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Date: 07/17/2025

Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Set up, operate, or tend woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood nailing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Examine finished workpieces for smoothness, shape, angle, depth-of-cut, or conformity to specifications and verify dimensions, visually and using hands, rules, calipers, templates, or gauges.
    • Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications.
    • Determine product specifications and materials, work methods, and machine setup requirements, according to blueprints, oral or written instructions, drawings, or work orders.
    • 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.
    • Adjust machine tables or cutting devices and set controls on machines to produce specified cuts or operations.
    • Clean or maintain products, machines, or work areas.
    • Attach and adjust guides, stops, clamps, chucks, or feed mechanisms, using hand tools.
    • Install and adjust blades, cutterheads, boring-bits, or sanding-belts, using hand tools and rules.
    • Remove and replace worn parts, bits, belts, sandpaper, or shaping tools.
    • Grease or oil woodworking machines.
    • Inspect and mark completed workpieces and stack them on pallets, in boxes, or on conveyors so that they can be moved to the next workstation.
    • Inspect and mark completed workpieces and stack them on pallets, in boxes, or on conveyors so that they can be moved to the next workstation.
    • Trim wood parts according to specifications, using planes, chisels, or wood files or sanders.
    • Inspect pulleys, drive belts, guards, or fences on machines to ensure that machines will operate safely.
    • Start machines and move levers to engage hydraulic lifts that press woodstocks into desired forms and disengage lifts after appropriate drying times.
    • Select knives, saws, blades, cutter heads, cams, bits, or belts, according to workpiece, machine functions, or product specifications.
    • Clean or maintain products, machines, or work areas.
    • Feed stock through feed mechanisms or conveyors into planing, shaping, boring, mortising, or sanding machines to produce desired components.
    • Push or hold workpieces against, under, or through cutting, boring, or shaping mechanisms.
    • Remove and replace worn parts, bits, belts, sandpaper, or shaping tools.
    • Unclamp workpieces and remove them from machines.
    • Control hoists to remove parts or products from work stations.
    • Operate gluing machines to glue pieces of wood together, or to press and affix wood veneer to wood surfaces.
    • Set up, program, or control computer-aided design (CAD) or computer numerical control (CNC) machines.
    • Secure woodstock against a guide or in a holding device, place woodstock on a conveyor, or dump woodstock in a hopper to feed woodstock into machines.
    • Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines.
    • Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.
    • Attach and adjust guides, stops, clamps, chucks, or feed mechanisms, using hand tools.
    • Clean or maintain products, machines, or work areas.
    • Secure woodstock against a guide or in a holding device, place woodstock on a conveyor, or dump woodstock in a hopper to feed woodstock into machines.
    • Install and adjust blades, cutterheads, boring-bits, or sanding-belts, using hand tools and rules.
    • Determine product specifications and materials, work methods, and machine setup requirements, according to blueprints, oral or written instructions, drawings, or work orders.
    • Examine raw woodstock for defects and to ensure conformity to size and other specification standards.

    Skills

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    Knowledge

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 44510/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 21.4/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 2,620
    • Yearly Projected Openings 240

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Adaptability/Flexibility
    • Independence
    • Integrity
    • Cooperation

    Tools

    • Acoustic ear muffs or defenders
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Biscuit jointers
    • Boring machines
    • Calipers
    • Cheesegrater file
    • Claw hammer
    • Compasses
    • Conveyor feeders
    • Cutting machines
    • Desktop computers
    • Drilling machines
    • Grease guns
    • Grinding machines
    • Hand sprayers
    • Height gauges
    • Hold down clamps
    • Horizontal turning center
    • Hydraulic press frames
    • Mainframe console or dumb terminals
    • Milling machines
    • Paint brushes
    • Planes
    • Planing machines
    • Pneumatic sanding machines
    • Positioning jig
    • Power grinders
    • Power nail guns
    • Power routers
    • Power sanders
    • Power saws
    • Protective gloves
    • Protractors
    • Rulers
    • Safety glasses
    • Sanding machines
    • Saws
    • Shaper cutter
    • Squares
    • Templates
    • Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe
    • Wood chisels
    • Wood gouge

    Technology

    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Desktop publishing software
    • Document management software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Industrial control software
    • Inventory management software
    • Object or component oriented development software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Time accounting software
    • Video creation and editing software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

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