allow shapes to be marked out quickly / efficiently However if the template is not accurate, the product will not be accurate
61
What is sub-assembly
Using components that are built to a uniform specification to add to a larger product Sub-assembled products can easily be replaced and are always quality tested
62
What is quality control
A system used to ensure all manufactured products are good enough for sale (e.g.correct size and weight) Through the products manufacturing it is inspected to ensure that it is correct The more complex a product is, the more sampling will take place
63
How is Computer aided manufavture used
Uses a computer to guide cutters on a CNC machine (computer numerically controlled) It has high initial costs but is very accurate Training may also be required
64
What is working within tolerance
Products are always manufactured within a tolerance. This is a range of sizes that makes the parts accessible The designer must specify the tolerance Tolerances ensure that all parts of a product will fit together, even if the sizes are not the exact measurements Tolerance is checked in quality + control
65
How is waste minimised in production
By using efficient and accurate cutting techniques (e.g templates) This is important as material is expensive + wasting it has a high impact on the environment Designing parts to fit perfectly can also help reduce waste
66
Gove example of CNC machines
CNC routers Milling machines Laser cutters Factories also use large machinery controlled by computers

DT (10 decks)

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