Mentor Meeting

Today I met with Mr Breigle for the second time, we discussed many things.  Below is a copy of the notes I took with the things I learned.

Types of wood

As part of my research I'm learning about different types of woods, their different qualities and how to identify them. This link goes to a website that lays out some of the common types of wood and gives a good description of each.

http://www.hoovedesigns.com/woods.html

Updated plan

I deleted my post from last Monday that had a schedule up to this Sunday because I had to make a few adjustments. My mentor meeting from Monday got moved to tomorrow; we will discuss what things I can do at home and what I will need to do at school, also what research I've done so far (see Hardwoods vs Softwoods and Why is wood an essential resource?) and what research I still need to do before I begin any hands on aspects of my project.
One other thing that I considered doing without was a whole project schedule but now it seems I might be a little behind so I probably should create some sort of timeline that goes through June.

Hardwoods vs Softwoods

Here is a summary of what I've learned about the difference between hardwoods and softwoods.

Hardwoods

• Hardwood comes from angiosperm trees, these trees are usually broad-leaved, grow in temperate climates, and are mostly deciduous.
• Hardwoods are not in anyway harder than softwoods but the difference has to do with the density of the cells within the wood. 
• Hardwood is not the same as "heartwood"(which can be from hardwood or softwood).
• Common hardwoods are:
• Alder
• Ash
• Balsa
• Basswood
• Beech
• Birch
• Cherry 
• Chestnut
• Elm
• Hickory
• Mahogany
• Maple
• Oak
• Walnut

Softwoods

• Softwood is from gymnosperm trees such as conifers. 
• Softwood is the source of about 80% of the world's production of timber, with traditional centers of production being the Baltic region, North America and China.
• Common softwoods are:
• Cedar 
• Fir
• Pine
• Spruce
• Redwood

Tools at home

My main mentor is Mr Breigle who is a technology teacher at my school that knows a lot about woodworking. However, my Dad is also a pretty skilled woodworker and has his own workshop setup in my basement. This will be helpful because I can do some of the project at home. Here's a list of tools and machines that I will have access to at home-
Sliding Compound Miter Saw
6” Joiner
13” planer
24” Table Saw
Small drill press
Many assorted hand tools

Why is wood an essential resource?

Here I have done some research on why wood is such an important resource and a useful material for so many things.

We use wood everyday for all sorts of purposes.  Wood is so commonly used because it has such unique qualities compared to other materials.  Its pleasing to all the senses and can be worked to enhance all of its qualities.  These different qualities like, color, texture, stiffness, bend ability, and strength, give each type of wood its own unique character.  These qualities can also serve as inspiration and a challenge for woodworkers.  

In order to develop the skills of a woodworker I must first learn about the different types of wood and the qualities that each have.  So far I have read some introductions about trees and the way that they are broken down into lumber.  I'm starting to study the differences between hardwoods and softwoods.  In my next blog entry I will discuss more about those two categories.

Mentor meeting 1

Yesterday I met with my mentor for the first time. We discussed my project ideas from yesterday and talked about where I should start with my research. He said that three things I should focus on this week are types of wood, hand tools, and types of wood joints. He gave me a book that has a lot of information on all of those. I will read and take notes which I will post later on. I'm also currently working on writing a more concrete project timeline.

Ideas

Here's a list of ideas for something to build at the end of the project

Night Stand
Adirondack chairs
Coffee table
Dining room table
Blanket chest
Picnic table

Plan first two weeks

By Fri 2/8- Meet with mentor and discuss possible things to build + Journal entry
By Fri 2/8- Begin reading The Complete Woodworker by Bernard E. Jones + Journal entry
By Wed 2/13- Find more sources dealing with woodworking culture and update Bibliography
By Fri 2/15- Create more concrete project schedule and update Project Goals page

2/5/13

Dear Reader

Next year I plan to major in Technology Education at SUNY Oswego. Teaching is something that I’ve always had an interest in because I enjoy being around children and it runs in my family. My Grandpa taught for over 30 years, my aunt taught for close to that, my mom is a teacher and has been for a while, and my sister is currently in school to become a teacher. I would really like to teach technology and engineering at a high school level because those have been my favorite classes. I really have a passion for technology and I would like my project to be in that field. One of the things that you don’t get to experience a lot in engineering classes is woodworking. My schedule never had enough time to fit in any shop classes, although it’s something that I would like to learn. My Dad is a pretty skilled woodworker in his free time and has built some pretty cool things like, my brother’s bed and mine. I’ve done some basic things with him in the past but I’ve never really learned a lot about the trade, just followed his instruction. I am interested in learning to work with wood because I feel that it will be helpful for my career choice and a helpful skill to have in general.  I feel that building things means a lot more to people and to me because it’s personal; nothing feels better than having something to show off your hard work and time.