Top 5 Tools in a Modern Collision Technician’s Tool Box
A collision repair technician relies on a variety of different tools and pieces of equipment to reverse the effects of damage or age on a vehicle. If you had to pick just 5 tools to put in your tool box to start your collection which would you choose?
See which must-have devices make the list as we unpack the top 5 tools in a collision repair technician’s tool collection.
Hammer and Dolly Set
A body hammer and dolly set is invaluable when it comes to working with sheet metal and making dents and damage disappear. To use a hammer and dolly to reverse a dent, a collision repair technician will gain access to both sides of the damage, positioning the dolly on the exterior of the dent and hammering against it from the inside.
Dual Action Sander
Dual Action (DA) or orbital sanders are one of the most fundamental hand-held tools in an auto body repairer’s arsenal. These sanders feature a grit disc that spins as the sander is moved across the surface of the vehicle. Handy for surface work such as sanding off paint or evening out body fillers, a dual action sander provides an even job achieved in rapid time compared to hand sanding.
Sanding Blocks
When a DA sander is too large or aggressive for the task at hand, affordable, yet exceptionally useful sanding blocks are a reliable option. These blocks are a lifesaver when it comes to collision repair, allowing you to apply even pressure when sanding body fillers or color buffing, resulting in a level surface. Sanding blocks can be used in both wet and dry sanding applications.
Paint Spray Gun
You’ve hammered and sanded and now it’s time to apply an even coating of paint. Using a paint spray gun and slow, even strokes, a collision repair technician’s paint application can be more controlled for each layer, resulting in an eye-catching finish.
Buffer
A buffer tool takes on a role similar to a dual action sander, with a foam pad that contains polishing compounds rotating in an orbital motion to gently remove surface scratches on paint. Interestingly enough, buffing is a bit of an illusion—by adding microscopic scratches to the deeper scratched surface, buffing can restore the look and shine back to a lightly damaged area.
As you can imagine, the deeper the scratch, the more intensive the repair method should be, and buffers work best with shallow scratches.
Becoming a Collision Technician Requires Tools & Training
If you’re fascinated by the tools that assist a collision repair technician on a daily basis, you may want to look into what it’s like to be the repairer behind the hammer, sander, or spray gun. Check out this free eBook about the collision technician role by Automotive Training Center to learn more.
Build your collision toolbox!
