Will “Bench Mechanic” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔
Unknown Chance of Automation
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Job Description
Cast, anneal, solder, hammer, or shape gold, silver, pewter or other metals to form jewelry or other metal items such as goblets or candlesticks.
Job Details
- The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 51-9071.07
☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Precious Metal Workers”.
Also Known As…
- Precious Metal Workers
- Silversmith
- Restoration Silversmith
- Platinum Smith
- Pewterer
- Goldsmith
- Fabricator
- Caster
- Artist
- Stone Setter
- Stamper
- Special Order Jeweler
- Solderer
- Silversmith Apprentice
- Polisher
- Platinumsmith
- Pewter Finisher
- Pewter Fabricator
- Pewter Caster
- Mold Maker
- Metal Polisher
- Metal Finisher
- Metal Engraver
- Jewelsmith
- Jewelry Repairer
- Jewelry Maker
- Jewelry Finisher
- Jewelry Designer
- Jeweler
- Hammersmith
- Goldsmith Apprentice
- Engraver
- Chaser
- Bronze Chaser
- Brass Chaser
- Bench Mechanic
- Bench Jeweler
Tasks for “Bench Mechanic”
- Design silver articles, such as jewelry and serving pieces.
- Examine articles to determine the nature of defects requiring repair, such as dents, uneven bottoms, scratches, or holes.
- Weigh and mix alloy ingredients, using formulas and knowledge of ingredients' chemical properties.
- Peen edges of scratches or holes to repair defects, using peening hammers.
- Assemble molds, wrap molds in heat-resistant cloth, and ladle molten alloy into mold openings, repeating casting processes as necessary to produce specified numbers of parts.
- Sand interior mold parts to remove glaze residue, apply new glaze to molds, and allow it to dry for mold assembly.
- Rotate molds to distribute alloys and to prevent formation of air pockets.
- Polish articles by hand or by using a polishing wheel.
- Heat ingots or alloy mixtures to specified temperatures, stir mixtures, skim off impurities, and fill molds to form ingots from which parts are cast.
- Secure molded items in chucks of lathes, and activate lathes to finish inner and outer surfaces of items.
- Design and fabricate models of new casting molds, and chipping and turning tools used to finish product surfaces.
- Rout out locations where parts are to be joined to items, using routing machines.
- Trim gates and sharp points from cast parts, using band saws.
- Hammer out dents and bulges, selecting and using hammers and dollies with heads that correspond in curvature to article surfaces.
- Research reference materials, analyze production data, and consult with interested parties to develop ideas for new products.
- Position articles over snarling tools and raise design areas, using foot-powered hammers.
- Wire parts such as legs, spouts, and handles to article bodies in preparation for soldering.
- Glue plastic separators to handles of coffeepots and teapots.
- Cut and file pieces of jewelry such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets.
- Engrave decorative lines on items, using engraving tools.
- Pierce and cut open designs in ornamentation, using hand drills and scroll saws.
- Weigh completed items to determine weights and record any deviations.
- Form concavities in bottoms of articles to improve stability, using tracing punches and hammers.
- Solder parts together or fill holes and cracks with metal solder, using gas torches.
- Anneal precious metal objects such as coffeepots, tea sets, and trays in gas ovens for prescribed times to soften metal for reworking.
- Position and align auxiliary parts in jigs and join parts, using solder and blowtorches.
- Verify that bottom edges of articles are level, using straightedges or by rocking them back and forth on flat surfaces.
- Shape and straighten damaged or twisted articles by hand or using pliers.
- Strike articles with small tools, or punch them with hammers, to indent them or restore embossing.
- Strike molds to separate dried castings from molds.
- Carry castings or finished items to storage areas or to different work stations.
- Determine placement of auxiliary parts, such as handles and spouts, and mark locations of parts.
Related Technology & Tools
- Jeweler's saws
- Dapping punches
- Ring shank pliers
- Hand drills
- Silversmiths' hammers
- Flex shaft machines
- Round nose pliers
- Sidecutters
- Looping pliers
- Automatic lathes
- Jewelers shears
- Tracing punches
- Soldering tweezers
- Double horn anvils
- Wire twisting pliers
- Split ring pliers
- Jewelry mandrels
- Draw tongs
- Polishing wheels
- Flush cutters
- Locking tweezers
- Flat horn anvils
- Mini band saws
- Riveting hammers
- Gas torches
- Bent chain nose pliers
- Crucible tongs
- Stone gauges
- Adjustable bench vises
- Jewelers' loupes
- Embossing hammers
- Binocular magnifiers
- Plastic mallets
- Ring clamps
- Peening hammers
- Straightedges
- Digital calipers
- Engraving tools
- Beading pliers
- Bur gauges
- Routing machines
- Planishing hammers
- Diamond tweezers
- Jewelers screwdrivers
- Flat nose pliers
- Rotary tumblers
- Ball peen hammers
- Hole punching pliers
- Wire gauges
- Burnishers
- Gold testers
- Hex anvils
- Jewelers' chain-nose pliers
- Disc cutters
- Vibratory tumblers
- Precision files
- Flask tongs
- Dapping cutters
- Dead-blow hammers
- Ring bending pliers
- Foot-powered hammers
- Parallel jaw pliers
- Tongs
- Wire cutters
- Head and shank tweezers
- Rolling mills
- Precision rulers
- Stone setting pliers
- Stamping dies
- Metal designing software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Excel
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Web browser software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Word