Assistance required for Year 7 woodworking for Home Schooled student

[BobR]

I have a Granddaughter who is being home schooled as the system does not cater for students that don't fit in the box. Come January she will start on the woodworking part of her Year 7 programme. Whilst I have been given the syllabus for this course it is very broad. Do we have a teacher on the forum who could provide information on what is covered in the course and what the practical side is. Thanks for any assistance.

[wheelinround]

Bob this maybe of help Learning to work safely: student activities (http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/secondary/technology/safety/student_activities/index.htm)

[BobL]

. . . . Come January she will start on the woodworking part of her Year 7 programme. Whilst I have been given the syllabus for this course it is very broad. Do we have a teacher on the forum who could provide information on what is covered in the course and what the practical side is. Thanks for any assistance.

My understanding is that the days of syllabi that specify precisely what to do are long gone. The broader syllabi provide greater lexibility for the teacher to do what suits them given any restraints imposed on them by facilities/materials/students etc. Of course it's more work for the teacher because it forces the teacher to think about what they are doing and to demonstrate that what the students are eventually able to do (i.e. assessment) meets the objectives of the course.

Despite all this my understanding is that there is also a fair bit of "sharing ways of doing" between teachers - it may be easier to find out what teachers do specifically and adapt their programs to suit your circumstances.

[BobR]

Thanks Wheelin, that will help with some of the work.

Bob, that is the impression I have gained from the syllabus I have seen and from talking to a few parents. It would be nice if I could get some information/notes from a teacher regarding the practical side of things. What tools do they use in Y7 and what projects do they work on.

[_fly_]

I can remember what we did in year 7.
First was a lap joint (so a T shape) and also a housing joint.
Then we did a chopping board with a slot in side and section cut out for the knife handle (blade went into the slot)
Then we made a drawing board for mech drawing, It was a H pattern with ply on top, we had to make a square for it that slid between the ply and the H, (Still use it 40 years later).

Last was the standard pencil box with a ply sliding lid (which most boys used the whole 6 yrs of high school).

I think we got to make something we wanted after that (think I did the expanding sewing box).

[Master Splinter]

From my recollection of way back then, our main project was a pencil box. Challenges: blunt tools and no instruction on sharpening (or even that sharpening might be necessary), no instruction on how to choose/use tools for tasks or how to produce consistently sized parts.

It hasn't changed all that much, I see.... http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/designproduce/design/docs/sths_ranjproject.PDF

[BobL]

I can remember what we did in year 7.
First was a lap joint (so a T shape) and also a housing joint.
Then we did a chopping board with a slot in side and section cut out for the knife handle (blade went into the slot)
Then we made a drawing board for mech drawing, It was a H pattern with ply on top, we had to make a square for it that slid between the ply and the H, (Still use it 40 years later).
Last was the standard pencil box with a ply sliding lid (which most boys used the whole 6 yrs of high school).
I think we got to make something we wanted after that (think I did the expanding sewing box).

I don't know how old you are fly, but that list looks like exactly the same as what we did 47 years ago

[_fly_]

I don't know how old you are fly, but that list looks like exactly the same as what we did 47 years ago

Think it was 1970 when I did yr7
get ready for a flashback then.
Do you remember the drawing card for what things had to look like.
291405291404291406291407

I remember that the woodwork teacher was Mr Burrows, got real annoyed when we laughed when he said bastard file.
the mech drawing teacher (can't remember his name) had nickname 'owly' we couldn't give a hoot about his class.

[BobR]

Thanks for all the information. MS your project description has been very helpful.

Can I assume that except for power tools all the required hand tools had to be mastered by the students. In particular planes, chisels, measuring implements, and hand saws. Were there any particular exercises associated with these tools. Sorry for all the questions, but my Y7 would have been in the late 50s and I just cant remember what we did.

[Master Splinter]

Power tools = none at all. The narrow trench for the lid to slide in was done by the teacher/teacher's aide once you had reached a certain stage.

Mastering a tool = not instantly severing a limb on picking tool up.

This mastery was helped by the universal non-sharpness of most tools. It wasn't till several years later that I found out that you have to actually adjust a plane (like, you know, get the blade to stick out from the sole, and that like, the blade should be sharp) to get it working. There was no 'this is what you are doing wrong, this is what you should be doing' coaching or 'this is how you use tool X' except in the broadest way (ie 'cut the wood to size using a saw')

Much like the PE lessons (where it was assumed you already had intimate knowledge of the rules and scoring strategies for cricket, football, basketball and so on), there was an assumption that you already knew how to use a hand saw/plane/chisel and the physical arts teacher was really just there to:

1) stop us poking/hammering/cutting each other,
2) befriend the 'tough kids'*, and
3) use school facilities for personal projects

*also known as the ones who would find 'physical labour in a plasterboard warehouse' an intellectually challenging career.

