R4 Components
Initial skills rating *
Components, what do they mean by components? Are we talking nuts, bolts and washers?
Monday 21st November 2011 ***
I have just picked up my Letts GCSE guide to Design and Technology and found we are talking permanent and temporary fixings, adhesives and tapping drills.
I feel like I am playing Monopoly and have just advanced to go picking up three stars. Nice one!
I have a good knowledge of:
· Screws
· Set screws
· Self-tapping screws
· Nuts
· Lock nuts
· Bolts
· Rivets
· Washers
· Spring washers
· Cotter pins
· Thread forms and how to cut them
· Taps
· Dies
The new information to me here is:
· Castle nuts used with split pins
· Also that coach bolts are designed to attach metal to wood and that the square end of a coach bolt is designed to embed into wood providing a locking device
My knowledge of adhesive needs to be improved by learning the generic chemicals rather that the brand names.
12th February 2012 ****
Over the past couple of months I have been sharing my knowledge on thread forms and the cutting of as well as offering solutions using two nuts instead of a lock nut. On reflection although I was initially hesitant to share my knowledge, that had more to do with confidence than ability. I am happy to share my knowledge now. But to earn my final star I really must learn chemical compounds rather than generic names. I need to go in search of technical information. The first place I will look are the school website followed by reading the packaging as I have a good knowledge of branded glues as well as where and when to use them.
Monday 21st November 2011 ***
I have just picked up my Letts GCSE guide to Design and Technology and found we are talking permanent and temporary fixings, adhesives and tapping drills.
I feel like I am playing Monopoly and have just advanced to go picking up three stars. Nice one!
I have a good knowledge of:
· Screws
· Set screws
· Self-tapping screws
· Nuts
· Lock nuts
· Bolts
· Rivets
· Washers
· Spring washers
· Cotter pins
· Thread forms and how to cut them
· Taps
· Dies
The new information to me here is:
· Castle nuts used with split pins
· Also that coach bolts are designed to attach metal to wood and that the square end of a coach bolt is designed to embed into wood providing a locking device
My knowledge of adhesive needs to be improved by learning the generic chemicals rather that the brand names.
12th February 2012 ****
Over the past couple of months I have been sharing my knowledge on thread forms and the cutting of as well as offering solutions using two nuts instead of a lock nut. On reflection although I was initially hesitant to share my knowledge, that had more to do with confidence than ability. I am happy to share my knowledge now. But to earn my final star I really must learn chemical compounds rather than generic names. I need to go in search of technical information. The first place I will look are the school website followed by reading the packaging as I have a good knowledge of branded glues as well as where and when to use them.
I thought I knew all the components there were to know and then my husband came home from work with a leaflet for me. I have been trying to design a push switch to complete an electrical circuit using a QTC pill that would be useable by children with severe autism. He found these components that I have never seen before. They are channel nuts made by Unistrut. Ok they are rather specialist but that will teach me to feel complacent. I still think I have a good knowledge of the types of fixings used for the average DIY or school project but it is good to realise their are specialist components out there that may solve an unusual problem.
Adhesives
July 2012
I have finally found the time to look for a table regarding adhesives
PVA
Whilst working on my bedside cabinet I had no choice to leave the excess glue on the planks I had joined due to the way I had clamped them all together. I took the advice of an experienced technician with good woodworking experience when he said used plenty of glue.
So I did. I was left with a hard line of glue that was a nightmare to scrape away. No matter how I used the chisel I felt cack-handed. I could not find a picture to go here but holding the flat surface of the chisel against your work piece will prevent it from digging in and damaging it. Of course this only works up to the point before the handle hits the edge of the wood. Then I had to switch to the scraping method shown in the picture. It was a tedious job that took ages and I began to envy the person on my course that had bought a sheet of ready joined timber. Why hadn't I thought of that?
