Career summary

Details for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood


Description

Set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. Includes head sawyers.

Tasks

  • Adjust saw blades, using wrenches and rulers, or by turning handwheels or pressing pedals, levers, or panel buttons.
  • Inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules.
  • Examine logs or lumber to plan the best cuts.
  • Set up, operate, or tend saws or machines that cut or trim wood to specified dimensions, such as circular saws, band saws, multiple-blade sawing machines, scroll saws, ripsaws, or crozer machines.
  • Inspect stock for imperfections or to estimate grades or qualities of stock or workpieces.
  • Operate panelboards of saw or conveyor systems to move stock through processes or to cut stock to specified dimensions.
  • Mount and bolt sawing blades or attachments to machine shafts.
  • Monitor sawing machines, adjusting speed and tension and clearing jams to ensure proper operation.
  • Select saw blades, types or grades of stock, or cutting procedures to be used, according to work orders or supervisors' instructions.
  • Guide workpieces against saws, saw over workpieces by hand, or operate automatic feeding devices to guide cuts.
  • Adjust bolts, clamps, stops, guides, or table angles or heights, using hand tools.
  • Sharpen blades or replace defective or worn blades or bands, using hand tools.
  • Count, sort, or stack finished workpieces.
  • Lubricate or clean machines, using wrenches, grease guns, or solvents.
  • Clear machine jams, using hand tools.
  • Dispose of waste material after completing work assignments.
  • Measure and mark stock for cuts.
  • Examine blueprints, drawings, work orders, or patterns to determine equipment set-up or selection details, procedures to be used, or dimensions of final products.
  • Pull tables back against stops and depress pedals to advance cutterheads that shape stock ends.
  • Trim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws.
  • Position and clamp stock on tables, conveyors, or carriages, using hoists, guides, stops, dogs, wedges, or wrenches.
  • Cut grooves, bevels, or miters, saw curved or irregular designs, and sever or shape metals, according to specifications or work orders.
  • Unclamp and remove finished workpieces from tables.
  • Unload and roll logs from trucks to sawmill decks or to carriages or move logs in ponds, using pike poles.

Interests

  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Knowledge

None found.

Skills

None found.

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