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WOOD WORK NOTES 2025
What is the meaning of woodwork?
Woodwork can refer to the art of working with wood, or to the components made from wood. Woodwork can also be used in phrases to describe a place of hiding or seclusion.
Woodwork as a craft
The skill of working with wood, also known as carpentry
The process of making things out of wood, such as furniture, boxes, and signs
The process of bonding multiple layers of wood together to create stronger or larger components
Woodwork as a component
A component made from wood, such as a door, staircase, or molding
The interior fittings of a building made from wood, such as baseboards and moldings
Workshop Safety Rules
Workshop safety rules include keeping the work area clean, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), and using safety tools.
Cleanliness
Keep the work area clean and organized
Remove or secure anything that could get caught in moving machinery
Keep tools and equipment sharp
Personal protective equipment
Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from dust and rays
Wear an apron to protect your clothes and keep loose clothing from getting caught in machinery
Wear the appropriate PPE for the task, such as a welding helmet or goggles
Electrical safety
Keep water and other liquids at least 5 feet away from electrical equipment
Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) to help prevent electrical incidents
Ventilation
Ensure adequate ventilation, especially in workshops where fumes and dust are common
Other safety rules
Don't run in the workshop
Listen to instructions
Avoid unnecessary distractions
Don't use drugs, alcohol, or other impairing substances
Activity:
What does PPE stand for?
What are some PPEs?
Name a rule that is specific to the workshop
What rule applies to a person?
What rule is specific to machines?
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Fire extinguishers come in various types, including
water,
carbon dioxide (CO2),
foam,
wet chemical,
dry powder (ABC), and
clean agent,
each is designed for specific fire classes and applications. However, the BEST fire extinguisher for effective use is the dry powder (ABC) kind,
CROSS-SECTION OF A TREE
Types of Wood
Hardwood:
Merbau.
Oak.
Walnut.
Ash.
Beech.
Mahogany.
Maple
Softwood
> Pine
> cedar
> Redwood
> Fir
Activity: (Home work)
Enquire with elders at home about the names of some local woods, and
explain what they are traditionally used for.
TYPES OF WOOD DEFECTS
Natural defects occur in trees while they are growing, while artificial defects occur during processing and handling.
There are innate defects caused by the natural characteristic of wood to shrink or expand in response to water vapor in the air. And, there are artificial and mechanical defects caused by incorrect sawing or machining (conversion), improper drying (seasoning), or improper handling and storage.
2. ARTIFICIAL DEFECTS
WOOD PROCESSING:
There are 3 main processing stages: Sawing, Drying and Planing.
In the flow diagram on the left we can see some stages a tree goes through to become a material that can be used in building structures.
We can seen plants and trees at the top left side, and they are cut into logs. We can see a table saw that may be used in the cutting.
We also can see something like an oven. We can say that this implies that the timbers are dried here. Then they are sold in bulks, and may end up as someone's wall.
CONVERSION OF TIMBER (SAWING)
Timber conversion is the process of cutting a tree into usable boards or planks. It involves cutting the tree into marketable sizes, removing the bark, and cutting the wood into boards.
Steps in timber conversion
Felling: The tree is cut down
Debarking: The bark is removed from the log
Breaking down: The log is roughly sawed into flitches
Resawing: The flitches are cut into boards of the desired size and shape
Drying: The wood is dried out
Purpose of timber conversion
Allows the wood to dry faster
Gives the wood a usable size and shape
Allows the quality of the timber to be assessed
Tools used in timber conversion circular saws, bandsaws, overhead cable-ways, railways, and rivers.
TIMBER CONVERSION METHODS
We will discuss three timber conversion methods
Through and Through Sawing
Quarter Sawing
Tangential Sawing
Moisture Content (MC)
Moisture content of wood is expressed as a percentage of the weight of the oven-dry wood.
The acceptable moisture levels for woodworking projects are about 6% to 8% for hardwoods and 9% to 14% for softwoods.
The standard moisture content of wood ranges between 8% and 25% by weight. If the amount of water exceeds the oven-dry mass of the wood, the moisture content will be greater than 100%
How to calculate moisture content of wood.
Moisture Content % = (weight of water / oven-dry weight of wood) x 100
For instance, suppose that a freshly sawn piece of coconut tree plank weighed 50kg. in its initial raw state, and ended up weighing only 20kg. when fully dried in an oven—this means that a total of 30kg. of water was lost in the drying process. So using the equation above: 30kg. (weight of water), divided by 20kg (oven-dry weight of wood), and multiplied by 100 to get the percentage, we arrive at 150% MC for a green section of the coconut tree.
WOOD CLASSIFICATION
Wood is classified into three main types:
Hardwood: Comes from broad-leaved trees and is typically denser.
Softwood: Comes from conifer-type trees and is less dense.
Engineered wood: A composite material made from wood fibers and other components.
Table 1
Table 2.
HAND TOOLS
Activity:
Create a 3 column table and write the name of the tools given its use, and a clear sketch of the tool.
PORTABLE TOOLS
Activity
Write the names of the portable power tools and state their uses.
DRESSED TIMBER
Dressed timber can be made from a variety of wood species, including hardwood and softwood. Dressed timber is wood that has been planed and sanded to create a smooth surface.
