Career summary

Details for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand


Description

Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.

Tasks

  • Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.
  • Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish.
  • Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools.
  • Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade.
  • Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products.
  • Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut.
  • Count or weigh and bundle items.
  • Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes.
  • Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines.
  • Stack cut items and load them on racks or conveyors or onto trucks.
  • Fold or shape materials before or after cutting them.
  • Clean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions and polishing materials.
  • Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns.
  • Route items to provide cutouts for parts, using portable routers, grinders, and hand tools.
  • Replace or sharpen dulled cutting tools such as saws.
  • Lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes.
  • Adjust guides and stops to control depths and widths of cuts.
  • Transport items to work or storage areas, using carts.

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 - Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.
  • Experience - Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she has never worked before.

Knowledge

None found.

Skills

None found.

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