What Do Wood Patternmaker Do?
Position Description Plan, lay out, and construct wooden unit or sectional patterns used in forming sand molds for castings.
What Do Wood Patternmakers Do On a Daily Basis?
- 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.
- Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
- Divide patterns into sections according to shapes of castings to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
- Repair broken or damaged patterns.
- Compute dimensions, areas, volumes, and weights.
- Finish completed products or models with shellac, lacquer, wax, or paint.
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What Every Wood Patternmaker Should Know
When polled, Wood Patternmakers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Forms Builder
- Pattern Maker
- Wood Patternmaker
- Wood Experimental Mechanic
- Mold Forms Builder
Job Opportunities for Wood Patternmakers
There were about 1,800 jobs for Wood Patternmaker in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Wood Patternmaker. The BLS estimates 200 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Wood Patternmaker are North Carolina, Michigan, and Nebraska. Watch out if you plan on working in Pennsylvania, Nebraska, or Michigan. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Wood Patternmaker
The average yearly salary of a Wood Patternmaker ranges between $34,930 and $82,630.

Wood Patternmakers who work in Ohio, Michigan, or North Carolina, make the highest salaries.
How much do Wood Patternmakers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
California | $56,990 |
Michigan | $68,910 |
North Carolina | $53,910 |
Ohio | $73,670 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Wood Patternmakers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Wood Patternmakers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Delcam PowerMILL
- Mastercam
How do I Become a Wood Patternmaker?
Individuals working as a Wood Patternmaker have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Wood Patternmaker?

Where Wood Patternmakers Work

Below are examples of industries where Wood Patternmakers work:

References:
Image Credit: Airman 1st Class Sadie Colbert via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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