Technological maps, carving and ornament

A technological map is a table describing how an item is made. It shows the names, number and size of the parts, raw materials, measuring tools and working tools. A second table gives the order of work: each row has an operation (for example «copy the template onto plywood»), an instruction for doing it, and the tool required. Operations go in logical order: choosing and checking the material, marking, cutting, processing, assembly and finishing. A map helps to plan the job in advance, save material and avoid mistakes, and in factories it is the basis for products of equal quality. It is useful to add safety requirements to the map, such as «clamp plywood in a vice and wear goggles when cutting with a fret saw». Each practical job at school is a small model of the technology of a product made in a factory. If a problem appears (for example a defect in the wood), the map is changed: the defective part is cut off or another material is taken.