Dressed timber types
Dressed all round timber (DAR)
A type of wood that has been planed and polished to create a very smooth surfaceDressing grade timber
A high visual grade of timber that has some small knots but is mostly clear woodTimber treatment
Treated timber is classified into different levels based on how well it protects against decay and insects. Each level of treatment
corresponds to a recommended application.
Timber processing
Timber can be sawn using a backsaw, quartersaw, or radial saw. Each method produces different products with different stability and grain patterns.
What is the difference between dressed and undressed timber?
As you already know, dressed timber is a timber that has been machine-finished, resulting in smooth dressed surfaces. On the other hand, undressed timber is the name given to any timber that has not been dressed.
Undressed timber
Dressed timber
Common Wood Joints
Lap Joints
A lap joint or overlap joint is a joint in which the members overlap. Lap joints can be used to join wood, plastic, or metal. A lap joint can be used in woodworking for joining wood together. A lap joint may be a full lap or half lap.
. In a half lap joint or halving joint, material is removed from both of the members so that the resulting joint is the thickness of the thickest member.
Halving lap joints are used extensively in transition and cabinetry for framing. They are quick and easy to make and provide high strength through good long grain to long grain gluing surface.
The Cross lap joint occurs in the middle of one or both members, rather than at the end. The two members are at right angles to each other and one member may terminate at the joint, or it may carry on beyond it.
Use for:
Internal cabinet frames
Simple framing and bracing
The mitred half lap is the weakest version of the joint because of the reduced gluing surface.
Use for:
Visible framing applications where a mitred corner is desired
The dovetail crossed lap is a lap in which the housing has been cut at an angle which, resists withdrawal of the stem from the cross-piece.
Use for:
Framing applications where tension forces could pull the joint apart
A tongue-and-groove joint, commonly used in woodworking, features a raised area (the tongue) on one piece of wood fitting into a corresponding groove on another, creating a strong, flush, and often seamless joint
Uses: to join wood edges,
A mortise and tenon joint is a woodworking joint where a tenon (a protruding piece) fits into a mortise (a recessed hole or slot) to create a strong, stable connection, typically at a 90-degree angle
Uses: furniture, doors, windows, and timber framing.
The haunched mortise and tenon provides a joint where the mechanics are hidden from all but one face, whilst also preventing cupping of the tenoned component.
Uses: connecting table rails to legs, and for door style to rail joints
Cutting Mortice and Tenon Joints
To create a mortise and tenon joint, you first cut a recessed mortise in one piece of wood and then cut a projecting tenon on another piece to fit snugly into the mortise. The tenon should be 1/3 the thickness of the stock being mortised to avoid weakening it, according to www.woodworkersjournal.com. The mortise width is often set at 1/3 the workpiece thickness.
Step 1: Planning and Marking:
Determine the desired mortise depth and width, often a ratio of 1/3 the workpiece thickness.
Mark the mortise location on the workpiece and the tenon location on the other piece.
Step 2: Cutting the Mortise:
Hand Tools: Use a mortising chisel and mallet to carefully remove wood from the marked area, forming the mortise.
Power Tools: A router table or mortiser machine can efficiently cut the mortise to the desired shape and depth.
Step 3: Cutting the Tenon:
Saw and Chisel: Cut the tenon on the other piece of wood, ensuring it fits snugly within the mortise.
Router Table: Use a router table with a suitable bit to create the tenon on the workpiece.
Step 4: Assembly:
Dry fit the tenon into the mortise to ensure a tight fit.
Apply wood glue to the tenon and mortise surfaces.
Insert the tenon into the mortise and secure the joint with clamps.
Consider adding additional fasteners like pegs or wedges for extra strength and stability.
WOODWORKING SKILLS
It consists of the following:
Designing - using your ideas to create sketches/drawings in 2D and 3D of an original product.
Measuring - measuring and marking out the sizes of each member of the product
Cutting and Planning - sawing off members and planing to size and smoothing jobs
Squaring - ensuring that pieces are squared of accurately. Squaring methods include 3-4-5 triangle method,and equal diagonal method,
Assembling - putting the pieces together and fastening them with glue, nails or screws
Finishing - applying either varnish or paint to complete the work
Costing - calculating the cost of the product from the cost of materials bought and used to make the product
Designing - using your ideas to create sketches/drawings in 2D and 3D of an original product.
2. Measuring - measuring and marking out the sizes of each member of the product
3. Cutting and Planning - sawing off members to size and smoothing surfaces of jobs
4. Squaring - ensuring that pieces are squared of accurately. Squaring methods include 3-4-5 triangle method,and equal diagonal method,
5. Assembling - putting the pieces together and fastening them with glue, nails or screws
Finishing - applying either varnish or paint to complete the work
F6 NOTES
Characteristics of timber
Characteristics of good timber include having a sweet smell and shiny surface, darkness indicating durability, hardness, strength, elasticity, and durability. Timber, often referred to as wood, is a naturally renewable resource used extensively in construction and various other applications. Its key characteristics include strength, durability, and aesthetic appeal, making it a versatile and desirable material.
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