Tools & Equipment: Hand & Power Tools

Basic tool preparation	Safety first	Always follow equipment and workshop instructions, including the use of recommended personal protection equipment.
	Hardening & tempering	By heating and then swiftly cooling certain kinds of steel changes the way that the elements in the alloy are arranged, resulting in a harder material.
	Carbon-alloy	When carbon and other materials are alloyed with iron it forms steel. Changing the amount of carbon will change the hardness, ductility and toughness.

Tools & equipment fundamentals	Lockout/tagout	Lockout/tagout describes a set of safety practices and procedures that are intended to prevent workers from using equipment or materials determined to be unsafe or potentially unsafe.
	Cleaning tools & equipment	The objective of this procedure is to show you how to keep work areas and equipment clean and operational. 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	The objective of this procedure is to show you how to demonstrate warning procedures for isolating vehicles and equipment. Lock out and tag out procedures have been developed to prevent avoidable and unnecessary workshop accidents. The tag notifies other users that the tool or component is dangerous to use.
	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	Rolling road and brake testing equipment can be very dangerous. A rolling road should always be stationary before making adjustments to the vehicle.
	Batteries & chargers	Always treat batteries with care and respect. Be very careful not to create a spark when you are connecting or disconnecting a charger to the battery terminals. Clean the battery terminals and the charger's crocodile clips, and switch off the charger before connecting and disconnecting them from the battery.
	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. If you have to leave a pit unguarded, do so for the shortest possible time, leave the pit lights on so that it is more likely to be noticed, and restrict general access to that work area.
	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	Drills can be portable or bench mounted. A bench mounted drill allows accurate drilling with more control - more so than a portable drill, which is convenient but can be difficult to guide accurately.
	Power grinder	Power grinders come in different sizes and speed ranges. The size of a power grinder is the diameter of the largest wheel or disc it takes.
	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. Air can come out of a pneumatic tool with a lot of force, and that can cause damage and injury so it's important to be careful when using and air tool.

Using electric power tools	Using an angle grinder	The angle grinder uses an electric motor to drive an abrasive disc at high speed. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to correctly use an angle grinder.
	Using a bench grinder	The bench grinder turns an abrasive wheel or wire brush wheel at high speed. These wheels are used to remove metal from a work piece, sharpen tools and clean parts. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to set up, adjust and use a bench grinder.
	Using pressure washers & cleaners	The objective of this procedure is to show you how to safely use pressure washers and cleaners in the workshop. Familiarize yourself with the equipment prior to use, as misuse can cause damage.

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. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to correctly operate an air drill.
	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. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to correctly use an air impact wrench.
	Using an air blow gun	Air tools are attached to the air supply by fittings that allow the supply to be connected and disconnected easily. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to correctly operate an air blowgun.
	Using an air chisel	Air chisels act in a similar manner to a jackhammer, however their size makes their cycling rate faster. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to correctly use an air chisel.

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. The soft-face & deadblow hammers are also used.
	Chisels	The most common type of chisel is the flat chisel. You should always wear safety goggles when working with chisels.
	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 screw-driver 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 vice is a plain vice that will hold anything that needs sawing, filing, or chiselling. The G-clamp holds parts together while they're being worked on.
	Spanners	There are many types of spanners. The most common are the ring spanner, open end spanner & the combination spanner. 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 six corners and is the type of grip needed on any nut or bolt that’s extremely tight.
	Pliers	Combination pliers are made from two pieces of high carbon or alloy steel. They pivot together so that any force applied to the handles is multiplied in the strong jaws. Most pliers are limited by their size in what they can grip. It is important to select the right type and size of pliers for the job.
	Wrenches	A torque wrench tightens bolts and nuts. A pipe wrench grips pipes and tubes. Other specialised wrenches include the wheel brace & oil filter removing 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	The torque wrench tightens bolts and nuts to a specified torque recommended by the manufacturer. 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.

Automotive tools	Pipe flaring & cutting	Pipe flaring tools can create single or double flares. 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. A pipe cutter creates a neater cut than sawing pipes and metal tubing.
	Marking tools	Marking tools include a scriber, dividers, marking-dye & engineers blue. To mark sharp, clean lines on metal you require a sharp, clean point.
	Gauges	A gauge measures the difference between any two points and can be divided 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. Taps cut threads inside holes or nuts.
	Fasteners	There are many different fasteners used in automotive applications, including screws, bolts, studs & nuts. Washers & chemical compounds can be used to help secure these fasteners.
	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	A punch makes an accurate blow at exactly one point. They 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 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. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to use a die to repair damaged threads in an automotive component.
	Repairing an internal thread	The objective of this procedure is to show you how to use a tap to repair damaged threads in an automotive component. There are three different types of thread taps: starting, intermediate and finishing.
	Removing a stud	Stud removers are used to remove damaged studs when jam and drive nuts cannot perform the task. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to remove and replace a stud with a jam and drive nut or a stud remover.
	Using a screw extractor	Screw extractors are available in two common types: one has reverse threads and the other has straight flutes. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to use a screw extractor to remove a broken stud or screw.
	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. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to select, install and use a gear puller to remove a pulley.

Using measuring tools	Using a torque wrench & an angle gauge	Vehicle manufacturers specify torque values for certain fasteners. This is to make sure that fasteners are not over- or under-tightened. The torque wrench is used to apply a specified amount of torque to a fastener. The torque angle gauge is used to make sure there is equal tightness of fasteners on a component. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to use a torque angle gauge in conjunction with a torque wrench.
	Using a thread pitch gauge	Fasteners are used to secure components or pieces of components together. There are two main types of fasteners: inch and metric. They are not compatible. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to identify the common types, length, diameter, grade and thread pitch of threaded fasteners.
	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. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to connect and use a vacuum gauge to check engine manifold vacuum.
	Using a dial indicator	Dial indicators are used in many types of service jobs. They are particularly useful in determining run-out on rotating shafts and rotors. Dial indicators can measure with an accuracy of 0.001" or 0.01mm. The objective of this procedure is to show you the correct method of measuring using a dial indicator.
	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. The objective of this procedure is to show you the correct choice and use of feeler gauge sets.
	Using a micrometer	Micrometers are available in metric and inch graduations. Typically, an inch micrometer has an accuracy of 0.001" and a metric micrometer has an accuracy of 0.01mm. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to measure using an outside micrometer.
	Using a tire pressure gauge	There are two main types of tire pressure gauges: fixed workshop gauges and portable pocket size gauges. The objective of this procedure is to show you how to use a tire pressure gauge and interpret the readings correctly.

Topic	Summary