Metal Casting, Forging & Finishing Trade

Overview

Metal Casting, Forging and Finishing Trades Workers fabricate mould patterns and form sand moulds and cores for the production of metal castings, heat and hammer metal into shape, and make, repair, coat and polish metal parts and articles.

Day-to-day

• selecting metal stock for job requirements
• heating metal in forges and furnaces and hammering, punching and cutting metal using hand tools and machine presses
• tempering and hardening finished articles by quenching in oil or water baths or by cooling gradually in air
• preparing electrolytic and silver solutions for electroforming, and applying solution to the objects to be coated
• setting and adjusting controls to regulate electric current and depositing of coating on objects
• preparing horses' hooves for shoeing, nailing horseshoes to hooves, and trimming hooves
• cutting, trimming, shaping and smoothing stock to form mould patterns
• filling boxes with sand and setting patterns in place, and pouring molten metal into moulds
• applying refractory paint and positioning cores in moulds
• finishing metal and articles by polishing and buffing and applying shellac, lacquer, paint and other finishes.

Considerations

• physically demanding.