The Complete Guide to Becoming A Patternmaker, Metal and Plastic

I picked this up because I'm thinking about a trade and had no clue what a patternmaker actually does. The salary information in Chapter 4 was helpful, and I hadn't realized how many jobs are concentrated in the Midwest. Chapter 1 was a bit slower than I expected, but the day-in-the-life chapter felt honest. Not going to lie, this book made me realize I'm not as interested as I thought. That's useful info even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. Three stars because it was solid, but I personally found the reality less exciting than I hoped.

For the price, this is a decent overview. I appreciated that the author didn't try to hype up the job — it's honest about the physical toll and the repetitive parts of the work. The section on apprenticeships gave me a better idea of how long the training takes. My main complaint is that the books spends a lot of time on the basics of what a machine shop is, which felt a little elementary. But if you're coming in totally green like me, you'll probably find it useful.

I'm a career-changer in my thirties, so I was looking for something that gave me the real picture without rainbows and butterflies. This book does that. It explains the machines and terms clearly, which I needed. The pay numbers aligned with what I saw on job boards. The self-assessment in chapter two was useful, and I felt like I could make a better-informed decision after reading it. It's not a page-turner, but it's exactly what it claims to be: a practical guide.

This is the book I wish I had before I went to trade school. It's so concrete about the daily work, the noise, the coolant, and what it feels like to build a pattern by hand. I've told three friends about it already. The chapter on how to land your first job has a checklist that I used to update my resume, and it actually worked — I got an interview at a shop that hadn't posted a job. If you're serious about this career, this book is worth every penny.

I was looking at a lot of career guides and this one stood out because it gave specific numbers, which I appreciated. The chapter on training paths was informative, and I liked the comparison table. I would have liked a little more detail on the actual craft of patternmaking, like tips and techniques, but I understand the book isn't a textbook. As an overview for a beginner, it's fine. I just wouldn't expect it to be the last book you need on the subject.

As someone who just started an apprenticeship, I wish I had read this six months ago. It made me feel better about the parts of the job that are slow or tedious, because it's honest that those days happen. The career growth chapter convinced me there's room to advance, which I wasn't sure about. It's an easy read and parts of it read like a story, which made it much less dry than other career books. I'm glad I bought it.