Tools & Equipment: Hand & Power Tools

Basic tool preparation	Safety first	Whenever using tools, always think safety first.
	Hardening & tempering	Certain kinds of steel can be hardened by heating, then cooling it rapidly.
	Carbon-alloy	When carbon and other materials are alloyed with iron it forms steel.

Tools & equipment fundamentals	Lockout/tagout	These procedures require workers engaged in service activities to disconnect the affected systems and either lock or tag the systems to prevent them from being reactivated by other workers who are unaware of the maintenance.
	Cleaning tools & equipment	At the end of each working day clean the tools and equipment you used and check them for any damage. If you note any damage, tag the tool as faulty and organize a repair or replacement.
	Identifying defective equipment	Any equipment that is found to be faulty needs to be identified so that other users are not put at risk.
	Compressed air equipment	Compressed air is quite capable of penetrating ordinary work clothes as well as your skin, so always handle air equipment carefully and with respect.
	Rolling road & brake testing equipment	A rolling road should always be stationary before making adjustments to the vehicle.
	Batteries & chargers	Always remove your hand or wrist jewelry before working with batteries. If it comes into contact with the battery terminals it can cause a short circuit.
	Vehicle inspection pits	Many people have been injured falling into pits, even when they have been working in or near the pit for a long time.
	Wheel & tire safety	Over inflated tires can explode. When a tire explodes, the tire, rim or components from the tire changer may cause serious injury or death to any person nearby.

Power tools	Drills & drill bits	A drilling speed chart should be kept near the bench or pedestal drill. It compares drill sizes and metals to show the proper speed.
	Power grinder	Every well-equipped workshop has a solidly mounted grinder, either on a pedestal bolted to the workshop floor, or securely attached to the workbench.
	Air tools	Air tools use compressed air to do a number of tasks. They can include the air impact wrench, air ratchet, air chisel, air drill & air duster.

Using electric power tools	Using an angle grinder	When using cutting discs you should always use the edge of the disc rather than the face.
	Using a bench grinder	The face of the abrasive wheel must be kept square. This is done with a dressing tool, which removes some of the abrasive compound.
	Using pressure washers & cleaners	If the pressure cleaner uses a heating element, turn the heater off and allow water to flow through the wand until is has cooled before you turn the unit off.

Using air power tools	Using an air drill	Unlike battery and electric powered drills, air drills do not require electricity to operate. They are safer in an environment where flammable materials are present.
	Using an air impact wrench	The best use of an air impact wrench is to remove wheel lug nuts. Do not use an impact wrench to tighten wheel lug nuts.
	Using an air blow gun	Pull the trigger gently and modulate the flow of air through the nozzle. If too much air is allowed through, you may blow dirt particles into the workshop.
	Using an air chisel	Air chisels act in a similar manner to a jackhammer, however their size makes their cycling rate faster.

Common workshop tools	Basic hand tools	Choose the right tool for the job. Otherwise you could damage the part you are working on, the tool, or yourself.
	Hammers	The most common hammer in an automotive workshop is the ball pein or engineer's hammer.
	Chisels	The most common kind of chisel is a flat chisel.
	Saws	Hacksaws are a common workshop tool. The frames come in a range of shapes and sizes. For any given frame there’s a range of available hacksaw blades to cope with different materials and situations.
	Screw-drivers	The correct screwdriver to use depends on the type of slot or recess in the head of the screw or bolt, and how accessible it is.
	Vices & clamps	The bench vise is a useful tool for holding anything that can fit into the jaws and needs sawing, filing, or chiseling.
	Spanners	Spanners will only do a job properly if it’s the right size for the nut or the bolt to be turned.
	Sockets & accessories	Sockets are a good choice where the top of the fastener is reasonably accessible. The socket fits onto it snugly and grips it on all 6 corners and is the type of grip needed on any nut or bolt that’s extremely tight.
	Pliers	Combination pliers are made from 2 pieces of high carbon or alloy steel. They pivot together so that any force applied to the handles is multiplied in the strong jaws.
	Wrenches	Whilst manufacturers don't specify torque settings for every nut and bolt,when they do, it's important, and that's why the torque wrench is such an important tool.
	Files	There are many different types of files. What makes one file different from another is not just it's shape but how much material it’s designed to remove with each stroke.
	Torque wrenches	Tightens bolts and nuts using the drive on the end, which takes any sockets and accessories.

Automotive tools	Pipe flaring & cutting	A pipe flaring tool has two parts, a set of bars with holes that match the diameter of the pipe end to be shaped, and a yoke that drives a cone into the mouth of the tube.
	Marking tools	Making sharp, clean lines on metal requires a sharp, clean point.
	Gauges	Tools that measure the difference between any two points can be divided up according to how accurately they do it.
	Taps & dies	Threads are cut on screws, bolts, nuts, studs and inside holes to allow components to be attached and assembled.
	Fasteners	Larger bolts and nuts must sometimes be tightened to a specified level - tight enough to hold components together but not so tight that the component or the fastener could fail.
	Pullers	The most common pullers have 2 or 3 legs which grip the part to be removed. A pulling action then extracts the part.

Additional tools	Punches	Punches are used when the head of the hammer is too large to strike the object being hit without causing damage to adjacent parts.
	Riveting tools	There are many applications for blind rivets and there is a variety of types and tools for that may be used to do the riveting.

Using non-powered tools	Repairing an external thread	A die is a metalworking tool used to repair or cut new outside threads on fasteners.
	Repairing an internal thread	When cutting a new thread into a hole, make sure the tap is square to the work piece. This will help lead the teeth to cut squarely onto the shank.
	Removing a stud	Stud removers are used to remove damaged studs when jam and drive nuts cannot perform the task.
	Using a screw extractor	Screw extractors are available in two common types: One has reverse threads and the other has straight flutes.
	Using a gear puller	Gear and bearing pullers are designed for hundreds of applications. Their main purpose is to remove a component, such as a gear, pulley or bearing from a shaft, or to remove a shaft from inside a hole.

Using measuring tools	Using a torque wrench & an angle gauge	The torque value will be specified in foot-pounds (lb-ft) or Newton-meters (Nm) and is the amount of twisting force applied to a fastener by the torque wrench.
	Using a thread pitch gauge	Fine threads can achieve a greater tightening force than coarse threads.
	Using a vacuum gauge	A vacuum gauge is used to measure the manifold pressure. In naturally aspirated engines, this pressure is always below atmospheric pressure. It is referred to as a vacuum.
	Using a dial indicator	Dial indicators can measure with an accuracy of 0.001" or 0.01mm.
	Using a feeler gauge	Feeler gauges are strips of hardened metal that have been ground or rolled to a precise thickness. They can be very thin and will cut through skin if not handled correctly.
	Using a micrometer	If a micrometer is held in your hand, the heat from your fingers can cause the frame to expand and give an inaccurate reading. Always hold the micrometer by the insulating block on the frame.
	Using a tire pressure gauge	There are two main types of tire pressure gauges — fixed workshop gauges and portable pocket size gauges.