I expressed my views to the same technician and he reassured me that the ready made boards are inferior. With little chucks of wood that fall out when you cut them. Also that the sheet of wood that I was making would be stronger. I certainly know where my joins are. the other thing I was able to do was to keep the grain consistent flowing up the side of the cabinet , over the top and back down the other side. the grain was much finer than on the ready made board. I had been very selective when I bought the wood avoiding knots. The end result was again rather pleasing.
So I did. I was left with a hard line of glue that was a nightmare to scrape away. No matter how I used the chisel I felt cack-handed. I could not find a picture to go here but holding the flat surface of the chisel against your work piece will prevent it from digging in and damaging it. Of course this only works up to the point before the handle hits the edge of the wood. Then I had to switch to the scraping method shown in the picture. It was a tedious job that took ages and I began to envy the person on my course that had bought a sheet of ready joined timber. Why hadn't I thought of that?
I expressed my views to the same technician and he reassured me that the ready made boards are inferior. With little chucks of wood that fall out when you cut them. Also that the sheet of wood that I was making would be stronger. I certainly know where my joins are. the other thing I was able to do was to keep the grain consistent flowing up the side of the cabinet , over the top and back down the other side. the grain was much finer than on the ready made board. I had been very selective when I bought the wood avoiding knots. The end result was again rather pleasing.
It says on http://www.mr-dt.com/materials/adhesives.htm PVA is used for joining wood to fabric and that synthetic resin is used to join wood to wood. Does that mean PVA wood glue is actually a synthetic resin?
Well this supplier still calls it PVA (Polyvinyl acetate - I never knew what PVA stood for before) wood glue.
This is getting confusing!
This is getting confusing!
I have taken the following information from http://www.mr-dt.com/materials/adhesives.htm but I am going to add my own bits of knowledge in green and red
Synthetic resin – (wood to wood)
Synthetic resin is a waterproof adhesive. It needs to be mixed into a creamy consistency with water for it to set hard. Chemical hardening then takes place and the adhesive will set as a hard but brittle adhesive. Synthetic resin will set hard within a pipe, so ensure you don’t wash the residue down a sink or basin. Synthetic resin is good to for gluing wood to wood.
I am not familiar with synthetic resin. Well I have said throughout I tend to know my adhesives by brand. I must must must read a few packages from now on.
Solvent cement – (plastic to plastic)
There are many types of solvent cement however the most common is dichloromethane. Dichloromethane works by dissolving the surface of hard plastics such as Acrylic and High impact polystyrene. Solvent cement is very dangerous and will give off fumes so it is important to use this within a well ventilated room. Solvent cement is good to for gluing plastic to plastic. Well I am familiar with solvent cement. The polymers are released as the solvent cement melts the plastic The molecules mingle and as the solvent cement evaporates new polymers are formed. A permanent bond is formed. I learnt something when I did a plastic presentation at the beginning of the year. Solvent cement is very harmful to eyes and must be rinsed out immediately
Hot glue guns – (Card to card / modelling)
Hot Glue guns are used a lot in schools for quick modelling of work. However these can be rarely used on final products as it is not strong enough. Hot Glue guns are good to for gluing card to card and modelling materials together. In my experience this is one of the worst causes of burns. People rarely seem to realise how deeply and quickly they burn when the glue gets on their skin. Often too embarrassed to hold their hands under water very long they wonder away and continue to burn with the heat that is trapped in the skin only to find they then blister. Small burns should be held under deflected running water for up to twenty minutes, checking every five, until no more pain can be felt. After twenty minutes the skin should be covered with a sterile material such as a plaster.
Epoxy resin – (Plastics to metal, metal to metal)
Epoxy resin is a very flexible but very expensive adhesive. Epoxy resin will glue most dry and clean materials together. The Epoxy resin sets when equal amounts of resin and hardener are mixed together. It then chemically sets to form a very hard material. Epoxy resin is good to for gluing plastics to metals and metals to metals. I recognise this as Araldite. Yipee I was beginning to worry then.
