Unit introduction
This wood carver is using ancient skills that have been around for thousands of years. One of these skills is the ability to choose the right species of timber for the job, and then to work within its limitations to bring out the best in its strengths.
An understanding of wood properties will allow this carver to produce a sculpture that will be admired by future owners for generations to come.
Everyone who handles wood needs to understand its properties, and why it behaves in the way it does under particular conditions. Like every other building material, wood has its strengths and weaknesses. And when it's used in ways that make the most of its strengths, wood is the most versatile and beautiful building material there is.
But it also has its limitations. That's why you need to have a sound knowledge of wood properties and good building practices to be able to make the most of its advantages and make up for its shortcomings. An understanding of wood properties also lets you advise customers on the best way to go about the jobs they want to do, how to store the timber once they receive it, and how to look after it once the job has been completed.
This unit covers the principles of wood technology, including growth characteristics, the properties of different species, things that destroy wood, and the process of drying.
Working through this unit
There are four sections in the unit Selecting timber:
- Wood in a living tree.
- Characteristics of timber.
- Destroyers of wood.
- Seasoning of timber.
Each section begins with Your job, which introduces you to the topics covered and gives you a link to the Task you will need to undertake to demonstrate your understanding. Your trainer may ask you to submit the completed Tasks as part of your assessment evidence for the unit.