[ian]

Bob

my son did year 7 last year.

the project was a simple open topped tool box -- two sides, two ends, a ply bottom and a handle

my boy had a broken wrist at the time so we made the box together

the teacher supplied the sides and ends cut to size -- but not cut square
kids had to plane or sand the pieces square, then cut rebates in the sides to trap the ends -- at school the kids cut the rebates using a chisel, I used a hand saw
the rebate joints were held together with glue and screws, the bottom was just nailed on
the handle was held on with a dowel

the kids had to design and shape the ends of their box -- most used a coping saw -- I "cheated" and used a band saw which I followed up with a couple of rasps -- my boy was impressed that while his class mates took 3 or 4 lessons to shape teh ends, he and I did his in less than 20 mins.

I don't think we used a rule or straight edge
the rebates were sized off the material supplied, square was checked with a combination square, when checking that the ends/sides were teh same size we used our finger tips.

as with most projects, the task portfolio represented 80% of the task


no power tools were allowed, apart from a sander

[BobR]

Thanks Ian. All fuel for the fire. Not sure that is the right reply for this subject :rolleyes:

[CAG]

Hi Bob,

I'll be happy to help. I've taught Yrs7-12 in the various NSW woodworking subjects for the past 15 years.

PM your contact details.

Craig

[ian]

Hi Bob

to give you a flavour of what my son had to do for wood tech, following is the text of his timber research assignment

Timber
For our tool box we want a timber that is light, strong, durable and stable. The timber needs to be light so that most of the weight of the box is in the tools instead of the box. It needs to be strong so the carpenter’s tools do not break the box. It needs to be durable so that after extended periods of use the box will not fall apart. It needs to be stable to make sure the box will not warp in harsh conditions.
Soft wood is the perfect timber because: compared to most hard woods it is strong and light. It is also durable, and stable. We could use Australian Red Cedar as it is also strong and light. Although it is soft and would readily show bumps and knocks, perhaps this is not a big issue for worksite tool box. Another advantage of soft wood is that is easily worked to a high standard making it easier to shape the sockets for joints.
Selecting a suitable wood was an earlier assignment. The timbers I found then that would be suitable for the tool box are:

Australian Red Cedar
Uses – world class furniture and cabinet timber.
Properties – movement usually small making the timber stable in service. Heartwood is moderately durable, but sapwood is susceptible to Lyctus borer attack. Timber is very soft and light and easily worked. It saws and machines easily, nails and screws easily with good holding ability and can be steam bent. Works to a high polish and takes finishes well. Air dry density is between 420kg/m3 and 550kg/ m3

Douglas Fir
Uses – Joinery, boat building, plywood, timber framing, roof trusses.
Properties – stable in service if properly seasoned; heartwood is moderately durable; timber has a medium tendency to blunt tools; great difference in hardness between early and late wood; can be worked to a satisfactory finish using very sharp tools; wood is inclined to be resinous causing problems with many
finishes. Air dry density is around 530kg/m3

Celery Top Pine
Uses – boat building, carving, joinery, turnings, chemical and acid vats.
Properties – timber has low expansion and contraction in response to moisture changes so is stable in service; suitable for outdoor use; one of the best Australian timbers for acid and chemical resistance. Wood is hard and strong; easy to work with hand and machine tools to a reasonably fine finish. Screw holding, nailing and gluing is good. Good for steam bending; takes most finishes well. Air dry density is around 650kg/m3

Western Red Cedar
Uses – windows, interior and exterior joinery, roof
shingles, green houses, garden furniture.
Properties – stable in service; the heartwood one of the most durable of all commercial softwoods. Wood is light, soft and rather brittle; it’s easy to work with hand and machine tools; to avoid a ridged surface caused by compressing the early wood, cutting edges need to be sharp. Nails well except that the wood is corrosive to iron so you need to use hot dipped galvanised or copper nails. Glues well and works to a very smooth silky surface that takes most finishes well. Air dry density is
around 350kg/m3

Another suitable timber would be Radiata Pine, which is available ready dressed from most hardware stores.


Reference: Wood Technology, Timber Research Task

[BobR]

Thanks for your input Ian.