Glossary

Trade terms with their definitions and where each definition comes from.

A

Adhesion: The state in which two surfaces, the adhesive and the substrate, are held together at an interface by adsorption, chemisorption, mechanical interlocking, interdiffusion and/or electrostatic forces. An adequate bond needs strong adhesion at the interface and strong cohesion within the adhesive.
Adhesive: A substance used to join materials together by bonding their surfaces.
Architectural millwork: Furniture, cabinets and machined wood products, for example doors, windows, stairways, mouldings, panelling, sidelights, transoms and trim.
Architectural Woodwork Institute: AWI is the abbreviation for Architectural Woodwork Institute. It is one of the industry standards listed throughout the RSOS (in task text it appears as "Architectural Woodworking Institute").
Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada: AWMAC is the abbreviation for Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada. It is one of the industry standards listed throughout the RSOS.
Authorities having jurisdiction: AHJ is the abbreviation for Authorities having jurisdiction. The RSOS lists authorities having jurisdiction among the people in the workplace a cabinetmaker communicates with, and AHJ requirements among sources of information.
Automated equipment: Machines with electronic controls that are built to carry out a process or a sequence of operations without using computer numeric control.

B

Balusters: Uprights that support the hand rail of a staircase or a balcony.
Balustrade: A row of repeated balusters topped by a capping or a rail.
Bleaching: Applying a chemical solution to wood surfaces to make their colour lighter.
Break out: To rough-cut material.

C

Cabinet: A finished product that is fastened to the wall or the floor (compare furniture, which stands on its own).
Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association: CKCA is the abbreviation for Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association. It is one of the industry standards listed throughout the RSOS.
Canadian Standards Association: CSA is the abbreviation for Canadian Standards Association. Identifying CSA documentation is part of the knowledge of regulatory requirements in the RSOS.
Carving: Shaping a hard material, such as wood, plastic or stone, by cutting into it.
CNC equipment: A stand-alone machine operated by computer numeric controls.
Cohesion: The internal strength of an adhesive film: the state in which the particles of a material are held together by primary or secondary valence forces. Cohesion failure of the adhesive leaves adhesive on the substrate; cohesion failure of the substrate means the bond was stronger than the material joined.
Computer numerical control: CNC is the abbreviation for Computer numerical control. The RSOS covers maintaining automated and CNC equipment (sub-task A-2.03) and machining components with it (Task B-7).
Computer-aided design: CAD is the abbreviation for Computer-aided design. In the RSOS, basic dimension drawings are produced with CAD software and/or by manual methods, and CAD software is a knowledge item for machining with automated and CNC equipment.
Computer-aided manufacturing: CAM is the abbreviation for Computer-aided manufacturing. The RSOS expects cabinetmakers to identify CAD and CAM software when machining components with automated and CNC equipment.
Cure: To develop the strength properties of an adhesive by chemical reaction. 'Set' is the wider term for converting an adhesive to a hardened state by any chemical or physical action, such as evaporation, gelation or polymerization; 'cure' applies only to adhesives that set by chemical reaction.

D

Dispersion adhesive: A dispersion is any system in which finely divided particles are uniformly scattered throughout another medium; dispersion adhesives, usually called emulsion adhesives in the craft literature, are generally water-based. They harden by coalescence: water evaporates, the particles make contact and then flow into each other. They are the most common adhesive in contemporary woodworking.

E

Evacuation kit: A kit holding a first aid kit together with important information such as the employee list, the plant layout and company records.

F

Final assembly: The last phase of production, in which components that were sub-assembled earlier are fitted together.
Finishing: Applying finishing materials to wood surfaces to protect them and improve their appearance.
Furniture: A finished product that is free-standing (compare cabinet, which is fastened to the wall or floor).

G

Gables: The vertical sides of a cabinet or a piece of furniture.
General purpose: GP is the abbreviation for General purpose. The RSOS lists general purpose (GP) among the grades and thicknesses of laminate sheets.
Glass transition temperature: The temperature (Tg) at which a solid changes from a glassy state to a rubbery state on heating. Below Tg a set adhesive is hard and glassy; above it, rubbery. A soft or tacky set adhesive picks up dust, while a hard, brittle one can crack when stressed.

H

Hand stitcher: A machine used to fabricate and repair tears in veneer sheets before they are pressed to the substrate.
High pressure decorative laminate: HPDL is the abbreviation for High pressure decorative laminate. The RSOS lists HPDL among edge treatments, together with PVC and solid wood.
High volume low pressure: HVLP is the abbreviation for High volume low pressure. The RSOS lists HVLP among spray systems for finishing.
Hot-melt adhesive: A group of materials specifically designed to be used in a molten state that harden solely by cooling. Supplied as sticks for a heated glue gun or as sheets and films for surfaces that are heated and/or pressed.

