Shops that specialize in fixing and restoring vehicle body panels rely on a number of hand-held and pneumatic (air-powered) tools to cut, sand, join and shape metal. Whether the car body shop works mainly in collision repair or restoration will determine which tools are likely to be used more often than others. Car body tools can be categorized into seven main categories: sanding and grinding tools, welders and plasma cutters, pneumatic wrenches, pneumatic shaping/cutting/joining tools, riveters, hand-held tools and specialized dent-repair tools.
Sanding/Grinding Tools
Sanding tools like angle sanders, vertical air sanders, sanding boards, dual-action (DA) sanders and orbital sanders are used to smooth out finishes, which prepares sheet metal panels for the painting process. Grinders are used to polish and buff by removing layers of damaged metal, and can also be used to cut off rusted bolts or remove rust from metal paneling.
Welders and Plasma Cutters
Spot welders, stud welders, and MIG (metal in gas) welders work by joining metal surfaces together using extremely high heat. This process allows body panels, body frame sections and other structural components to be joined together. Plasma cutters use a high-voltage arc and compressed gas combination to cut through varying thicknesses of steel. This can be used to remove damaged sections of paneling or cut out rusted areas in a larger sheet of steel.
Pneumatic Wrenches
Air ratchets and impact wrenches are used to quickly remove nuts and bolts on a vehicle and aid the body shop in the dismantling process. Both tools are powered by compressed air and have a high rate of torque. The advantages of using a pneumatic wrench over a hand-held wrench is that the pneumatic saves time, can be used in tight spaces and doesn't require much strength to break stubborn or rusty bolts. Air ratchets tend to be more compact, while an impact wrench can deliver superior torque power.
Pneumatic Shaping/Cutting Tools
An air hammer is a powered mechanical hammer that can be used to hammer panels into shape, while pneumatic nibblers and shears are used for cutting through sheet metal and leaving a smooth edge. A pneumatic flange uses extremely high pressure to crimp two pieces of sheet metal together without the need for welding or riveting. Pneumatic chisels can be used to remove rust or break apart spot welds.
Riveters
A riveter, or rivet gun, is a mechanical fastening device that uses a bolt, pin and high pressure to create a permanent joint that fixes two pieces of metal together. Riveters are commonly used in auto body shops to join sheet metal together or to the frame of the car and are available in pneumatic and hand-operated versions.
Hand-held Tools
There are a number of hand-held tools commonly used in auto body shops. A body shop will also require complete hand-held ratchet and wrench sets, a hexagonal wrench set and an assortment of flat-blade and Phillips screwdrivers. Drills and drill bits are used to create bolt holes and rivet pilot holes, and crowbars are also frequently used, mostly in the process of dismantling a vehicle. Some common hand-held tools are designed specifically for use in the automotive industry. An example of these would be windshield removal tools, which aid in the removal of windshields from vehicles, and spring compressors, which are used to compress the springs found in car doors and suspension assemblies.
Dent Repair Tools
Many car body shops frequently use body hammer and dolly sets to knock out dents and repair misshapen areas in body panels. The dolly (a flat or rounded piece of metal) is held to the back of the metal panel while the hammer is used to strike the front. The sheet metal is sandwiched between the two pieces and small dents and wrinkles are flattened out upon impact. Body shops may also use a slide hammer, which is a device consisting of a long metal rod and a weight. The rod is inserted into a hole drilled in the center of the dent in the metal panel and the inertia of the weight is used to violently pull out the dent.
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