3.4 Project Activity – Furniture Item

• Planning a furniture project (choosing the item, materials, tools)
• Preparing materials to size, and marking and cutting joints
• Assembling the parts (trial, dry and final assembly with glue)
• Finishing the project

• construct a furniture item using hand tools
• appreciate the skills learned by completing a woodwork project

“How do you carry out a woodwork project?”

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1. The project: bringing it all together
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   What the project sub-strand is - constructing a furniture item, applying every skill learned.
2. Choosing the furniture item
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Choosing a suitable project item to make - matching it to skills, tools, time and materials.
3. Designing the item and making working drawings
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Designing the chosen item and making the working drawings (pictorial and orthographic) to build from.
4. The cutting list
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Making a cutting list (bill of materials) - the list of parts and sizes needed for the project.
5. Selecting materials and tools
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Choosing the timber and the tools needed for the project, guided by the cutting list and drawings.
6. Planning the work procedure
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Making a work plan - the order of operations for the project - so the work is done in a sensible sequence.
7. Safety in the project
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Working safely through the project - tool safety, workshop safety, and safe use of glue and finish.
8. Preparing the materials to size: overview
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   The first practical stage - preparing all the parts to size - and the sequence for doing it.
9. Cutting the parts to size
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Cutting the timber into parts - rough-cutting to length and width before truing up.
10. Truing up the parts to size
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Truing up each rough part to its exact cutting-list size - flat, square and true.
11. Marking out the parts
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Marking the parts ready for joints - face marks, and setting out where each joint goes.
12. Marking out the joints
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Marking out each individual joint on the prepared parts - gauging and squaring the joint lines to fit.
13. Cutting the joints: the first cuts
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Beginning to cut the joints on the prepared, marked parts - sawing to the lines.
14. Cutting the joints: completing and fitting
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Completing the joints - chopping mortises, removing waste - and fitting each joint snugly.
15. Trial (dry) assembly
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Assembling the whole item without glue first - the trial or dry assembly - to check it before gluing.
16. Gluing up: final assembly
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    The final assembly - gluing the joints and putting the item together for good.
17. Cramping and checking square
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Cramping the glued item, checking it square and flat, wiping off excess glue, and leaving it to set.
18. Cleaning up the assembly
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    After the glue has set - removing cramps, cleaning off glue, and levelling and tidying the assembled item.
19. Preparing the surfaces for finishing
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Preparing the finished item surfaces - scraping, raising the grain and sanding - ready for the finish.
20. Finishing the project
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Applying the finish to the completed item - varnish (or another finish) for protection and appearance.
21. Evaluating the finished item
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Evaluating the completed project - judging its quality against the design and identifying improvements.
22. The skills learned from the project
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Appreciating the wide range of skills and values gained by completing a woodwork project.
23. How to carry out a woodwork project
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    The inquiry answered: how you carry out a woodwork project, from planning to a finished item.
24. Showcasing and using the project
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Presenting the finished project, keeping a project record, and the value of the work - including selling it.