Patternmakers, Wood: Career & Application Guide

What do patternmakers, wood do?

Plan, lay out, and construct wooden unit or sectional patterns used in forming sand molds for castings.

This describes a U.S. occupation, not a live vacancy. Individual employers may use different titles and requirements.

O*NET reports these titles for this occupation. Compare the responsibilities in each posting before treating titles as equivalent.

Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
Fit, fasten, and assemble wood parts together to form patterns, models, or sections, using glue, nails, dowels, bolts, and screws.
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.
Verify dimensions of completed patterns, using templates, straightedges, calipers, or protractors.
Correct patterns to compensate for defects in castings.
Set up, operate, and adjust a variety of woodworking machines such as bandsaws and lathes to cut and shape sections, parts, and patterns, according to specifications.
Finish completed products or models with shellac, lacquer, wax, or paint.
Estimate costs for patternmaking jobs.

Check the employer’s requirements, location, schedule and any licenses against your situation.
Choose two or three tasks above that match the posting and your actual experience.
Build a resume evidence worksheet using the skills and software relevant to that employer.
Practice explaining your contribution, decisions and results before an interview.

Start with patternmakers, wood as your target. You can change your role in the quiz and tell us your location and work preferences.