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Wood, lumber drying and grading (Ontario 438A)
The wood lists from the Ontario Cabinet Maker curriculum, Level 1: trunk structure, wood properties, species, sawing methods, drying and moisture meters, grading terms, defects and grades, adhesives and abrasives.
About this page
This page collects the wood and lumber lists from Level 1 of the Ontario Cabinet Maker 438A curriculum standard (unit S1464 Materials). The standard is an outline: it names the topics an apprentice studies but does not explain them, so this page only shows what is listed. The Red Seal RSOS names some of the same topics more briefly. For example, B-6.01 says to check moisture content and lists defects such as knots and checks.
Wood structure and properties (S1464.1)
- Section of a tree trunk: early wood / late wood, spring growth / summer growth, growth rings, heart / sap, cell structure, rays, pith, cambium layer.
- Properties of wood (and of wood panel products): appearance, moisture content, shrinkage, weight, density, specific gravity, working qualities, mechanical properties.
- Panel products named: plywood, particle board.
| Group | Species listed |
|---|---|
| Domestic softwoods | fir, pine, spruce, cedar, tamarack, hemlock |
| Domestic hardwoods | ash, basswood, beech, birch, elm, hickory, maple (various), walnut, poplar, cherry, red oak, white oak, American yellow poplar (whitewood) |
| Exotic hardwoods | teak, rosewood, ebony, mahogany (various) |
Lumber processing (S1464.2)
- Topics: history of wood cutting, lumber mills, hazards, waste processing, debarking, types of mill saws.
- Ways of sawing lumber: flat / plain, rift, quarter / edge.
- The processing, drying and grading units are taught in accordance with the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) standards and the Canadian Softwood Guidelines (the processing unit also names government safety regulations).
Drying or seasoning (S1464.3)
| Topic | Listed items |
|---|---|
| Moisture and wood | "hydroscopic" (as written in the standard), relative humidity, equilibrium moisture content, shrinkage, kiln drying / air drying, defects due to seasoning, moisture content and measuring |
| How wood air-dries | stacking methods, free / bound water in the cell structure, moisture evaporation, air flow, humidity and moisture content (relative / equilibrium), shrinkage |
| Oven drying method | time, temperature, original moisture section, oven dry moisture section, formula for calculating moisture content |
| Moisture meters | resistance-type, power-loss type |
| Other factors during drying | stacking methods, drying schedules, air circulation, humidity, kiln efficiency, cost factors |
Lumber grading (S1464.4)
- Grading terms: cuttings, cutting unit, sound defects, unsound defects, grading face, clear cuttings.
- Defects and blemishes that affect grade: white sap, stain, discolouration, loose knots, rot, checks and splits, mineral streaks, gum pockets.
- Grades in the grading rules: firsts and seconds, selects, #1 common, #2 common.
Adhesives and abrasives (S1464.5)
- Adhesives: animal, casein, polyvinyl, plastic resin, aliphatic, resorcinol, contact (water based and solvent based), epoxy, urea.
- Abrasives: silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, garnet, emery.
- For each one, the apprentice discusses its advantages, disadvantages and applications.
Source: Apprenticeship Curriculum Standard – Cabinet Maker 438A, Level 1, unit S1464 Materials (S1464.1–S1464.5, pp. 24–32), © Skilled Trades Ontario, 2011.
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Sources cited on this page
- Apprenticeship Curriculum Standard – Cabinet Maker, Levels 1, 2 & 3 (438A), Skilled Trades Ontario (2011 (438A, Levels 1, 2 & 3)). Where: Level 1, S1464 Materials (S1464.1–S1464.5), pp. 24–32.
- Red Seal Occupational Standard – Cabinetmaker, Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) (2021 (Cat. No. Em15-3/37-2022E-PDF, ISBN 978-0-660-44580-9)). Where: Task B-6, B-6.01.02P and B-6.01 range of variables, pp. 58–59.