What Do Wood Sawing Machine Operators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Wood Sawing Machine Operators set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. May operate CNC equipment. Includes lead sawyers. They also inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules.

Other tasks include:

• 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.
• Adjust bolts, clamps, stops, guides, or table angles or heights, using hand tools.
• 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.
• Examine logs or lumber to plan the best cuts.
• Inspect stock for imperfections or to estimate grades or qualities of stock or workpieces.

We asked Wood Sawing Machine Operators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

---

61% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 38% 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, Wood Sawing Machine Operators dispose of waste material after completing work assignments. They guide workpieces against saws, saw over workpieces by hand, or operate automatic feeding devices to guide cuts.

A typical day for a Wood Sawing Machine Setter, Operator and Tender will also include:

• Operate panelboards of saw or conveyor systems to move stock through processes or to cut stock to specified dimensions.
• Count, sort, or stack finished workpieces.
• 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.
• Trim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws.

We asked some Wood Sawing Machine Operators 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?	3% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	31% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	72% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	3% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	6% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	39% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Wood Sawing Machine Operators also sharpen blades or replace defective or worn blades or bands, using hand tools. They may also lubricate or clean machines, using wrenches, grease guns, or solvents.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Wood Sawing Machine Operators Clear machine jams, using hand tools. They might also Mount and bolt sawing blades or attachments to machine shafts.

In addition, they Unload and roll logs from trucks to sawmill decks or to carriages or move logs in ponds, using pike poles.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Pull tables back against stops and depress pedals to advance cutterheads that shape stock ends.

To some Wood Sawing Machine Operators, it is also their responsibility to Adjust saw blades, using wrenches and rulers, or by turning handwheels or pressing pedals, levers, or panel buttons.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Wood Sawing Machine Setter, Operator and Tender, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

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.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/production/woodworkers.htm

http://www.woodworkcareer.org/

http://www.wmia.org/

http://www.ntma.org/