What You'll Do

  • Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
  • Lay out patterns on wood stock and draw outlines of units, sectional patterns, or full-scale mock-ups of products, based on blueprint specifications and sketches, and using marking and measuring devices.
  • Verify dimensions of completed patterns, using templates, straightedges, calipers, or protractors.
  • Set up, operate, and adjust a variety of woodworking machines such as bandsaws and lathes to cut and shape sections, parts, and patterns, according to specifications.
  • Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
  • Fit, fasten, and assemble wood parts together to form patterns, models, or sections, using glue, nails, dowels, bolts, and screws.
  • Correct patterns to compensate for defects in castings.
  • Construct wooden models, templates, full scale mock-ups, jigs, or molds for shaping parts of products.
  • Compute dimensions, areas, volumes, and weights.
  • Mark identifying information such as colors or codes on patterns, parts, and templates to indicate assembly methods.

Essential Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.12/5
Monitoring 3.12/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.12/5
Operations Monitoring 3.12/5
Operation and Control 3.12/5
Active Listening 3.0/5
Mathematics 3.0/5
Critical Thinking 3.0/5
Quality Control Analysis 3.0/5
Speaking 2.88/5
Social Perceptiveness 2.88/5
Operations Analysis 2.88/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Artist: Creating original work and expressing ideas feels natural.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness, Achievement Orientation, Perseverance

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Manual Dexterity 4.0/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.88/5
Control Precision 3.88/5
Near Vision 3.75/5
Reaction Time 3.5/5
Finger Dexterity 3.38/5
Information Ordering 3.25/5
Visualization 3.25/5

Technologies & Tools

3D Systems Geomagic Design X Autodesk AutoCAD Computer aided design CAD software Delcam PowerMILL Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.78/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.46/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.29/5)
  • Achievement Orientation (High importance: 3.88/5)
  • Perseverance (High importance: 3.71/5)

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Forms Builder Mold Forms Builder Mold Maker Pattern Engineer Pattern Maker Pattern Worker Patternmaker Production Patternmaker Wood Die Maker Wood Experimental Mechanic Wood Pattern Maker Wood Patternmaker Wood Shop Moldmaker Woodshop Worker

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.