A professional who sets up and operates stonecutting lathe to turn and shape blocks of stone, such as limestone, marble, granite, and sandstone to form columns, pillars, balusters, and other cylindrical building and monumental work. Responsibilities include:

• Mounts block of stone between centers of lathe, using hoist.
• Signals overhead crane operator to position stone in lathe.
• Adjusts roughing tool or grinding wheel on carriage and starts machine.
• Opens water valve and feeds tool or grinding wheel against and along length of rotating stone.
• Removes roughing tool or wheel and installs finishing tools, using handtools.
• Measures stone to ensure cutting to specified dimension and contour, using caliper.
• May knock off corners of rough stone with hammer.
• May cut intricate designs in stone, using special tools.
• May sharpen cutting tools.
• May operate lathe to polish stone objects and be designated stone-lathe polisher.