Metal polishers, wheel grinders and tool sharpeners

Metal polishers, wheel grinders and tool sharpeners polish and grind metal surfaces and sharpen tools.

Skill level: Semi-skilled

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Salary range for the majority of workers in Metal polishers, wheel grinders and tool sharpeners - from £2,300 to £3,857 per month - 2026.
A Metal polishers, wheel grinders and tool sharpeners typically earns between £2,300 and £3,376 gross per month at the start of the job.
After 5 years of service, this is between £2,366 and £3,405 per month for a working week of 38 hours.

Operating fixed or portable buffing and polishing machines
Sharpening cutting tools and instruments using grinding wheels or mechanically operated grinding machines
Repairing, adjusting and sharpening saw blades and metal teeth of cylinders in textile carding machines
Dressing grinding wheels according to specifications
Monitoring machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, and stopping machines when problems occur
Inspecting, feeling and measuring work pieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications
Selecting and mounting grinding wheels on machines according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures