Production
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Also called: Buffer, Casting Finisher, Chipper, Finisher
US median pay
$42,660
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-19.2%
declining
Openings a year (US)
700
10,800 employed
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.
What they do day to day
- Verify quality of finished workpieces by inspecting them, comparing them to templates, measuring their dimensions, or testing them in working machinery.
- Grind, sand, clean, or polish objects or parts to correct defects or to prepare surfaces for further finishing, using hand tools and power tools.
- Measure and mark equipment, objects, or parts to ensure grinding and polishing standards are met.
- Trim, scrape, or deburr objects or parts, using chisels, scrapers, and other hand tools and equipment.
- Mark defects, such as knotholes, cracks, and splits, for repair.
- Study blueprints or layouts to determine how to lay out workpieces or saw out templates.
- Move controls to adjust, start, or stop equipment during grinding and polishing processes.
- Load and adjust workpieces onto equipment or work tables, using hand tools.
- Repair and maintain equipment, objects, or parts, using hand tools.
- Select files or other abrasives, according to materials, sizes and shapes of workpieces, amount of stock to be removed, finishes specified, and steps in finishing processes.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Quality Control Analysis3.4/5
- Operations Monitoring3.2/5
- Operation and Control3.1/5
- Equipment Maintenance3.1/5
- Repairing3.0/5
- Troubleshooting2.9/5
- Time Management2.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.8/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing3.6/5
- Mechanical3.6/5
- English Language3.1/5
- Mathematics2.8/5
- Education and Training2.7/5
- Customer and Personal Service2.6/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): No formal educational credential.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma37%
- Less than high school27%
- Post-secondary certificate24%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.