Lumber Production Workers - Main Lumber Production Workers Lumber production workers use equipment that turns logs into lumber or plywood. Sawyers run saws that cut logs into planks, boards, and timbers of various thicknesses. Pony edgers run multi-bladed saws which cut the rough lumber to specific widths and straighten the edges.
Trimmer sawyers operate circular saws that cut boards to certain lengths.
They also remove bad sections where the wood might be rotten or full of holes. Planer operators run planing machines which further cut the rough lumber and reduce it to the proper sizes. Sanders operate belt-sanding machines that sand and smooth the surface of lumber. Veneer and plywood workers operate lathes, clippers, glue spreaders, presses, and saws. They create veneer by peeling logs into thin strips.