Furniture and Cabinet Maker Diploma Program Details

• Identify, select, and know how to safely use hand and power tools in an organized workplace
• Know how to measure accurately and how to use various layout tools, determine the appropriate dimensions and specifications from shop prints, and synthesize the tasks and skills required to create a wooden box
• Understand the basics of joinery in order to produce strong joints of simple and advanced design
• Know how to properly select and use fasteners for a project
• Select and apply stains, paints, varnishes, lacquers, and polyurethanes to produce a successful finishing operation
• Identify and appreciate the functionality, aesthetics, and planning needed in the design, construction, and installation of cabinets and countertops
• Understand the intricacies of a thorough design process
• Know how to properly glue panels
• Understand how to build a Shaker-style table and apply the Shaker approach to designing and building furniture
• Identify effective refacing techniques
• Know how to acquire, repair, and restore a variety of furniture

Objectives:

• Understand how to use your Student Portal.
• Access the Penn Foster Community and use it to find answers.
• Connect with Penn Foster on various social media sites.

Objectives:

• Basic safety guidelines for working with tools in a shop environment.
• The proper use of basic hand tools.
• How to use ladders and scaffolding.
• The proper use of measuring tools.
• Important safety guidelines for working with electricity.
• How to use electrical power tools safely.

Objectives:

• Learn how wood "moves," or expands and contracts with temperature and humidity changes.
• Understand how trees are cut, milled, and turned into lumber.
• Determine how a board was cut by looking at its grain pattern.
• Distinguish the roles of cabinet maker and furniture maker.

Objectives:

• Choose a suitable workplace.
• Understand the importance of setting up a permanent workshop.
• Choose the best types of lighting to use in the workplace.
• Identify the three major categories of tools needed to perform your work.
• Explain the necessity for proper ventilation, dust collection, and filtration.

Objectives:

• Recognize and explain the use of various layout tools.
• Use the metric and English measuring systems.
• Convert measurements from one system to the other.
• Read basic prints.

Objectives:

• Consider the three most important factors in choosing a joint.
• Understand the importance of long-grain contact in a joint.
• Test-fit a joint before gluing and assembly.
• Construct edge and butt joints, rabbet and lap joints, and dovetail and box joints.
• Recognize the three main types of dovetail joints.
• Understand why some joints fail.

Objectives:

• Use nails, screws, bolts, nuts, and washers in your projects.
• Recognize the different types of threaded fasteners.
• Differentiate between the different types of hinges.
• Select the proper hinges, locks, latches, and drawer pulls for cabinet work.

Objectives:

• Choose and properly install box hardware, such as hinges, lid stays, and box locks.
• Understand the various design considerations in box making.
• Select good stock.
• Use common joinery techniques for box making.
• Install butt hinges properly.
• List the most commonly used box lining materials.

Objectives:

• Learn what materials should be used to construct jigs as well as the actual construction and use of several joint-making jigs.
• Make dados and grooves.
• Identify the various types of mortise and tenon joinery.
• Test-fit a mortise and tenon joint properly prior to assembly.
• Know on what projects to use miter joinery.
• Use plate joinery.
• Understand the benefits and drawbacks of building and using jigs for joinery.