# 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.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 51-7042.00
- **Summary:** 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.

## Aliases

- Cabinet Maker
- Machine Operator
- Sander
- Sander Operator
- Boring Machine Operator
- Knot Saw Operator
- Lathe Operator
- Molder Operator
- Router Operator
- Adzing and Boring Machine Operator
- Artificial Log Machine Operator
- Automatic Clipper

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines. | Core | 4.A.3.a.3.l |
| 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. | Core | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.l |
| Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications. | Core | 4.A.1.a.2.a |
| Examine raw woodstock for defects and to ensure conformity to size and other specification standards. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.j |
| Adjust machine tables or cutting devices and set controls on machines to produce specified cuts or operations. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.i |
| Install and adjust blades, cutterheads, boring-bits, or sanding-belts, using hand tools and rules. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Change alignment and adjustment of sanding, cutting, or boring machine guides to prevent defects in finished products, using hand tools. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.i |
| Determine product specifications and materials, work methods, and machine setup requirements, according to blueprints, oral or written instructions, drawings, or work orders. | Core | 4.A.2.b.1.d |
| Feed stock through feed mechanisms or conveyors into planing, shaping, boring, mortising, or sanding machines to produce desired components. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Select knives, saws, blades, cutter heads, cams, bits, or belts, according to workpiece, machine functions, or product specifications. | Core | 4.A.2.b.1.j |
| Push or hold workpieces against, under, or through cutting, boring, or shaping mechanisms. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.f |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Conduct test runs of production equipment. | 4.A.1.b.2.l |
| Operate woodworking equipment. | 4.A.3.a.3.l |
| Determine production equipment settings. | 4.A.2.b.1.d |
| Select production input materials. | 4.A.2.b.1.j |
| Feed materials or products into or through equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications. | 4.A.3.a.2.i |
| Monitor equipment operation to ensure that products are not flawed. | 4.A.1.a.2.a |
| Select production equipment according to product specifications. | 4.A.2.b.1.j |
| Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications. | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information. | 4.A.1.b.1.a |
| Stack finished items for further processing or shipment. | 4.A.3.a.1.f |
| Maneuver workpieces in equipment during production. | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Inspect production equipment. | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Remove accessories, tools, or other parts from equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.s |
| Replace worn equipment components. | 4.A.3.b.4.c |
| Load materials into production equipment. | 4.A.3.a.1.f |
| Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Clean work areas. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Clean production equipment. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Maintain production or processing equipment. | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures. | 4.A.3.a.2.at |
| Inspect lumber or raw woodstock. | 4.A.1.b.2.j |
| Program equipment to perform production tasks. | 4.A.3.b.1.a |
| Trim excess material from workpieces. | 4.A.3.a.2.l |
| Remove products or workpieces from production equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.an |
| Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment. | 4.A.3.a.3.h |
| Lubricate production equipment. | 4.A.3.b.5.a |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Operations Monitoring | transferable_skill | 3.62 |
| Reaction Time | ability | 3.62 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.62 |
| Operation and Control | transferable_skill | 3.5 |
| Manual Dexterity | ability | 3.5 |
| Control Precision | ability | 3.5 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 3.38 |
| Mechanical | knowledge | 3.26 |
| Quality Control Analysis | transferable_skill | 3.25 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 3.25 |
| Multilimb Coordination | ability | 3.25 |
| Static Strength | ability | 3.25 |
| Trunk Strength | ability | 3.25 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Perceptual Speed | ability | 3.12 |
| Visualization | ability | 3.12 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | ability | 3.12 |
| Finger Dexterity | ability | 3.12 |
| Far Vision | ability | 3.12 |
| Auditory Attention | ability | 3.12 |
| Speaking | essential_skill | 3 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 3 |
| Equipment Maintenance | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Troubleshooting | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 3 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 3 |
| Category Flexibility | ability | 3 |
| Flexibility of Closure | ability | 3 |
| Rate Control | ability | 3 |
| Dynamic Strength | ability | 3 |
| Extent Flexibility | ability | 3 |
| Speech Recognition | ability | 3 |
| Production and Processing | knowledge | 2.95 |
| Mathematics | knowledge | 2.92 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 2.88 |
| Equipment Selection | transferable_skill | 2.88 |
| Repairing | transferable_skill | 2.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | transferable_skill | 2.88 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Windows | Common Skill |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Adobe Photoshop | Specialized Skill |
| Adobe InDesign | Specialized Skill |
| Adobe Illustrator | Specialized Skill |
| Adobe Acrobat | Specialized Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Adobe Acrobat | Document management software | yes | no |
| Adobe Creative Cloud software | Graphics or photo imaging software | yes | no |
| Adobe Illustrator | Graphics or photo imaging software | yes | no |
| Adobe InDesign | Desktop publishing software | yes | no |
| Adobe Photoshop | Graphics or photo imaging software | yes | no |
| Apple macOS | Operating system software | yes | no |
| Autodesk AutoCAD | Computer aided design CAD software | yes | no |
| Dassault Systemes SolidWorks | Computer aided manufacturing CAM software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | yes | no |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Windows | Operating system software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| Oracle Java | Object or component oriented development software | yes | no |
| AS/400 Database | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| Computer aided design and drafting CADD software | Computer aided design CAD software | no | no |
| Computerized numerical control CNC software | Industrial control software | no | no |
| Dassault Systemes CATIA | Computer aided design CAD software | no | no |
| Inventory control software | Inventory management software | no | no |
| Timekeeping software | Time accounting software | no | no |
| Vero Software ALPHACAM | Computer aided design CAD software | no | no |
| YouTube | Video creation and editing software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 4.99 |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.85 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 4.81 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 4.78 |
| Spend Time Standing | 4.74 |
| Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled | 4.68 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Equipment | 4.54 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 4.4 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 4.34 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 4.32 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 4.19 |
| Time Pressure | 3.96 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 3.83 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 3.75 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 3.7 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 3.68 |
| Contact With Others | 3.64 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 3.58 |
| Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures | 3.51 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 3.41 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 3.38 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 3.34 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 3.32 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 3.3 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 3.18 |
| Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment | 3.17 |
| Physical Proximity | 3.05 |
| Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions | 2.99 |
| Consequence of Error | 2.8 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 2.76 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | 2.69 |
| Level of Competition | 2.64 |
| Telephone Conversations | 2.61 |
| Conflict Situations | 2.58 |
| Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling | 2.57 |
| Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions | 2.45 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 2.28 |
| Degree of Automation | 2.13 |
| Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection | 1.99 |
| Written Letters and Memos | 1.92 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 2
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- **Experience:** Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- **Svp Range:** (Below 6.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| High School Diploma | 73.06 |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 20.67 |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 4.55 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 1.72 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 7 |
| Construction/Woodwork | specific_interest_area | 6.66 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 5.11 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 4.14 |
| Mechanics/Electronics | specific_interest_area | 2.72 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 2.53 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 2.38 |
| Engineering | specific_interest_area | 2.2 |
| Transportation/Machine Operation | specific_interest_area | 2.18 |
| Dependability | work_style | 2.16 |
| Cautiousness | work_style | 1.89 |
| Applied Arts and Design | specific_interest_area | 1.7 |
| Information Technology | specific_interest_area | 1.59 |
| Visual Arts | specific_interest_area | 1.5 |
| Mathematics/Statistics | specific_interest_area | 1.31 |
| Social | career_interest_type | 1.2 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 51-7041.00 | role-51-7041-00 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | Primary-Short |
| 51-9032.00 | role-51-9032-00 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | Primary-Short |
| 51-4033.00 | role-51-4033-00 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Primary-Short |
| 51-4035.00 | role-51-4035-00 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Primary-Short |
| 51-4034.00 | role-51-4034-00 | Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Primary-Short |
| 51-4031.00 | role-51-4031-00 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Primary-Long |
| 51-4081.00 | role-51-4081-00 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Primary-Long |
| 51-6062.00 | role-51-6062-00 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | Primary-Long |
| 51-4023.00 | role-51-4023-00 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Primary-Long |
| 51-4022.00 | role-51-4022-00 | Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Primary-Long |
| 51-9022.00 | role-51-9022-00 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | Supplemental |
| 51-4194.00 | role-51-4194-00 | Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Advanced Manufacturing | advanced-manufacturing |

