Design - timber all you need to know

from trees with broad leaves

from trees with needle-like leaves

made in a factory

oak, black walnut, beech, ash

pine, spruce, cedar

made from veneers stuck together with the grain at 90 degrease, this adds strength

made from sawdust glued together under compression, It is also available in low and high density’s

trees are cut down and the branches and bark are removed

the logs are cut into rectangular planks

the logs are dried either in air or a kiln

the timber has rough edges, which might not necessarily be square

This will be smooth on all sides, with all edges square

Timber with has a circular cross section

this has one corner that is at 90 degrease to be used as a start point for your manufacture

Warping is when planks bend over time, to prevent this we place planks opposite grains to one another this means that the warping cancels out

Sharp pencil - steel rule - try square - marking gauge - marking knife - centre punch - sliding bevel gauge

Tennon saw - coping saw - panel saw - band saw - circular saw - bevel edge chisel - router - drill

Smoothing plane - used for flattening surfaces and removing excess material

Jack plane - used for smoothing flat boards, To tell the difference between a jack plane and a smoothing plane, pay attention to the size of the base and the location of the handles

Rebate plane - a very thin blade used to cut rebates (before routers were invented). Usually has a guide rail to ensure a straight cut

Compass plane - used for planning along curves

Spokeshave - used for shaping timber into curves

Draw knife - not technically a plane but does the same job

Sash cramp - used for holding long, flat boards together.

Sped cramp - also known as a quick cramp or trigger cramp. Good for apply quickly , less good for applying pressure

G cramp - good for applying pressure but limited in size sometimes called a C cramp

Rachet strap - used to squeeze products together

Rubber bands - for small or awkwardly shaped items, you may end up using rubber bands, or even masking tape.

Laminating is a process where several thin and flexible strips of wood are glued together and then bend into a shape. Once the glue has dried, the laminated timber will stay in the shape it was bent into

steam bending involves softening the fibres in timber with we heat (steam). This makes the timber flexible. The flexible wood is then bend into a shape and held into place whilst it cools. As the fibres cool, they harden and the timer will retain its shape.

Used for smoothing timber and removing marks. Abrasive paper comes in different ‘grits’ - the higher the number the finer the grit and the smoother the surface is

used to provide a waterproof barrier to the top of the timber, along with a slight shine and colour. often when covered with a layer of wax to create a shine

used to add a protective coating and usually to change te colour of timber. The grain will usually be hidden, so we do not usually pain hardwoods

used to provide a strong waterproof barrier and semi-gloss to the timber. Lacquer gives a deeper shine and is also more resistant to abrasion and corrosion

Adds a colour to the timber, but allows the grain pattern to show through