Who is a tinsmith and what do they do? The tinsmith makes products from sheet metal. As a rule s/he will specialise either in the field of machinery, or building construction.
What are the activities of the tinsmith job? From drawings the tinsmith will deduce the size and shape and amount of sheet metal needed – work with sheet metal, either using machine tools, or with hand operated scissors, chisels, bending rolls, plaiting and joining components by means of soldering, riveting and electric arc welding – working on specialised machines or production lines for sheet metal working – producing plane or formed sheet metal components or products, e.g. ventilation tubes, bends, nozzles and branches, sheet metal containers or covers – assembly of complete air conditioning systems and testing them – production of copper, aluminium or tinned steel roof cover parts, metal cladding of windows, doors etc., production and assembly of eaves, gutters and drain pipes (only in the case of the building construction tin smith) – driving vehicles for the transport of sheet metal components.
Where is it done and under what conditions? This job is carried out in workshops as well as on buildings, and a noisy environment must be expected; in the case of building work a dusty environment and not very easily accessible work objects and changing weather conditions will be encountered.
What tools/equipment do they use? The most frequently used tools are cutters, pliers, hammers, chisels, measuring equipment, welding equipment, soldering irons and other manual or machine tools for sheet metal working.
What do you need to succeed? You need vocational training, manual skill, physical dexterity, and aptitude for technical work, spatial awareness, accuracy, and physical fitness.