Matierials and Components

Question 1

Oak Hardwood

Answer 1

Props: Hard, tough, durable and high density
Uses: High-quality furniture, garden benches, boat buildings and veneers
Adv. : Finishes well
Dis-adv. : contains an acid which corrodes steel

Question 2

Mahogany Hardwood

Answer 2

Props: Durable and medium density
Uses: Indoor furniture, interior woodwork, window frames and veneers
Adv. : Finishes well and relatively easy to work
Dis-adv. : Prone to warping, and some tropical types can be a bit soft and fibrous

Question 3

Beech Hardwood

Answer 3

Props: Hard and Tough
Uses: Workshop benches, children’s toys, interior furniture, kitchen chopping boards and worktops
Adv. : Turns well and finishes well
Dis-adv. : Prone to warping

Question 4

Ash Hardwood

Answer 4

Props: Tough, flexible and good elasticity
Uses: Sports equipment, ladders, laminated furniture and tool handles
Adv. : Flexible
Dis-adv. : Can become a bit splintered

Question 5

Pine Softwood

Answer 5

Props: Lightweight
Uses: Constructional woodwork, floorboards, children’s toys and garden decking
Adv. : Nice colour and grain pattern and grows relatively quickly in comparison to hardwood
Dis-adv. : Prone to warping and knots can fall out and leave holes

Question 6

Plywood

Answer 6

Props: Very strong in all directions and resistant to splitting because layers are in alternate directions
Uses: Boat building, drawer bottoms and wardrobe bottoms, tea chests and cheaper grades used in construction industry for hoardings and shuttering
Adv. : Available in large sheets, thicker sheets will not warp or twist and thin sections can be laminated to create 2D shapes
Dis-adv. : Thin sheets very flexible and will warp if not correctly stacked or supported

Question 7

Chipboard

Answer 7

Props: Made from waste products bonded together using very strong resin, strong in all directions although not as strong as plywood and not very resistant to water but moisture-resistant grades available
Uses: Large floor boards and decking for loft spaces, shelving, kitchen worktops and flat-packed furniture
Adv. : Makes good use of waste materials that are chipped up
Dis-adv. : Not very good around water because it’ll just soak it up and will chip and flake on edges if not protected

Question 8

MDF

Answer 8

Props: Very dense, stable and not affected by changing humidity levels and will break down and absorb water if it gets very wet
Uses: Flat-packed furniture, drawer bottoms, kitchen units and heat and sound insulation
Adv. : Thin sheets can be formed to make 2D shapes
Dis-adv. : Not very good with water because it will soak it up at the edges

Question 9

Hardboard

Answer 9

Props: Made from compressed fibres that have been soaked in resin before being compressed
Uses: Drawer bottoms, cabinet backs, smoothing out uneven floors and lightweight internal door cladding
Adv. :

Question 10

Mild Steel

Answer 10

Props: Tough, malleable and magnetic
Uses: Structural steel girders and car body panels
Adv. : Easily worked and joined, even in a school workshop, relatively cheap, widely available in numerous forms and sections and can be recycled
Dis-adv. : Will oxidize if left unprotected and can only be case-hardened

Question 11

Stainless Steel

Answer 11

Props: Hard, tough and excellent corrosion resistance
Uses: Cutlery, kitchen sinks, pots and pans and surgical instruments
Adv. : Easily cleaned, does not need any surface finishing, can be recycled and high-lustre finish
Dis-adv. : Difficult to use and join in a school workshop and specialist welding equipment required for joining

Question 12

Carbon Steel

Answer 12

Props: Ductile
Uses: Nails, screws, nuts and general ironmongery
Adv. : Can be recycled
Dis-adv. : Will oxidise if left unprotected and can be easily heat-treated

Question 13

Aluminum

Answer 13

Props: Lightweight, soft, ductile, malleable, good conductor of heat and electricity and good corrosion resistance
Uses: Window frames, soft drink cans, kitchen foil and used in alloys
Adv. : Easily drawn into thin wires and sheets, can be recycled and is easily cast
Dis-adv. : Expensive and difficult to weld, as specialist equipment is required

Question 14

Copper

Answer 14

Props: Malleable, ductile, good conductor of heat and electricity and corrosion-resistant
Uses: Electric cables, plumbing fittings and pipes, hot water and cylinders
Adv. : Easily drawn into thin wires, can be recycled and easily soldered.
Dis-adv. : Expensive, and will tarnish over time

Question 15

Zinc

Answer 15

Props: Excellent resistance to corrosion
Uses: Protective coverings for railings and dustbins and negative battery terminals
Adv. : Can be recycled
Dis-adv. : Brittle

Question 16

Brass

Answer 16

65% Cu 35% Zn
Props: Good resistance to corrosion, good fluidity, casts well and good conductor of heat and electricity
Uses: Plumbing fittings and marine fittings
Adv. : Can be polished to achieve a high-lustre finish, tougher than copper, can be recycled and easily cast and turned
Dis-adv. : relatively expensive

Question 17

Acrylic

Answer 17

Props: Good impact strength, lightweight, good electrical insulator and durable
Uses: Ornamental fish tanks, baths and bathroom furniture and car indicator covers
Adv. : Can be recycled, excellent environmental stability, polishes and finishes well and available in numerous colours
Dis-adv. : Relatively soft, sratches easily, and poor chemical resistance

Question 18

Polyethene

Answer 18

Props: Tough, resistant to chemicals, soft and flexible, and good electrical insulator
Uses: Carrier bags, toys, washing-up bowls, bleach bottles, buckets and shampoo bottles
Adv. : Can be recycled but not easily and excellent chemical resistance
Dis-adv. : Although it can be recycled, most of the waste ends up in the landfills

Question 19

PVC

Answer 19

Props: Good chemical resistance, weather resistant, lightweight, good electrical insulator, stiff, hard, tough, waterproof and durable
Uses: Pipes, rainwater pipes and gathering, bottles, shoe soles, window frames and fascias, water beds, swimming pool toys and electrical cable insulation
Adv. : Can be recycled and relatively cheap to manufacture
Dis-adv. : Very expensive to recycle and dangerous fumes given off when burnt

Question 20

HIPS

Answer 20

Props: Tough, high impact strength, rigid, good electrical insulator
Uses: Food appliances, toys, cutlery and DVD and CD cases
Adv. : Available in numerous colours, can be machined and painted and can be recycled
Dis-adv. : Expensive, limited flexibility and will not biodegrade

Question 21

ABS

Answer 21

Props: High impact strength, tough, scratch-resistant, lightweight, durable, good resistance to chemicals and good electrical insulator
Uses: Kitchenware, camera cases, toys, car components and telephone cases
Adv. : Available in numerous colours
Dis-adv. : Relatively expensive when compared with polystyrene