What Does it Take to Be a Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender?
Position Description Set up, operate, or tend woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood nailing machines. May operate CNC equipment.
A Day in the Life of a Woodworking Machine Operator
- Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines.
- Select knives, saws, blades, cutter heads, cams, bits, or belts, according to workpiece, machine functions, or product specifications.
- Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.
- Change alignment and adjustment of sanding, cutting, or boring machine guides to prevent defects in finished products, using hand tools.
- Attach and adjust guides, stops, clamps, chucks, or feed mechanisms, using hand tools.
- Unclamp workpieces and remove them from machines.
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Qualities of a Woodworking Machine Operator
These are the skills Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Types of Woodworking Machine Operator Jobs
- Wood Dowel Machine Operator
- Last Trimmer
- Chip Mixing Machine Operator
- Bucket Turner
- Plugging Machine Operator
Job Opportunities for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 77,100 jobs in the United States for Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 8,400 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Woodworking Machine Operator are Utah, Florida, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Kansas, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Woodworking Machine Operator
The typical yearly salary for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is somewhere between $20,870 and $44,420.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders who work in Wyoming, Connecticut, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.
How much do Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $28,600 |
| Alaska | $36,660 |
| Arizona | $27,500 |
| Arkansas | $28,110 |
| California | $32,360 |
| Colorado | $37,050 |
| Connecticut | $40,440 |
| Florida | $29,150 |
| Georgia | $27,650 |
| Hawaii | $36,070 |
| Idaho | $33,350 |
| Illinois | $33,310 |
| Indiana | $31,140 |
| Iowa | $33,680 |
| Kansas | $32,160 |
| Kentucky | $27,700 |
| Louisiana | $31,570 |
| Maine | $30,240 |
| Maryland | $32,160 |
| Massachusetts | $37,660 |
| Michigan | $30,870 |
| Minnesota | $36,320 |
| Mississippi | $29,660 |
| Missouri | $28,940 |
| Montana | $34,530 |
| Nebraska | $30,160 |
| Nevada | $38,300 |
| New Hampshire | $35,240 |
| New Jersey | $33,090 |
| New Mexico | $36,440 |
| New York | $35,300 |
| North Carolina | $29,630 |
| North Dakota | $33,570 |
| Ohio | $31,500 |
| Oklahoma | $31,190 |
| Oregon | $35,950 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,220 |
| Rhode Island | $32,730 |
| South Carolina | $29,360 |
| South Dakota | $29,800 |
| Tennessee | $28,800 |
| Texas | $26,790 |
| Utah | $31,160 |
| Vermont | $31,650 |
| Virginia | $28,730 |
| Washington | $35,530 |
| West Virginia | $29,430 |
| Wisconsin | $31,510 |
| Wyoming | $41,170 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- YouTube
- Apple macOS
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
- Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
How do I Become a Woodworking Machine Operator?
What education is needed to be a Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender?
What work experience do I need to become a Woodworking Machine Operator?
Where do Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Work?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Career changers with experience as a Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Airman 1st Class Sadie Colbert via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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