Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing

What the job really is

Cut or carve stone according to diagrams and patterns.

At a glance

• Sector: Production
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-9195
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Verify depths and dimensions of cuts or carvings to ensure adherence to specifications, blueprints, or models, using measuring instruments.
• Move fingers over surfaces of carvings to ensure smoothness of finish.
• Shape, trim, or touch up roughed-out designs with appropriate tools to finish carvings.
• Lay out designs or dimensions from sketches or blueprints on stone surfaces, freehand or by transferring them from tracing paper, using scribes or chalk and measuring instruments.
• Cut, shape, and finish rough blocks of building or monumental stone, according to diagrams or patterns.
• Drill holes and cut or carve moldings and grooves in stone, according to diagrams and patterns.
• Select chisels, pneumatic or surfacing tools, or sandblasting nozzles, and determine sequence of use.
• Study artistic objects or graphic materials, such as models, sketches, or blueprints, to plan carving or cutting techniques.
• Carve designs or figures in full or bas relief on stone, employing knowledge of stone carving techniques and sense of artistry to produce carvings consistent with designers' plans.
• Carve rough designs freehand or by chipping along marks on stone, using mallets and chisels or pneumatic tools.
• Guide nozzles over stone, following stencil outlines, or chip along marks to create designs or to work surfaces down to specified finishes.
• Smooth surfaces of carvings, using rubbing stones.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Air compressors, Blow torches, Bush hammers, Bushing chisels, Cold chisels, Combination squares, Computer terminals, Computerized numerical control CNC routers, Computerized numerical control CNC water jet cutters, Corel Paint Shop Pro

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Stonemasons
• Tile and Stone Setters
• Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
• Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
• Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
• Furniture Finishers
• Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
• Etchers and Engravers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.