What Do Tool Grinders, Filers And Sharpeners Do

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Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Tool Grinders, Filers And Sharpeners

Tool Grinders, Filers And Sharpeners perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.

Salary
$43670
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth
Low

Personality


What they do

Tool Grinders, Filers And Sharpeners perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.

  • Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur.
  • Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications.
  • Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences.
  • Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures.

Typical day

On a daily basis, CNC Grinding Technicians inspect dies to detect defects, assess wear, and verify specifications, using micrometers, steel gauge pins, and loupes. They perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts.

A typical day for a Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener will also include:

  • Remove and replace worn or broken machine parts, using hand tools.
  • Turn valves to direct the flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding.
  • Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts.
  • Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications.
  • Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, CNC Grinding Technicians also place workpieces in electroplating solutions or apply pigments to surfaces of workpieces to highlight ridges and grooves. They may also attach workpieces to grinding machines and form specified sections and repair cracks, using welding or brazing equipment.

On a weekly to monthly basis, CNC Grinding Technicians fit parts together in pre-assembly to ensure that dimensions are accurate. They might also remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

Average

Is this job meaningful

Low

66% said they were satisfied with their job and 45% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.

This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.

It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.

Cons

Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.

Salary is below average.

How much do they make

Average salary

$43670 per year

Average hourly wage

$21 per hour

Entry-level Tool Grinders, Filers And Sharpeners with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $26,880 to $33,430 per year or $13 to $16 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $63,600 $31
Senior (Top 25%) $52,530 $25
Median $41,060 $20
Junior (Bottom 25%) $33,430 $16
No experience (Bottom 10%) $26,880 $13

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Tool Grinders, Filers And Sharpeners based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing $72640 $34.93
Building Material and Supplies Dealers $49600 $23.85
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing $48940 $23.53
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing $48870 $23.50
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing $48350 $23.24
Machinery Manufacturing $48300 $23.22
Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing $45420 $21.84
Sawmills and Wood Preservation $45230 $21.74
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing $44130 $21.22
Other Wood Product Manufacturing $44080 $21.19

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Tool Grinders, Filers And Sharpeners work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Tool Grinders, Filers And Sharpeners including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Sawmills and Wood Preservation 1100 $45230 $21.74
Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Repair and Maintenance 550 $39800 $19.14
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 500 $41410 $19.91
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing 480 $48940 $23.53
Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance 410 $36010 $17.31
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods 330 $38710 $18.61
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 280 $32440 $15.60
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing 220 $42510 $20.44
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 220 $72640 $34.93
Other Wood Product Manufacturing 210 $44080 $21.19

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
0%

40 hours
51%

More than 40 hours
48%

Working schedule

66%

34%

0%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
21%

Every day
9%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
14%

Every day
17%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
23%

Every day
65%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
79%

Once a year
0%

Once a month
7%

Once a week
13%

Every day
0%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
13%

Slightly competitive
14%

Moderately competitive
36%

Highly competitive
9%

Extremely competitive
28%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
60%

Once a year or more
1%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
7%

Every day
33%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
25%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
16%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
59%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
64%

Once a year or more
7%

Once a month or more
12%

Once a week or more
8%

Every day
9%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
100%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
0%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
13%

High School Diploma or equivalent
45%

Post-Secondary Certificate
36%

Some College Courses
0%

Associate’s Degree or similar
6%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
0%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

Machine Shop Technology/Assistant

A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to fabricate and modify metal parts in support of other manufacturing, repair or design activities, or as an independent business.

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
19%

1 month
12%

1 to 3 months
17%

3 to 6 months
12%

6 months to 1 year
1%

1 to 2 years
12%

2 to 4 years
7%

4 to 6 years
19%

6 to 8 years
1%

8 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
7%

1 month
12%

1 to 3 months
24%

3 to 6 months
7%

6 months to 1 year
19%

1 to 2 years
24%

2 to 4 years
7%

4 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

The Builder
100%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
29%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
19%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
14%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
29%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
43%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
33%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
38%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
33%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
29%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
71%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
43%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


Don’t know which career to pursue?

Take the career quiz to find careers that match your personality type.

Take The Career Quiz

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