What Do Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

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Job Description, Daily Responsibilities, and Work Life

Fiberglass Laminators And Fabricators

Fiberglass Laminators And Fabricators laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products.

Salary
$38280
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Low
Job Growth

Personality



Job Description

Job Description

Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products. They also release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.

Other tasks include:

  • Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.
  • Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.
  • Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
  • Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.
  • Apply layers of plastic resin to mold surfaces prior to placement of fiberglass mats, repeating layers until products have the desired thicknesses and plastics have jelled.
  • Bond wood reinforcing strips to decks and cabin structures of watercraft, using resin-saturated fiberglass.

We asked Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

Job satisfaction

61%

How meaningful is this job

46%


61% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.



Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators apply lacquers and waxes to mold surfaces to facilitate assembly and removal of laminated parts. They trim excess materials from molds, using hand shears or trimming knives.

  • Repair or modify damaged or defective glass-fiber parts, checking thicknesses, densities, and contours to ensure a close fit after repair.
  • Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
  • Cure materials by letting them set at room temperature, placing them under heat lamps, or baking them in ovens.
  • Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.
  • Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.

We asked some Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job? 11% said yes
How important is it to work in a team in this job? 65% said very important
Do you have group discussions everyday in this job? 71% said yes
Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job? 2% said yes
Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job? 10% said yes
Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job? 41% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators also trim cured materials by sawing them with diamond-impregnated cutoff wheels. They may also repair or modify damaged or defective glass-fiber parts, checking thicknesses, densities, and contours to ensure a close fit after repair.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators Inspect, clean, and assemble molds before beginning work. They might also Cure materials by letting them set at room temperature, placing them under heat lamps, or baking them in ovens.

In addition, they Mask off mold areas not to be laminated, using cellophane, wax paper, masking tape, or special sprays containing mold-release substances.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.

To some Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators, it is also their responsibility to Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.


Working life

Working hours

Standard 40 hour work week

Working schedule

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Fiberglass Laminator and Fabricator, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Do Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators work in an office-style work environment?

Never
60%


Every day
16%


Do Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators work outdoors?

Never
68%


Once a year
13%



Is this right for me

Best personality for this career

The Builders and The Organizers

People who are suitable for this job tends 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.

You can read more about these career personality types here.



Learn more about Fiberglass Laminators And Fabricators

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Related to Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators Job Description

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Additional resources

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/production/assemblers-and-fabricators.htm
http://fmanet.org/
http://www.nutsandboltsfoundation.org/
http://www.ipc.org/


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