Taking The Mystery Out of Metal Cutting

If someone builds something with wood, they are generally known as a carpenter. Specifically, they might be a cabinet maker, furniture maker or house builder. If someone works with metal- cutting, shaping, and creating objects with it- they are generally referred to as a machinist. If they specialize, they may be called a fitter, tool and die maker, or mold maker.

A machinist relies on precision machine tools to cut and shape metal to specifications. These metal cutters are called drills, grinders, borers, lathes and mills. Each of these machines has a particular job. Some make holes, others take off minute bits of metal called chips.

Cutting metal is a very exacting line of work. Often a machinist will work to within hundredths of an inch. They might use steel, brass, aluminum, or copper. Since these are very hard materials, even harder ones must be used to cut them. For this, the machinist uses materials made of diamonds, high speed steel, or ceramics.

Metal cutters often choose a particular area to specialize in. They cut sheets, or bars, or tubes to a customer’s needs and specifications. They must set up a series of expensively tooled machines, many run by computers, to create each new piece. It is important that they make the exact piece a customer requires, to keep getting job orders. Perfection is key.

Cutting metal requires attention many details such as the thickness of the metal, the heat tolerance, durability, and malleability of the raw material. Cutting speeds and temperatures must be constantly monitored to assure a quality product.

Entering the business often requires college level classes in math, blueprint reading and understanding of metals. Apprenticing a professional metal cutter is another way to get into the business.