Overview
Occupational Purpose
A Cabinet Maker (Furniture Maker) cuts, shapes, assembles and finish wooden articles, sets up and operates a variety of woodworking machines, such as power saws, jointers, mortises and tenon to surface, cut, or shape lumber and fabricate wooden products such as pedestals, chairs, tables, desks, cabinets, wall units, cupboards, bookcases and parts for wooden articles. Typical graduate attributes include accuracy, attention to detail, dexterity and problem solving characteristics.
Occupational Tasks
- Perform breakout, planning, sanding and laminating operations to produce components for wood products by operating cross-cut saws, rip saws, surface and thickness planers, panel saws, radial arm saws, band saws, edge and stroke sanders (NQF Level 2).
- Assemble carcasses and case goods and fit hinges, handles, runners and legs using power tools such as drills, routers, biscuit jointers, jig saws and mitre saws and hand tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, hand saws, etc. (NQF Level 2).
- Prepare the product for final finishing and perform the hand finishing and spray applications (conventional and pumps), performing colour matching to produce finished wooden furniture (NQF Level 2).
- Perform joining, profiling, cutting of components using jigs, turning operations by operating spindles, overhead routers, mortise and tenon, multi borers and lathes (NQF Level 3).
- Produce decorative joints, curved laminated components and fit fixtures using power tools, pneumatic tools and hand tools (NQF Level 3).
- Manufacture furniture prototypes, repair damaged furniture and produce jigs and templates for furniture manufacturing process (NQF Level 4).