J

Jigs: Devices designed and built specifically so that repetitive work can be done safely; they either hold the workpiece in position or guide the tools during machining or assembly.

L

Laminating: Bonding two or more pieces of wood or composite material together to reach a required width or thickness.
Layout: The process of setting out the patterns and shapes of the parts and components of cabinets, furniture and architectural woodwork.
Low volume low pressure: LVLP is the abbreviation for Low volume low pressure. The RSOS lists LVLP among spray systems.

M

Marquetry: The craft of covering a structure with veneer arranged to form decorative patterns, designs or pictures (sub-task H-21.01 is not common core).
Medium density fibreboard: MDF is the abbreviation for Medium density fibreboard. The RSOS lists MDF among sheet materials, layout materials and jig and template materials.

N

National Building Code: NBC is the abbreviation for National Building Code. The RSOS lists the NBC among the jurisdictional standards and codes for laying out stairs and balustrades.

O

Occupational Health and Safety: OH&S is the abbreviation for Occupational Health and Safety. The RSOS lists OH&S regulations among safety policies and OH&S requirements for the work area as a knowledge item.

P

Personal protective equipment: PPE is the abbreviation for Personal protective equipment. Sub-task A-1.02 covers using PPE and safety equipment.
Polyvinyl acetate: PVA is the abbreviation for Polyvinyl acetate. The RSOS lists PVA, along with contact cement, as an adhesive for adhering laminate sheets to substrate.
Polyvinyl chloride: PVC is the abbreviation for Polyvinyl chloride. The RSOS lists PVC among edge treatments.
Prototype: A preliminary version or full-size model of a cabinet or piece of furniture, built to check that the design features are sound; it also supports production planning.

R

Ready to assemble: RTA is the abbreviation for Ready to assemble. The RSOS lists RTA fasteners among mechanical fasteners for installing cabinets and countertops.
Reconstituted veneers: Veneers made from natural timber veneers that are dyed through their full thickness, laminated together and then re-sliced, giving veneers with distinctive patterns and colours.
Restoring: Repairing and reconstructing furniture and cabinet components.
Revolutions per minute: RPM is the abbreviation for Revolutions per minute. In the RSOS, drive belts and drive systems are replaced and adjusted to manufacturers' specifications partly to ensure the proper RPM.
Riser: The vertical part of a stair that connects one tread to the next.

S

Safety data sheet: SDS is the abbreviation for Safety data sheet. The RSOS lists safety data sheets among the documents whose location cabinetmakers must be able to identify (Task A-1), and WHMIS materials (labels, SDS) among the safety requirements for finishing (Task F-15).
Scribe: The process of cutting a component so that it follows the profile of an uneven surface.
Setting time: The period of time required for an adhesive to set in a bonded assembly, which may be subjected to heat and/or pressure during setting. Enough time is needed for the adhesive to flow and wet the surfaces.
Shelf life: The period of time that an adhesive remains usable, or the period during which the manufacturer guarantees that the adhesive, stored at a specified temperature, will produce the specified mechanical properties; also called storage life. Refrigeration usually extends it.
Shop drawing: A technical drawing that conveys the detailed specifications and dimensions of furniture and cabinet items.

T

Template: A pattern guide or model used for laying out or for checking the accuracy of machined parts.
Thermoplastic polymer: A polymer whose chains are not chemically bonded to one another and can flow past each other when molten or dissolved; it can be repeatedly melted by heat and hardened by cooling. The compendium classes poly(vinyl acetates) as thermoplastic, and the adhesives most used in furniture conservation (hot and cold hide glues, hot-melt synthetics) are thermoplastic materials.
Thermosetting polymer: A polymer whose chains are crosslinked by a chemical reaction into an infusible and insoluble product that cannot be softened by heat or dissolved in a solvent. Epoxy resins are thermosetting.
Tread: The horizontal part of a stair that is stepped on.
Turning: Shaping wood or metal on a lathe.

V

Veneer: (noun) A thin layer of wood that has been sliced, cut or sawn to a uniform thickness.
Veneer leaves: The individual pieces of veneer.
Veneering: (verb) Preparing surfaces and covering them with veneer.
Volute: A spiral-shaped end of a hand rail.

W

Woodwork Institute: WI is the abbreviation for Woodwork Institute. It is one of the industry standards listed throughout the RSOS.
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System: Stands for WHMIS: Canadian legislation that governs how information about hazardous materials in the workplace is provided; it incorporates the global harmonized system (GHS). The RSOS lists WHMIS among the safety requirements and regulations cabinetmakers must know (Task A-1) and refers to WHMIS materials such as labels and SDS when finishing (Task F-15).

Open the glossary in the study app