Timber › Memorise › Cram sheet
Cram sheet: the 40 facts to read on the morning of the exam
| Topic | Must-know |
|---|---|
| Seasoning | Air seasoning: stack on bearers, stickers lined up, roof, weights, end-seal; cheap but slow and only reaches outdoor EMC. Kiln: fast, precise MC, kills insects. EMC = MC where timber neither gains nor loses moisture |
| Conversion | Quarter-sawn = rings ~90° to face: most stable, ray figure, most waste and cost. Back-sawn = rings parallel to face: cups. Live sawing = straight through, least waste (e.g. pine palings). Burl = abnormal growth |
| Plywood | Debark, soften, rotary peel, clip, dry, glue, grain at 90°, odd plies, hot press (UF interior / PF exterior), trim, sand. Veneers: rotary, flat/crown, quarter, rift slicing |
| Boards | Stable, large 2400 × 1200 sheets, uniform, cheap, use waste/thinnings. Wet areas: HMR board or marine ply. Choose E0/E1 low formaldehyde. Disadvantage: swells/delaminates if wet |
| Bending | Laminate: former, thin strips, dry clamp, UF/epoxy glue, clamp centre-out or vacuum bag, cure, clean up. Steam bending: steam box + strap. Kerf bending: saw kerfs on inside of curve |
| Joints | Widening: dowel, biscuit, T&G, groove and feather, rebate; alternate growth rings. Framing: mitre, halving, M&T (tenon = 1/3 thickness), bridle, box pin. Carcase: housing (trench 1/3 deep), rebate, dovetail, scribed |
| Fittings | KD: cam lock, cross dowel, connector bolt, insert, so flat-pack, cheap freight, DIY assembly, CNC-drilled. Mechanical runners for heavy loads and smooth action. Snap-off handle screws give adjustable length |
| Adhesives | PVA: ready to use, water soluble, interior. Epoxy: waterproof, gap-filling, can be a feature. UF: plywood, rigid, laminating. Resorcinol: exterior/marine. Contact: laminates. Hot melt: temporary |
| Finishing | Sand, raise grain, sand, finish, buff. Oil-based: amber, durable, slow, smelly, yellows. Water-based: fast, clear, low odour, more coats. Shellac + methylated spirits = French polish, fast drying |
| Tools | Band saw = curves; table saw = straight rips. Compound mitre = mitre + bevel. Plunge router = stopped cuts. Grind ~25°, hone ~30°. Square = equal diagonals. Thicknesser = reduce thickness. Scraper = internal curves |
| WHS | WHS Act 2011 (NSW), PCBU duty, SafeWork NSW polices. Hierarchy of control: eliminate, substitute, engineer, admin, PPE. Wood dust is carcinogenic. Lockout/tagout. Recycled timber: hidden nails, lead paint, CCA |
| Calculations | m³ = L × W × T (m). Finish litres = area × coats ÷ coverage. Sheets: round up. Show every line and unit |
| Structure | Hierarchical = slow, formal, specialised, consistent QC. Flat = fast, flexible, multi-skilled, low overhead |
| Technical | Mechanisation (machine + operator, e.g. forklift) vs automation (computer-controlled, CNC). Mass production = cheap, consistent, less custom. Specialisation vs multi-skilling |
| History | Hand craft, then steam sawmills, then Thonet No. 14 (1859) steam-bent chairs shipped in parts, then electric power tools, then plywood/particleboard/MDF, then flat-pack (IKEA), then CNC + CAD/CAM, then CLT (International House Sydney, 2017) |
| Environment | Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012 (Cth): due diligence. Vic and WA ended native forest logging 1 Jan 2024. POEO Act 1997 (NSW): EPA licences. FSC / Responsible Wood (PEFC). Nesting, solar, low-VOC finishes, sawdust reuse |
| Location | Land cost vs transport (near mill vs near city), workforce, neighbours (noise/dust), EIS, resources |
| Personnel | Fair Work Act 2009, Timber Industry Award 2020, unions, EEO, redundancy, enterprise agreements. Cert III Cabinet Making apprenticeship (TAFE NSW). Consult + train to beat resistance |