Assembly, Tools, & Workshop Prep
What is a try square?
Along with a steel rule or straight edge, this standard hand tool is pressed against a prepared edge to test a joint for perfect 90-degree squareness.
What is PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate)?
This easy-to-use adhesive dries clear and is the standard choice for general indoor joinery
What is wood filler?
This preparation substance is applied to wood before finishing to fill screw holes, nail holes, cracks, and surface defects
What is glass?
This hard, transparent material is frequently combined with timber frames for cabinet door inserts, shelves, or modern tabletop surfaces
What are structural factors?
This collective term describes the combination of internal systems, physical layouts, and organizational decisions—such as department merging, task sequencing, and machinery selection—that directly govern a timber enterprise's production speed, workplace safety, and product consistency
What is a dry clamp? Why is it important?
Performing this step using clamps but zero glue allows you to check alignment and make adjustments so you do not get caught out during the actual gluing process
What is contact adhesive? Provide an example of where you would use it?
This adhesive must be applied to both surfaces and allowed to dry slightly before joining to create an instant, non-structural surface bond
What is spray finishing? Why would you use it?
Highly efficient for coating complex shapes, this rapid application method provides a smooth, even surface but requires a dedicated booth, ventilation, and PPE
What are metals (or hardware and fittings)?
This class of material—which includes hinges, drawer runners, and brackets—is added to timber projects to provide strength, durability, and moving parts
What are psychosocial hazards (or risks)?
WHS Regulations in 2025 enforce much stricter controls around non-physical risks, including workplace stress, bullying, and harassment
What is a sash clamp?
This specific type of long-bar clamp is the primary tool used for assembling very large framing and carcase projects like tables, cabinets, and doors.
What are knock-down fittings?
These easily assembled fittings are designed for flat-pack furniture made of particleboard or MDF, which lack the grain strength of solid timber
What is French polishing?
This highly traditional, time-consuming method uses a polishing pad to apply multiple thin coats of shellac for a warm, high-gloss appearance
What are table top clips? Provide examples
Coming in varieties like "Figure 8" or "Z Clips", and buttons, these metal fasteners secure tabletops to their frames while allowing the timber to expand and contract naturally
What are Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies?
Fostering workplace diversity, these policies require recruitment and promotion processes to be strictly merit-based and free from unlawful discrimination
What is a datum (or datum surface)?
This is the technical term for the primary face and edge of a board that are marked and dressed first to act as a baseline for all subsequent measurements
What is epoxy resin? When would it be used?
This very strong, waterproof, two-part adhesive is created by mixing a resin and a hardener to fill gaps and repair structural joints
What are VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)?
Many solvent and oil-based finishes release these toxic compounds during drying, which pose respiratory hazards for workers and pollute the air
What is ModWood?
Made from recycled timber fibres and recycled plastics, this wood-plastic composite (WPC) is used for outdoor decking because it behaves like durable plastic
What is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?
Major timber developments must undergo this thorough study to evaluate their potential impact on biodiversity, soil health, water resources, and carbon emissions.
What is outsourcing? Provide some genuine examples of it
A student or business might choose this strategy to access specialised processes like powder coating, CNC routing, or laser engraving that exceed their own skill level or workshop equipment
What is Resorcinol Formaldehyde (RF)?
Highly durable and fully waterproof, this dark-colored structural adhesive is used in heavy load-bearing exterior and marine applications
What are UV-cured finishes?
Often automated in commercial furniture factories, this high-tech finishing process uses a specific type of radiation to instantly cure and harden coatings on flat panels
What is a carbon-fibre coated beam? Where would it be used
Often used in high-performance boats, this composite structural technique dramatically increases a timber beam's load capacity without increasing its actual physical size
List and define all of the technical factors
SNAG yuMM
Specialisation
New and Emerging Technologies
Automation
Generalisation
Mass Production
Mechanisation