DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S.

BONIFACIO SOTOS

5. WOOD AND ITS

DERIVATES

1. Wood.
1.1. Properties of wood.

1.2. How to process wood.

1.3. Classifying wood.

1.4. Wood derivates.

2. Equipment, tools and machines.

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DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S. BONIFACIO SOTOS

1.- Wood
Wood is a raw vegetable material. It comes from the trunks of trees and bushes.

It is composed of cellulose fibres and lignin (which makes it rigid and hard)

1.1. Properties of wood

Physical properties

Ecological properties

Wood is a renewable, biodegradable and recyclable raw material.

1.2. How to process wood

The process starts with the extraction of the wood from the forests and ends
with the production of planks

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DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S. BONIFACIO SOTOS

Preparing wood for use

1.- Cutting: We cut wood in different ways depending on its use and how we
want it to look.

Ways of cutting or sawing wood:

2.- Washing: The wood is put in water for a long time to extract different fluids
(e.g. tannin)

3.- Drying: Methods of drying wood:

- Natural drying: The planks are put in piles, out of the rain and direct sun, with
spaces between them. This is a slow process.

- Artificial drying: The wood is dried in big rooms (dryers) with hot, dry air. This
system is quicker and more efficient.

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DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S. BONIFACIO SOTOS

- Mixed drying: This is a combination of the two methods. First, we use natural
drying to get a humidity of about 20%. Then, we use artificial drying for the last phase.

1.3. Classifying wood

Wood is classified as hardwood or softwood.

Hardwood

- Deciduous trees.

- They grow slowly and have thick trunks.

- They contain little resin.

- They are compact and resistant, they can be different colours.

- Types of hardwood trees: beech, oak, cherry, mahogany.

- Uses: furniture, doors, windows, ...

Softwood

- Conifers (trees with needle-shaped leaves).

- They grow quickly.

- They are light and easy to work with because they are less resistant.

- Types of softwood trees: pines, white fir, red fir white poplar.

- Uses: furniture, boats, buildings, plywood.

1.4. Wood derivates

These do not come directly from the cut logs, but from wood sheets, fibres or
chips that are compressed and glued together.

Prefabricated wood

Advantages:

- Easy to work.

- A lot of sizes and finishes.

- Not attacked by parasites.

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DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S. BONIFACIO SOTOS

- Helps protect environment.

- Cheaper.

TYPE SOURCE AND USES

CHARACTERISTICS

PLYWOOD Thin sheets of wood glued Doors, packing, boats.

together and compressed.

CHIPBOARD Made with wood chips glued Doors, ceiling panels,

together (90% chips/10% glue) dividing panels,
and compressed. insulation panels.

FIBREBOARD The fibres come from milling Exterior covering,

the wood chips: MD (medium furniture, cabinets,
density), LD (low density) shelvings, doors

Cellulose materials

These are made from the cellulose in wood. The most important is paper. The
process of paper making is shown below:

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 DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S. BONIFACIO SOTOS

2. Equipment, tools and machines.

These are the steps to make an object of wood. We need tools and machines.

MEASURE MARK AND DRAW CUT DRILL

CARVE AND LEVEL PLANE AND SAND JOIN AND ASSEMBLE PAINT
DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S. BONIFACIO SOTOS

2.1. Measure, mark and draw.

2.2. Cutting and sawing.

2.3. Drilling.

Manual drill Gimlet Drill bits Power tool: drill

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DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S. BONIFACIO SOTOS

2.4. Carving or levelling.

Chisel Carpenter´s mallet Plane

2.5. Planing and sanding.

2.6. Joining pieces

After cutting and sanding, we join the pieces.

Tools for nailing

Pin, ball pein and claw hammer Nails Pincers Pliers

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DPTO. DE TECNOLOGÍA ENGLISH BILINGUAL SECTION I.E.S. BONIFACIO SOTOS

Tools for screwing

Screwdrivers Screws Spanner

Joints