Contact adhesive - (plastics, woods to metals., metals to fabrics, metals to plastics and plastics to fabrics)
Contact adhesive works when both material surfaces are coated and are allowed to become touch dry. Adhesion works as soon as the two touch dry surfaces meet. Contact adhesives solvent fumes are tremendously dangerous and good ventilation is imperative. Contact adhesive is good to for gluing woods to plastics, woods to metals, metals to fabrics, metals to plastics and plastics to fabrics.
Synthetic resin – (wood to wood)
Synthetic resin is a waterproof adhesive. It needs to be mixed into a creamy consistency with water for it to set hard. Chemical hardening then takes place and the adhesive will set as a hard but brittle adhesive. Synthetic resin will set hard within a pipe, so ensure you don’t wash the residue down a sink or basin. Synthetic resin is good to for gluing wood to wood.
I am not familiar with synthetic resin. Well I have said throughout I tend to know my adhesives by brand. I must must must read a few packages from now on.
Solvent cement – (plastic to plastic)
There are many types of solvent cement however the most common is dichloromethane. Dichloromethane works by dissolving the surface of hard plastics such as Acrylic and High impact polystyrene. Solvent cement is very dangerous and will give off fumes so it is important to use this within a well ventilated room. Solvent cement is good to for gluing plastic to plastic. Well I am familiar with solvent cement. The polymers are released as the solvent cement melts the plastic The molecules mingle and as the solvent cement evaporates new polymers are formed. A permanent bond is formed. I learnt something when I did a plastic presentation at the beginning of the year. Solvent cement is very harmful to eyes and must be rinsed out immediately
Hot glue guns – (Card to card / modelling)
Hot Glue guns are used a lot in schools for quick modelling of work. However these can be rarely used on final products as it is not strong enough. Hot Glue guns are good to for gluing card to card and modelling materials together. In my experience this is one of the worst causes of burns. People rarely seem to realise how deeply and quickly they burn when the glue gets on their skin. Often too embarrassed to hold their hands under water very long they wonder away and continue to burn with the heat that is trapped in the skin only to find they then blister. Small burns should be held under deflected running water for up to twenty minutes, checking every five, until no more pain can be felt. After twenty minutes the skin should be covered with a sterile material such as a plaster.
Epoxy resin – (Plastics to metal, metal to metal)
Epoxy resin is a very flexible but very expensive adhesive. Epoxy resin will glue most dry and clean materials together. The Epoxy resin sets when equal amounts of resin and hardener are mixed together. It then chemically sets to form a very hard material. Epoxy resin is good to for gluing plastics to metals and metals to metals. I recognise this as Araldite. Yipee I was beginning to worry then.
Contact adhesive - (plastics, woods to metals., metals to fabrics, metals to plastics and plastics to fabrics)
Contact adhesive works when both material surfaces are coated and are allowed to become touch dry. Adhesion works as soon as the two touch dry surfaces meet. Contact adhesives solvent fumes are tremendously dangerous and good ventilation is imperative. Contact adhesive is good to for gluing woods to plastics, woods to metals, metals to fabrics, metals to plastics and plastics to fabrics.
Hinges
My final thought for this page is are hinges components? I have been thinking of components as something that is a solid piece like a nut or a bolt. Whereas a hinge is made up of at least three parts. A lock nut has a plastic lining and I am not sure how many pieces make up a pop rivet so until I find out differently I am going to class hinges as a component. But this is something I will be keeping an eye open for. I always trigger so many questions that if i went looking for the answer straight away i wouldn't get the task in hand done.Hmm... No comment....is this why I am so chaotic. Maybe this is why dyslexics are creative. My brain certainly goes in different directions.
Final skills rating ****
Can I have my final star? Am I competent. I want to say not until I know my adhesives off by heart which is probably being harsh. Oh well harsh it is.