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Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

make the cut

the nitty gritty

Set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. May operate CNC equipment. Includes lead sawyers.

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  • Possible duties
  • Skills & education
  • Related resources
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  • Possible Duties

    • Inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules.
    • Adjust saw blades, using wrenches and rulers, or by turning handwheels or pressing pedals, levers, or panel buttons.
    • Mount and bolt sawing blades or attachments to machine shafts.
    • 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.
    • Monitor sawing machines, adjusting speed and tension and clearing jams to ensure proper operation.
    • Sharpen blades or replace defective or worn blades or bands, using hand tools.
    • Guide workpieces against saws, saw over workpieces by hand, or operate automatic feeding devices to guide cuts.
    • Clear machine jams, using hand tools.
    • Lubricate or clean machines, using wrenches, grease guns, or solvents.
    • Adjust bolts, clamps, stops, guides, or table angles or heights, using hand tools.
    • Examine logs or lumber to plan the best cuts.
    • Trim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws.
    • Count, sort, or stack finished workpieces.
    • Position and clamp stock on tables, conveyors, or carriages, using hoists, guides, stops, dogs, wedges, or wrenches.
    • Measure and mark stock for cuts.
    • Operate panelboards of saw or conveyor systems to move stock through processes or to cut stock to specified dimensions.
    • 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.
    • Select saw blades, types or grades of stock, or cutting procedures to be used, according to work orders or supervisors' instructions.
    • 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.
    • Dispose of waste material after completing work assignments
  • Skills and education

    • Production and Processing
    • Mechanical
    • Operation and Control
    • Operation Monitoring
    • Critical Thinking
    • Monitoring
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Troubleshooting
  • Related Resources

  • How do I get started?

    We can help you determine if this field is for you, and even help with job placement. Contact us today.

Possible Duties

  • Inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules.
  • Adjust saw blades, using wrenches and rulers, or by turning handwheels or pressing pedals, levers, or panel buttons.
  • Mount and bolt sawing blades or attachments to machine shafts.
  • 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.
  • Monitor sawing machines, adjusting speed and tension and clearing jams to ensure proper operation.
  • Sharpen blades or replace defective or worn blades or bands, using hand tools.
  • Guide workpieces against saws, saw over workpieces by hand, or operate automatic feeding devices to guide cuts.
  • Clear machine jams, using hand tools.
  • Lubricate or clean machines, using wrenches, grease guns, or solvents.
  • Adjust bolts, clamps, stops, guides, or table angles or heights, using hand tools.
  • Examine logs or lumber to plan the best cuts.
  • Trim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws.
  • Count, sort, or stack finished workpieces.
  • Position and clamp stock on tables, conveyors, or carriages, using hoists, guides, stops, dogs, wedges, or wrenches.
  • Measure and mark stock for cuts.
  • Operate panelboards of saw or conveyor systems to move stock through processes or to cut stock to specified dimensions.
  • 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.
  • Select saw blades, types or grades of stock, or cutting procedures to be used, according to work orders or supervisors' instructions.
  • 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.
  • Dispose of waste material after completing work assignments

Skills and education

  • Production and Processing
  • Mechanical
  • Operation and Control
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Troubleshooting

Related Resources

How do I get started?

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