A panel beater repairs damage to the body of an automobile with metal filler and body tools.
Panel beaters repair damage on vehicle bodies and endeavour to restore damaged vehicles to factory state. A panel beater, also known as an auto body mechanic, may work in a large shop that provides many services or in a small independent shop that concentrates on high-end vehicles or racing cars. In some shops, a worker designated only as a panel beater does all the various jobs in the course of repairing a car from start to finish with no one working under him or her. In most cases, however, there are separate workers who specialise in such areas as cutting out dents, patching panels, chassis alignment, and spray painting. The term "panel beating" comes from the older days when it was common for cars to have separate external panels. Before dent-resistant modern plastics were used in place of metal, cars had external metal bodywork that could be dented or damaged. The damaged panels would then need to be beaten back into their original shape with a hammer and dolly (a pair of tools).
Cutting out any dents or creases in the metal of the car body. Irreparable sections of the vehicle body are fitted with replacement panels. Cutting may also entail replacing damaged panels.
Bulk priming any bare metal to stop it from rusting so soon after replacing damaged panels.
Spot welding attaches replacement pieces of sheet metal by melting a small amount of metal on the panel being repaired and adding it to the new piece, then holding until cool enough to allow handling.
Sanding down excess filler material. If body filler was applied in the panel beating process, it must be sanded down until the car body is flush with the original parts.
Sanding down excess filler material to a smooth finish.
Cleaning the panel with solvents before painting and refitting body hardware that may have been removed to enable easy repair of damaged panels. The above list is not exhaustive but gives an example of the many tasks which are required by a body shop to repair one vehicle alone, never mind multiple vehicles at once. When all these steps have been completed, the worker then applies the relevant auto paint sealant coatings to protect it from damage in the future.
As well as a standard bag of tools, often including hammers and dollies, the majority of automotive panel beaters will also have access to the below tools.
A welder or plasma cutter.
Welding rod, flux core wire electrode.
Edge sealer.
Sandblasters with different grades of paper.
Spray gun for applying primer.
Spray gun for paint care coatings. Typically water-based paints or sealants with anti-scratch properties that are applied by airless spray systems.
Mechanical and hydraulic equipment necessary to repair cars of a vehicle.
The equipment used determines the type of repair process needed. For example, if the filler is used, then certain types of sandpapers may be required to ensure an even finish prior to painting, whereas if a panel needs to be cut out, then a plasma cutter or welder will be needed. Damage that goes down to the metal may also mean that an edge sealer is required before welding the new piece in place, further adding to the range of equipment necessary for undertaking a repair. In addition, tools such as sheet metal shears, clamps, and dollies are needed when traditional body building methods are used without modern-day adhesives and fasteners. Using dollies during this process, otherwise tight areas can become stuck together, which could cause further damage down the line if the connection is broken by prying them apart.
Panel beaters must first complete an automotive body repair technology course at a Registered Training Organisation, and a supervised apprenticeship. In addition to being able to work with a range of tools, automotive panel beaters must also have the following skills:
Manual dexterity.
Good eyesight and visual awareness.
Understand how different tools, materials, and techniques work together to restore vehicles.
Be able to use a variety of power tools, including grinders, welding equipment, etc.
Familiarity with a range of chemicals used in the repair process, such as solvents for cleaning metal/filler material or paints/primer coatings which may be water-based or solvent-based or acrylics.
It is worth bearing in mind that good repairs are not cheap, and cheap repairs are usually not good. There is a wide range of prices quoted for panel beating alone, and it is worth noting that a cheap quote does not always mean a good job. However, costs can be broken down as follows:
It could cost $50 to $150 depending on the extent of damage and what needs to be done.
Around $120 per hour is an average based on quotes from service providers in major Australian cities like Sydney, Adelaide, Perth.
Quotes by smash repairers can vary significantly depending on where you are, which has its own set of variables such as location, distance to supplier/repairer, etc. It then follows that a good panel beater will also be expensive. It is important for customers to remember that however cheap a quote may seem, they still need to consider the quality of work which is ultimately more important than price alone. The average cost of a small panel beating job in Australia starts at around $1,000 and can easily go up to $10,000.
The cost to panel beat a door can vary depending on the extent of the damage. For example, if the door has been in an accident and needs significant repairs such as welding, then this would mean that panels inside the door also need to be repaired, which would add to the overall price. For small jobs such as dents or scuffs that do not require cutting out of metal, it is possible to get quotes for around $200- $300 dollars per door though costs can go up significantly if:
The job involves cutting out and replacing damaged metal.
The work involves removing and replacing door handles, windows, door locks, etc.
In addition, it may be necessary for the door to be repainted if any bare metal is exposed after removing dents. In terms of labour costs, many small jobs tend to take 1-2 hours per door which means that a three-man crew can complete around 6 doors during a standard 8 hour day.
Panel beaters are not cheap because they put in a great deal of effort and skills to meet certain standards of workmanship in order to ensure that the quality of the repair is up to par with what it would have been if no accident had occurred.
This applies both during initial repairs and for ensuring that paint match colours, gloss levels, etc. are as close as possible to pre-accident condition.
In addition, many panel beaters are now part of large national/international companies in the automotive industry, which means they can tap into local research and development, which has enabled them to become more innovative when it comes to repairing cars based on their structural soundness.
All this adds time and costs, which is why customers need to consider whether their car really needs a complete repaint or if the damage can be repaired by just priming and painting, door handle replacement, etc. For more information on panel beaters, and why it may make a good career, take a look at the Australian Government's Your Career website.There are various costs associated with DIY panel beating, which include the below.
Tools will include hand tools such as hammers, dollies, files, etc, plus the cost of any specialist equipment that is required, such as an electric or pneumatic sander.
Materials such as filler material, paint primer, and spray paints all of which need to match factory requirements for gloss level, etc. Many dealerships have a supply of colours from major manufacturers, but they may not necessarily have the specific type of material needed, e.g., a filler suited to one particular model, so this needs to be sourced through a third party supplier/panel beater/body shop before work begins.
The hours spent on research, sourcing materials, and completing small jobs need to be calculated as part of the overall cost. All up, it is not possible to put a dollar amount on DIY repairs since there are so many variables involved, but these can range from around $100 per for simple repairs that do not involve welding spots or painting to several hundred dollars an hour depending on the complexity of the job. For example, if doors need to be removed and hinges repainted, then labour costs go way up.