A professional who sets up and operates planers that reciprocate workpieces against stationary bar tools to plane and groove large metal workpieces, such as castings for metalworking dies and machine ways, analyzing specifications and selecting tooling according to knowledge of machine planing procedures. Respnsibilities include:

• Studies blueprint or layout on workpiece to visualize planing to be done, or marks layout on workpiece with scribe, and plans sequence of operations.
• Selects method of holding workpiece so that entire surface to be planed will remain parallel to table during planing operation.
• Lifts workpiece manually or with hoist, and positions and secures it on table, using shims, parallel blocks, clamps, and wrenches.
• Verifies workpiece position with gauges, rule, square, or other instrument.
• Selects and mounts cutting tools on railhead or side head.
• Selects and sets cutting speed, length of stroke, and depth of cut, according to knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
• Sets stops to limit length of stroke and to actuate table reversing mechanism.
• Moves controls to position tool in relation to workpiece.
• Starts table reciprocation, turns handwheels to feed tool to or across workpiece between cuts, and engages feed.
• Observes operation and verifies conformance of planed workpiece to specifications within tolerances to plus or minus 0.001 inch, using measuring instruments, such as surface gauge, planer gauge, and micrometer.
• May operate bench grinder to sharpen tools.
• May turn valve handle and direct flow of coolant or lubricant against tool and workpiece.
• May set up and operate milling attachment instead of rail or side head tool.
• May plane or mill nonmetallic materials.
• May set up and operate rotary planer which reciprocates cutting tool against workpiece mounted on rotating machine bed and be designated Rotary Planer Set-Up Operator.