Production
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.
Median pay
$42,770
Growth to 2035
−1%
little or no change
Openings a year
4,500
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood: 37% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: Bandmill Operator · Cut Off Saw Operator · Edgerman · Knot Saw Operator · Panel Saw Operator · Planer · Resaw Operator · Rip Saw Operator
Outlook and AI
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood held 41,200 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 40,800 by 2035 (−1%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
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