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Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

$38.81K Median Salary 11K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 8.9% Job Growth

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About This Career

Cut, shape, and assemble wooden articles or set up and operate a variety of woodworking machines, such as power saws, jointers, and mortisers to surface, cut, or shape lumber or to fabricate parts for wood products.

Reported Job Titles

Cabinet Assembler, Cabinet Builder, Cabinet Installer, Cabinetmaker, Double End Tenon Operator, Frame Builder, Framer, Woodworker

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Near Vision

Control Precision

Multilimb Coordination

Trunk Strength

Visualization

Problem Sensitivity

Reaction Time

Static Strength

Deductive Reasoning

Information Ordering

Written Comprehension

Auditory Attention

Category Flexibility

Depth Perception

Extent Flexibility

Far Vision

Hearing Sensitivity

Inductive Reasoning

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Perceptual Speed

Response Orientation

Selective Attention

Speech Recognition

Knowledge

Mathematics

Building and Construction

Production and Processing

Design

Mechanical

Engineering and Technology

Skills

Operations Monitoring

Quality Control Analysis

Monitoring

Operation and Control

Critical Thinking

Equipment Selection

Judgment and Decision Making

Operations Analysis

Speaking

Time Management

Troubleshooting

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software

Electronic mail software

Facilities management software

Operating system software

Computer aided design CAD software

Project management software

Tools

Power saws

Planes

Wood chisels

Hand clamps

Power routers

Saws

Hold down clamps

Compasses

Squares

Biscuit jointers

Power planes

Screwdrivers

Calipers

Drilling machines

Utility knives

Milling machines

Cold press

Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe

Boring machines

Power nail guns

Power sanders

Positioning jig

Sanding machines

C clamps

Mill saw file

Bandsaw wheel

Staple guns

Paint application system

Micrometers

Putty knives

Tape measures

Drill press or radial drill

Automatic lathe or chucking machine

Razor knives

Levels

Viscosimeters

Sawing machines

Power trimmers

Scribers

Banders

Grinding wheels

Sanding blocks

Bench dog

Rulers

Power grinders

Goggles

Paint brushes

Blade sharpener

Metal markers or holders

Punches or nail sets or drifts

Ear plugs

Hand or push drill

Scroll saw

Grinding machines

Shears

Pneumatic nail drivers

Paint rollers

Adjustable wrenches

Cutting machines

T squares

Paint sprayers

Claw hammer

Cheesegrater file

Miter saw

Augers

Bevels

Bastard cut file

Belt sander

Power screwguns

Mallets

Bench vises

Awls

Safety glasses

Power drills

Moisture meters

Plumb bobs

Locking pliers

Personal computers

Templates

Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Response Orientation: The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Knowledge

Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Building and Construction: Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Engineering and Technology: Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Skills

Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Equipment Selection: Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Facilities management software: Maintenance management software
Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD; Autodesk Revit
Project management software: Mavenlink; Microsoft Project

Tools

Power saws: Chain saws
Planes: Shapers; Spindle shapers
Wood chisels:
Hand clamps:
Power routers:
Saws: Multi-purpose saw sets
Hold down clamps: Holding clamps
Compasses:
Squares:
Biscuit jointers:
Power planes: Power planers
Screwdrivers: Mini screwdriver sets
Calipers: Dial calipers; Digital calipers; Vernier calipers
Drilling machines: Drill presses
Utility knives: Precision knives
Milling machines: Machining centers
Cold press: Cold presses; Hot presses
Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe: Lathes
Boring machines: Boring bars; Computerized numerical control CNC boring machines; Line boring machines; Screw pocket machines
Power nail guns: Nailing machines
Power sanders: Power hand sanders
Positioning jig: Sharpening jigs
Sanding machines: Edge sanders; Wide belt sanders
C clamps:
Mill saw file: Single-cut mill saw files
Bandsaw wheel: Vertical bandsaws
Staple guns: Stapling machines
Paint application system: Electrostatic paint systems; Paint booths
Micrometers:
Putty knives:
Tape measures: Diameter tape measures
Drill press or radial drill: Drill presses; Punch presses; Radial drills
Automatic lathe or chucking machine: Bench lathes
Razor knives: Trim knives
Levels: Optical levels
Viscosimeters: Viscometers
Sawing machines: Miter saws; Multiple blade sawing machines
Power trimmers: Gas hedge trimmers
Scribers: Scriber markers
Banders: Steel banding tools
Grinding wheels: Power grinding wheels
Sanding blocks: Hand sanding blocks
Bench dog: Bench dogs
Rulers: Precision rulers; Steel rules
Power grinders: Underwater power grinders
Goggles: Safety goggles
Paint brushes: Paint application brushes
Blade sharpener: Tool sharpeners
Metal markers or holders: Centering head tools; Magnetic circle layout tools; Radius markers
Punches or nail sets or drifts: Mini punch sets
Ear plugs: Protective ear plugs
Hand or push drill: Hammer head borers; Hand drills
Scroll saw: Scroll saws
Grinding machines: Profile grinders
Shears: Metal shears
Pneumatic nail drivers: Pneumatic air nailers
Paint rollers: Paint application rollers
Adjustable wrenches: Adjustable hand wrenches
Cutting machines: Slitters
T squares:
Paint sprayers: High volume low pressure HVLP spray guns; Low volume high pressure LVHP sprayers; Paint spray guns; Paint sprayguns
Claw hammer: Claw hammers
Cheesegrater file: Wood files
Miter saw: Chop saws
Augers: Bucket augers; Hand augers
Bevels: Sliding t-bevels
Bastard cut file: Flat bastard files
Belt sander: Belt sanders
Power screwguns: Electric screwdrivers
Mallets: Rawhide mallets
Bench vises: Vises
Awls: Punching awls
Safety glasses: Protective safety glasses
Power drills: Hand drills
Moisture meters:
Plumb bobs:
Locking pliers: Channel lock pliers; Vise grip pliers
Personal computers:
Templates: Machine templates

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