• May read announcements on the bulletin board. (1)
• May read memos about company policies, changes in company procedures or safety issues. (2)
• May read the minutes of safety meetings. (2)
• May read letters about requirements for special orders, such as for the Japanese market. (2)
• May read equipment manuals, such as the planer manual, to learn about set up and maintenance procedures. (3)

• May read identification labels on a dozen different breaker boxes that control conveyors, saws, and other equipment. (1)
• May read weekly shift schedules to know which days and shifts they will work. (2)
• May read tables with specifications for settings on the planer. (2)
• May read a computer monitor screen to know about problems on the line, such as conveyor 2 being blocked at position "x", or a log being too short. (2)
• May read production reports which show the number of board feet of lumber cut per grade, in order to assess their production rate. (2)
• May read production sheets indicating the priority cuts wanted from each lot of wood. The sheets include codes and abbreviations specifying log type and dimensions, and lumber dimensions and quantities. They also include special instructions such as "target 121 mm sqrs. over 106 mm". Operators interpret the files to be able to make quick decisions about how to cut logs to fill orders and maximize the value from each log in the lot. (3)
• May look at computer screens that show pictures of a log along its length and faces. The screens show a cut pattern for maximizing value from the log. Operators correct the computer's pattern if there are log defects that the computer has not registered. (3)
• May read production information on computer screens, such as infeed speed, net value of lumber that can be cut from logs, reject totals for each saw and norms not to be exceeded. This information is in table and graph format. (3)
• May complete a "log quality" form which lists 16 different types of defects in logs. They record the number of logs that have each type of defect, the extent of the defect, plus comments. (3)

• Complete downtime reports recording when equipment was shutdown and the reasons. (1)
• Complete a work order for repairs indicating the nature of the problem and the part that is broken. (1)
• Write in a log book to record maintenance and repairs done and to leave messages for the next shift. (1)

• May set the bed plate and balance the planer according to specifications and within allowed clearances. (1)
• May measure the dimensions of finished boards to check that they are to specifications. (1)
• May calculate how many boards of various lengths should be cut to fill an order. For example, given an order for 1000 linear feet of 2 x 6 feet, operators calculate the best combination of 8 to 16 foot lengths to cut, taking into consideration the positioning of defects in the lumber. (2)
• May when carrying out repairs or helping the saw filer, use calipers to measure sawplate thickness or shaft sizes to 1/1000 of an inch. (3)

• May read on a computer screen the net value of lumber that can be cut from a log when it is held in various positions, to decide which position will produce the highest value. (1)
• May read production reports that tally the number of pieces cut of each dimension, volumes of lumber and of waste, and downtimes by cause. They read the figures to monitor how efficiently they are cutting and if their production is on track in comparison to normal ranges. (1)
• May calculate the average amount of moisture using moisture meter readings from 100 boards. (2)

• May estimate the length of lumber going through the planer and adjust the backstops accordingly. (1)
• May estimate how much steel and how many bearings to purchase for upcoming jobs. (2)
• May constantly estimate the number of pieces of lumber to cut out of a log in order to maximize the value from the log and meet order specifications. These estimates are based on the log's size, shape and quality. (3)

• May listen or watch for signals from other workers that they are entering the operators' sawing area. They give and receive signals that all is clear for starting equipment or to stop equipment. (1)
• May warn the chipperman that a piece with a flared (wide) end is coming down the line, so that the chipperman can prepare and avoid having a pile up of debris to clean up. (1)
• May ask the yardman or foreman for clarification about the quantity and dimensions of lumber to cut so that they don't cut the wrong sizes. (1)
• May discuss with the edgerman and trimmer what dimensions of lumber should be cut from certain cants, so that they don't mismanufacture the lumber. (1)
• May sometimes discuss custom cut patterns with customers to learn exactly what they want. (2)
• May discuss equipment problems with a millwright, describe the location and nature of the problem, brainstorm solutions and learn how to carry out repairs. Clear information means less downtime. (2)

• May deal with a branch or sliver being caught in the saw slot. They try to catch the problem early and clear debris from around the saw before friction causes the blade to heat and buckle. (1)
• Find that saws or conveyors have become jammed with pieces of wood. They clear the jammed wood either manually or by using controls. Care is needed to avoid injury. (1)
• May catch and correct computer errors. For example, if two logs are very close to each other the computer may register them as one and choose the wrong cut pattern. Operators manipulate and slow the carriage to separate the logs. (1)
• May deal with a "double up" where one board rides up on another board while going through the planer and causes the planer to jam. They stop the planer to determine the cause, possibly tracing it to a board with a sniped end that the infeed operator let go through. (2)
• May deal with "trouble logs," ones that are misshapen or might have rocks embedded in them. They figure out how to trim the logs so that they are maneuverable on the carriage, lose the least value and don't damage the blade or jam the carriage. They may have to lockout the headrig at the electrical panel and manually clear a jam. (2)
• May find boards that don't meet specifications. They figure out why and make adjustments to the saw or planer. (2)
• Encounter mechanical problems. Their troubleshooting can range from performing routine tasks such as changing fuses or belts, to resolving complex problems such as helping the millwright and supervisor to make up the parts needed for upgrading a planer. (3)

• May decide when to change or sharpen blades and knives, trying to get the most out of them without causing damage to products or equipment. (1)
• May constantly make fast decisions about the condition of boards (size, straightness, defects), to judge if they should be allowed to go through the saw or planer. (1)
• May constantly make decisions about what sizes of lumber to cut slabs into, based on the size and quality of the slab and what dimensions have been ordered. They make their decisions quickly to keep up with the flow of wood on the conveyor. Wrong decisions could waste wood and require resawing. (2)
• Decide when to shut down for repairs, based on how serious the problem is and how feasible it is to carry on until the next break. (2)
• May decide to correct the computer's choice of cutting pattern based on their own assessment of how to get the most value from the log. (3)
• May follow cut priorities specified for each deck of logs, making fast decisions about which of those cuts should be made from each log. Each highgrade cut could equal thousands of dollars. A head sawyer's cutting decisions can cause a mill to make a significant profit from the logs or to merely break even. (3)

Critical Thinking information was not collected for this profile.

Most sawmill machine operators perform repetitive tasks quickly to keep up with a fast moving automated production line. (1) Head sawyers, as "quarterback" of the line, set the pace for other operators. Planers sometimes have leeway in how they sequence jobs to minimize setting adjustments. (1)

• Remember the specifications of lumber that needs to be cut during the day.
• Remember the sound of a cracked or binding blade or of a board lifting up in the planer. Such sounds indicate particular cutting problems.
• Remember how to unjam the machine in different situations.
• Remember metric and imperial equivalents.

• Ask the foreman for clarification about lumber orders. (1)
• Consult the millwright or foreperson for help with solving an equipment problem. (2)
• May consult a planer manual to troubleshoot mechanical problems. (2)
• May contact other mills to ask why a machine is operating in a particular way. (2)

• May use computer assisted design, manufacture or machining. They may use computer controls to adjust equipment settings, or read computer displays of log dimensions, production data and grade markings on lumber. (1)

Sawmill machine operators mainly work independently on their section of the production line. They co-ordinate their pace with the whole team on the line that manufactures logs into finished lumber. They occasionally work with another worker to unjam equipment or change sawblades, and sometimes work with several people to troubleshoot equipment breakdowns.

Sawmill machine operators continue to learn through on-the-job experience, building up their knowledge and speed in using the machinery. Some operators take first aid and grading courses.