08.00 Introduction

Overview

Students move into the woodshop. The bicycle project provided a sustained introduction to metal fabrication. The next series of modules expand that toolkit through wood construction, fasteners, small welded brackets, powder coating, plastic bending, and installation.

Students begin designing and fabricating a compact display structure or sculptural support that gives these processes a shared purpose. This week emphasizes shop orientation, measuring, layout, accurate cuts, and a simple wood assembly. Students must plan for the later metal and plastic connections before cutting all the wood.

Learning Objectives

• Produce photographs and video that communicate form and movement.
• Distinguish solid wood and plywood and identify useful material characteristics.
• Measure actual stock and create a dimensioned cut list.
• Mark a reference edge, waste side, and square cut line.
• Make and inspect cuts with the tools demonstrated in class.
• Develop a small project that combines wood with removable metal and plastic parts.

Key Terms

• Documentation: Images, video, and written records that communicate the work.
• Grain: The direction and pattern of wood fibers.
• Plywood: A panel made from layers of veneer with alternating grain directions.
• Reference edge: An edge used consistently for layout and measurement.
• Crosscut: A cut across the grain or across a board’s width.
• Rip cut: A cut along the grain or along a board’s length.
• Cut list: A record of each part’s material, quantity, and finished dimensions.