Etchers and Engravers

Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

What you'd actually do

• Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.
• Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces.
• Clean and polish engraved areas.
• Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel.
• Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, plastic, or paper items, using hand tools or hand-held power tools.
• Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

The work splits time indoors and out; much of the day is spent working solo; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 3.2% of etchers and engravers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and creative.

Related careers

• Tool and Die Makers
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• Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
• Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
• Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

Quick questions

How much does a etchers and engraver make?

The median pay is $20.82 per hour — roughly $43,500 a year, with the real range running from about $15.49/hr (10th percentile) to $30.46/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a etchers and engraver?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a etchers and engraver actually do all day?

Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses. Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces. Clean and polish engraved areas.