According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes. | 88% |
| Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish. | 86% |
| Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools. | 86% |
| Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns. | 86% |
| Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut. | 85% |
| Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes. | 85% |
| Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products. | 84% |
| Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines. | 84% |
| Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade. | 84% |
| Fold or shape materials before or after cutting them. | 83% |
| Lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes. | 79% |
| Stack cut items and load them on racks or conveyors or onto trucks. | 79% |
| Adjust guides and stops to control depths and widths of cuts. | 77% |
| Replace or sharpen dulled cutting tools such as saws. | 77% |
| Count or weigh and bundle items. | 76% |
| Clean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions and polishing materials. | 74% |
| Route items to provide cutouts for parts, using portable routers, grinders, and hand tools. | 72% |
| Transport items to work or storage areas, using carts. | 66% |
