All careers

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood

Set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment. Includes lead sawyers.

What you’d do

  • Inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Inspect stock for imperfections or to estimate grades or qualities of stock or workpieces.
  • Monitor sawing machines, adjusting speed and tension and clearing jams to ensure proper operation.
  • Sharpen blades, or replace defective or worn blades or bands, using hand tools.
  • Guide workpieces against saws, saw over workpieces by hand, or operate automatic feeding devices to guide cuts.

Skills that matter

  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Troubleshooting

How to get there

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Also called

  • Resaw Operator
  • Rip Saw Operator
  • Saw Operator
  • Sawyer
  • Bandmill Operator
  • Cut Off Saw Operator
See all careers