A professional who sets up and operates variety of machines to head, trim, drill, and tap metal stock to fabricate machine tools and form metal parts and fasteners, such as screws, bolts, and nuts, according to blueprint specifications and using precision measuring devices, machinist manuals, and handtools. Respnsibilities include:

• Reads and interprets blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequence of operations to be used in machining metal parts.
• Selects and installs cutting tools in machines, using handtools.
• Selects cutting speeds, depth of cut, and adjusts guides, using handtools.
• Installs workpiece in vise, marks layout, and verifies dimensions, using precision gauges and machinist manuals.
• Operates machines to tool specified parts and inspects parts to ensure conformity to blueprint specifications, using gauges and applying knowledge of fractions and decimals.
• Sharpens cutting tools and drill bits, using bench grinders.