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Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

	Median Wage (USD, 2025)	Projected Job Openings (2025-2035)	Projected Growth (2025-2035)
National Statistics	$50060	500	-6.9%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$50060

Median Wage (USD, 2025)

500

Projected Job Openings (2025-2035)

-6.9%

Projected Growth (2025-2035)

Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
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.
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)

Related Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Detailed Work Activities

Apply solutions to production equipment.
Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
Operate grinding equipment.
Inspect finishes of workpieces or finished products.
Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
Package products for storage or shipment.
Smooth metal surfaces or edges.
Select production equipment according to product specifications.
Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Clean production equipment.
Maintain production or processing equipment.
Lubricate production equipment.
Remove accessories, tools, or other parts from equipment.
Replace worn equipment components.
Calculate specific material, equipment, or labor requirements for production.
Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.
Study blueprints or other instructions to determine equipment setup requirements.
Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
Adjust equipment controls to regulate coolant flow.
Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
Shape metal workpieces with hammers or other small hand tools.
Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
Operate welding equipment.
Immerse objects or workpieces in cleaning or coating solutions.
Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
Assemble machine tools, parts, or fixtures.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur.
Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures.
Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools.
Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications.
Perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts.
Remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective.
Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences.
Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications.
Remove and replace worn or broken machine parts, using hand tools.
Fit parts together in pre-assembly to ensure that dimensions are accurate.
File or finish surfaces of workpieces, using prescribed hand tools.
Inspect dies to detect defects, assess wear, and verify specifications, using micrometers, steel gauge pins, and loupes.
Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts.
Turn valves to direct flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding.
Attach workpieces to grinding machines and form specified sections and repair cracks, using welding or brazing equipment.
Straighten workpieces and remove dents, using straightening presses and hammers.
Place workpieces in electroplating solutions or apply pigments to surfaces of workpieces to highlight ridges and grooves.
Duplicate workpiece contours, using tracer attachments.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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