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Model Makers, Wood: Job Description
Construct full-size and scale wooden precision models of products. Includes wood jig builders and loft workers.
What Do Model Makers, Wood Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of model makers, wood span:
- Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications, and consult with designers to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
- Fit, fasten, and assemble wood parts together to form patterns, models, or sections, using glue, nails, dowels, bolts, screws, and other fasteners.
- Verify dimensions and contours of models during hand-forming processes, using templates and measuring devices.
- Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
- Plan, lay out, and draw outlines of units, sectional patterns, or full-scale mock-ups of products.
- Construct wooden models, patterns, templates, full scale mock-ups, and molds for parts of products and production tools.
- Select wooden stock, determine layouts, and mark layouts of parts on stock, using precision equipment such as scribers, squares, and protractors.
- Mark identifying information on patterns, parts, and templates to indicate assembly methods and details.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective model makers, wood rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Model Makers, Wood Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Aircraft Model Maker
- Architectural Wood Model Maker
- Builder
- Building Craftsman
- Craftsman
- Jig Builder
- Jig Maker
- Last Model Maker
Job Outlook
There are about 476,068 model makers, wood working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +0.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Model Makers, Wood Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $55,448 |
| Hourly median | $26.66 |
| 10th percentile | $36,687 |
| 25th percentile | $46,067 |
| 75th percentile | $64,828 |
| 90th percentile | $74,208 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Model Makers, Wood Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Michigan | $88,940 |
| Texas | $41,980 |
Where Model Makers, Wood Earn the Most
Pay for model makers, wood vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $88,940 | 30.0% | 3.08 |
| Southwest | $41,980 | 70.0% | 2.30 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of model makers, wood work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 220 | $43,720 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for model makers, wood tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Time Pressure
Getting Started in This Career
Most model makers, wood positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Carpenters (Primary-Long)
- Sheet Metal Workers (Supplemental)
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (Primary-Long)
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers (Supplemental)
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (Primary-Short)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Machinists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future model makers, wood commonly pursue programs in:
Precision Production
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-7031.00 (Model Makers, Wood).
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