Using a circular saw, a band saw, or a gang saw, the Head Sawyer operates the controls of the saw carriage which carries the log into the teeth of the saw. The Resaw Operator, similar in general to the Head Sawyer, sets guides on and operates saws to make the first-cut boards perfectly square. The Edger's primary function is to produce boards with parallel sides and to remove the wane or rounded bark edges from the boards as they come from the head saw. Lumber Graders examine milled or rough-sawed lumber and sort it according to designated standards. They examine lumber as it passes on a conveyor belt for such defects as splits, knots, faulty edges, stains, and unsatisfactory machine work.
Graders mark each board with the grade as determined by the standards established by the industry.
These workers often keep a tally of specified grades and board footage required to fill an order. This position is rapidly becoming obsolete due to robotics and computerized grading procedures. Chain Offbearers physically pull lumber from a moving conveyor coming from various lumber processing points in a saw or planing mill. They slide and stack the lumber in piles, sorting them according to the lumber grade marked on each piece of lumber. These workers are also known as green-chain offbearers.