Question 3
Question 3 required candidates to:
- State major operations that are carried out on a band saw machine.
- State safety precautions that should be observed when operating a surface planer.
Observation
Majority of the candidates scored below average on the safety precautions that should be observed when operating a surface planer. Candidates stated general precautions instead of that for the specified machine.
The expected responses are:
Major operations that are carried out on a band saw machine:
(1) re-sawing;
(2) cross-cutting;
(3) cutting curves;
(4) straight sawing;
(5) converting logs to planks;
(6) combination of straight and curved cuttings;
(7) joint construction.
Safety precautions that should be observed when operating a surface planer:
(1) training and passing of safety test in the operation of the surface planer;
(2) ensure that safety guards, fence and other accessories are in place before operation of the machine;
(3) the wood piece to be worked must be free from splits, loose knots, warps and irons such as nails;
(4) where small narrow pieces of timber wood would be cut, the push stick must be made available;
(5) ensure that the workpieces are effectively secured before starting the machine;
(6) cutters and blades must reach their working speeds before starting to cut;
(7) ensure that the bridge guard is set above 6 mm of the thickness of the wood to be planed;
(8) use a push block when surfacing boards.