Tools, Equipment and Workshop Practice
Tools, Equipment and Workshop Practice tests selection, inspection, safe use and maintenance of hand and power tools used in vehicle body work. Expect questions on hammers and dollies, air tools, compressors, spray guns, measuring equipment, lifting gear and workshop organisation.
Core rules
- Match the tool to the task and material: a soft-faced hammer for chrome trim, a body hammer for steel, a plastic scraper for painted plastic.
- Inspect before use: cracked handles, mushroomed chisel heads, frayed leads, damaged air hoses, missing guards and leaking regulators.
- Use the correct air pressure and clean, dry air; water in a spray-gun line causes paint defects.
- Keep cutting tools sharp and files clean; store precision tools away from moisture and impact.
- Support work in a vice or on stands; do not use a cheater bar to extend a wrench.
- Maintain a clean bench, marked walkways and designated storage; clean and return tools after use.
Worked example
A spot weld must be removed without distorting a visible panel. A chisel and hammer risks tearing and stretching metal. The better choice is a spot-weld drill cutter matched to the weld diameter, centre-punched first, drilled slowly with cutting lubricant, then the nugget is separated. The remaining burr is dressed. Reasoning: the cutter removes only the weld, preserves panel shape and reduces rework.
Traps
Do not use a worn or oversized cutter; it enlarges the hole. Do not lift by the spray-gun hose or use compressed air to clean skin. A torque wrench is a measuring instrument-do not use it as a breaker bar.