## Education Level

- **Category:** High school diploma or equivalent

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Precision Production | precision-production |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 40440
- **Mean Wage:** 42290
- **Pct10Wage:** 30920
- **Pct25Wage:** 36260
- **Pct75Wage:** 47650
- **Pct90Wage:** 54340
- **Employment:** 63350
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 57540 | 40830 | 10.97 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 3020 | 40190 | 1.22 |
| 44-45 | 44-45 | Retail Trade | Sector | 430 | 47140 | 0.07 |
| 23 | 23 | Construction | Sector | 310 | 60060 | 0.09 |
| 62 | 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Sector | 70 | 33810 |  |
| 48-49 | 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | Sector | 60 | 50190 |  |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector |  | 35480 |  |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry |  | 34830 |  |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 57540 | 10.97 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 3020 | 1.22 |
| 23 | 23 | Construction | Sector | 310 | 0.09 |
| 44-45 | 44-45 | Retail Trade | Sector | 430 | 0.07 |
- **Count:** 8

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.97 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | -1.130357 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | -0.9519568 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -1.203906 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 23
- **Percentile:** 21
- **Band:** Low
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 13 | felten_aioe |
| 15 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 42 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | -1.130357 | 13 | Low | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.10869565217391304 | 15 | Low | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.1263206960311226 | 42 | Moderate | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.97
- **Percentile:** 94
- **Band:** High
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.021739130434782608
- **Beta:** 0.06521739130434782
- **Gamma:** 0.10869565217391304

### Usage Tasks


### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** -1.8
- **Growth Percentile:** 19
- **Direction:** Declining
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 6.4
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 54
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 63.1
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 61.9

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 25
- **Skills:** 42
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 23
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** 6f44a0e852da352f