If you want to start an auto body repair shop, you’ll need to own a few essential tools. Without these tools, it’s not possible to undertake any auto bodywork.
Auto body repair works consist of diverse sets of tasks, such as dent repairing, polishing, painting, fender rolling, and many more.
As a beginner, you can start with the following pieces of equipment. And once you have enough budget and expertise, you can acquire more tools.
6 Essential Tools for Auto Body Repair Shop
- DA (Random Orbital) Sander
- Air Compressor
- Spray Gun
- Auto Body Hammer and Dolly Set
- Stud Welder or Slide Hammer
- Fender Roller
1. DA Sander
DA stands for Dual Action, and it’s one of the commonly used tools in every auto body repair shop. It allows you to complete polishing and sanding jobs quickly. There are different options out there with a diverse price range.
A heavy-duty sander will serve you for years and years. So choosing from the premium models is an excellent investment.
I have an entire article on DA sander; you can read it for a better understanding.
2. Air Compressor
An air compressor is a must-have tool for an auto body repair shop. Every air tool you are going to buy for your repair shop will require an air compressor to operate.
One of the most common auto bodywork is painting. And, if you want to make the entire process quicker and easier, you need a decent air compressor with a capacity of 30 – 60 gallons. A large air compressor will benefit you in the long run.
3. Spray Gun
Painting jobs can’t be done without a spray gun. There are a wide range of options out there. As a beginner, you can start with one of the basic models.
But if you’re looking forward to scaling up the painting jobs, investing in the premium models is a wise decision. A heavy-duty spray gun will help you to achieve the expected result in a certain amount of time. As a result, you will be able to undertake more painting jobs.
4. Auto Body Hammer and Dolly Set
Fixing auto body panels into their original shapes require different kinds of autobody hammers and dolly set. These hammers are mainly built for automotive works.
Each of them has a separate application. And having a range of such hammers is always a plus for your shop.
Dolly set, and autobody hammers work hand to hand. When you’re hammering the panel, you’ll need to use a dolly under the area you’re striking to achieve a required shape.
5. Stud Welder or Slide Hammer
Repairing dents on the panels are one of the most basic auto body repair tasks you’ll need to perform in your shop. For these jobs, a stud welder, along with a slide hammer, is required.
Stud welder allows you to weld a small stud on the panel so that you can pull the stud by a slide hammer to fix the dent within a short time.
You can complete the task only with a slide hammer, and in that case, you will need to use a glue gun and pulling tab to pull the panel into original shape.
6. Fender Roller
You’ll see lots of clients come to you to roll the fender so that the tire doesn’t hit it anymore. In that case a fender roller will save your time, and you can use it for all kinds of vehicles.
Also, it doesn’t cost that much money. Having a fender roller in your auto body repair shop is an advantage.
Are you interested in this tool? Check out our fender roller tool guide.
Final Words
So now you know about the essential tools for auto body repair shop. There are numerous tools you may want to use in the shop.
But for inaugurating auto bodywork, these tools mentioned above are adequate for you. And I already told you, once you achieve the expertise, you can add more tools for better services and results.
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