Most motorists eventually have to visit an automotive body shop to repair cosmetic damage to their car. Body shops remove dents, replace panels, straighten frames and paint vehicles. Automotive body shops use a large variety of different tools to restore cars to their original condition. These tools fall into three categories: hand tools, pneumatic tools and power tools.
Hand Tools
Automotive body shops use several types of hand tools to complete body repairs. Among the most standard items in a body repair mechanic's toolbox are ratchet sets, which are used for removing bolts from fenders, door hinges, bumpers and several other parts of the car. Wrench sets are used for the same purpose as ratchet sets, but sometimes fit better in hard-to-reach areas. A mechanic might use a pry bar or crow bar for removing large pieces of body paneling or other large body parts that must be replaced. Body hammers and dolly sets are used for shaping dented panels back into place. Slide hammers are used to pull dents out of car bodies. Tin snips are needed to cut thin sheet metal that might be used to repair body panels.
Pneumatic Tools
Pneumatic tools are powered by compressed air. Many of the tools are just high-powered versions of hand-tools that make the work easier. Pneumatic shears are used to cut through sheet metal quickly and leave a smoother edge than can be achieved with tin snips. Air hammers are used for pounding out body panels to straighten dents. These hammers can be outfitted with chisel or punch bits. Chisels are used for breaking rusted parts loose, while punch bits are good for removing old rivets and bolts that are too difficult to remove by hand. Air ratchets and impact wrenches can also be used to remove stubborn or rusted bolts. Impact wrenches provide more torque power than air ratchets, but air ratchets fit in tighter places.
Power Tools
Auto body shops have many electric power tools, including a variety of power sanders, which are used for smoothing out body filler and preparing body surfaces for new coats of paint. Orbital sanders, dual-action sanders, angle sanders, vertical sanders, straight-line sanders and palm sanders may be used to complete body work. Power riveters use high pressure to join two pieces of metal together with a bolt and pin. Power drills and drill bit sets are used to make holes to house bolts and rivets, or to make holes in dented panels so a dent can be pulled out. Grinders are used to cut metal, grind rust from body panels and cut off rusted bolts. Plasma cutters may be used to cut damaged or rusted areas directly out of a car's body. Welders are among the most essential tools in body shops. They are used for tasks such as attaching body panels or sealing holes after dents are pulled out
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