Basic skills my students should have...

[crabo]

This is an offbeat question, but a lot of my autobody students grow up living in apartments and often living with their mothers. I am the only one teaching them basic hand skills. I am looking for ideas for my intro classes on things that will help them understand tools and how to "fix things". Here are SOME of the things I teach.

One of the first things I do is buy a bunch of 2x4s and a 50# box of nails and have them nail 2x4s together. It teaches hammer usage and accuracy. You would be surprised how many kids have never used a hammer and nail.

I also teach them how to correctly solder wires together and to use shrink tube.

I teach everyone to run a bead with the mig welder in the flat position.

We learn to light and adjust a cutting torch and cut some pieces off of a piece of metal. (remember this is autobody and not welding class)

I teach basic fractions with multiple folds with a piece of notebook paper. Reading a tape measure is next.

Tool identification and proper names for the tools.

Reverse thread markings on fasteners.

I am hoping to get more ideas on quick lessons that will help my students become better entry level employees.

Do you have any ideas for basic knowledge and skills, or simple projects? I would particularly like some ideas for simple projects on the box and pan brake. I have a lot of good sheetmetal tools. I like things that they can take home and show off.

My goal is to have them get "the big picture" and start filling in areas where they have a real interest. They often don't know enough to have a clue about what they are really interested in.

[garym1a2]

Teach what are Metric and inch units as related to car. When to use a 12mm or 13mm verse a 1/2 socket. What are 12 points and 6 point tools good for. When to use a grade 5 or 8 bolt or the Metric equal. How to take off car tires, brakes, other car parts and put them back on.

[km101]

How to read a dial caliper and a standard micrometer. Good skills in any industry.

[runfiverun]

how to center-punch and drill a hole in metal.
starting dry-wall screws with a battery powered drill.

littlegirl has been remodeling some camping cabins and the kids [she hired on to just be a helper but was running the crew of boy's in one day] have no clue on basic stuff like sink removal, kitchen cabinets, door hinges, the difference between a 2x4 and 2x6, how to swing a hammer, read a tape measure, cut wood, make a mark to cut a board,etc..

[waksupi]

I would teach them to drill and tap, and remove broken screws and bolts. Those are the first that came to mind.

[C.F.Plinker]

Could they make a simple sheet metal tool tote?

[sundog]

Basic shop and tool safety.

[williamwaco]

Well,

You are probably not going to like my idea because it doesn't fit exactly with your question.

They need to be able to write normal shop forms in a legible manner so the customer and or the supervisor can understand what they are proposing to do or what they did.

Many college graduates can't do that.

[gbrown]

Autobody might not be the best place for this, but one of the simplest things is to give them a hand saw, hammer, nails, and measuring tools and have them build a simple box. Go over their finished product and ask them to tell you if it looks correct. If not, have them critique their work and ask what they should have done to make it better. If time permits, let them try again, keeping recent lessons in mind. Covers a whole myriad of skills--planning, precision, proper use of tools & material, attention to detail, etc, besides learning to use handtools correctly. Let them see how complex a simple task can turn into.

[Norbrat]

Could they make a simple sheet metal tool tote?

I thought that would be a good project as well.

Here are some youtube videos the kids could use to get them started.

http://www.youtube.com/user/GunterCOET?feature=watch

[Char-Gar]

I felt my kids should be able to do three things and made certain they could.. Oh yes, they also learned basic manners and social graces.

1. Type/Use a keyboard
2. Drive a vehicle with a manual transmission
3. Shoot a rifle

[LynC2]

I would add giving a basic lesson on the different types of fasteners, nuts, bolts, self locking nuts, castellated nuts, cotter key installation. Also include how to measure them using calipers, mikes and thread pitch gauges. It wouldn't hurt to throw in some basic electrical safety and basic blueprint reading too.

[freebullet]

Whatever you teach them they are lucky to have a person like you whom cares.

[blackthorn]

The proper way to shrpen knives and shop tools.

[alrighty]

Whatever you teach them they are lucky to have a person like you whom cares.

Totally agree , they are indeed lucky.I was also fortunate in having a very good teacher in vocational school.My class was machine shop , so we made small c clamps and such.One very interesting project was making ladder deer stands from EMT conduit.We would mill the tubes on end for rungs , and braze them in place.
Just being able to read a tape measure and have basic welding skills will help in finding a trade.I like the idea of using a metal brake to make a tool box , several skills involved and it will be interesting and useful.
May find something useful at this site , good luck to you sir.
http://www.shopsupplyhouse.com/sheet.htm

[portlybowlofpigfat]

files
how to know what file to use for a task and how to use one

[Wayne Smith]

How to make something (Anything!) square. And be able to repeat that.

[crabo]

Basic knots, most of these kids can't tie their own shoes.

Most anything can be rigged or secured through use of a half-hitch, square knot, clove hitch, and/or a bowline.

PB

This is a great idea I would have never thought of. I think also using ratchet straps should be added in with that.

There are some great ideas here. Please keep them coming.

[Hamish]

The tape measure is step one. How to layout a right angle and then use the tape will help get them to the sheet metal tool tote. (That was my first thought too)

MATH IS POWER

crabo, I have seen some of the pictures of the work your kids have done, outstanding.

Any tool, whether it be manual or power is learnable, but without the math it's just a monkey doing a weak imitation without being able to truly create.

[Bzcraig]

The tape measure is step one. How to layout a right angle and then use the tape will help get them to the sheet metal tool tote. (That was my first thought too)

MATH IS POWER

crabo, I have seen some of the pictures of the work your kids have done, outstanding.

Any tool, whether it be manual or power is learnable, but without the math it's just a monkey doing a weak imitation without being able to truly create.

This is the greatest gift IMO as well. If they can't layout they will not be able to fabricate. I was a contractor for 25 years and had guys working for me that could not communicate in terms less than 1/4" when reading a tape measure. Ask around the people you know how many know what the 3,4,5 principle of checking a true right angle is and watch their faces. Math, up to algebra is necessary for even simple construction projects.

[Blacksmith]

+1 on layout. Show them how to use a compass to bisect a line, create a perpendicular, bisect an angle, etc. A old drafting book will have lots of ideas. Make and dimension a hand sketch. Write up a bill of materials.

Also have them run a bead of caulk, Spackle drywall (good practice for Bondo), cut a pane of glass, weigh/measure ingredients, use a feeler gauge, select a saw blade for the work to be done. How to use a combination square including the centering head and protractor head.

What hardening and tempering are and how they differ. There is more bad heat treating information on the internet than you can imagine. Teach them how to evaluate internet sources of information for likely accuracy.

Here is a "Tool" you may be able to use to help teach them tool identification and terminology:
http://quizlet.com/18626207/basic-hand-tools-flash-cards/

[TXGunNut]

I wonder how many schools teach a basic home repairs class. I learned many of those skills working with my dad and many more on my own. I know it's part of the AG curriculum but many of the skills above could be taught in such a course. I took vocational auto mechanics but I think a course that teaches a student how things work in the home and how to fix the simple stuff and understand the more complex stuff would be an asset for anyone coordinated enough to use a screwdriver.

[possom813]

If you'd like to teach them how to replace a mirror on 2000 F250 and remove and install new pinstriping(the separation stripe between the two-tone paint at the 'top' of the rocker panel), I volunteer my truck and I'll supply the parts and the vehicle :D

And if they'd like to pop a small dent and add some touchup paint on the passenger side bedside where a certain spouse caught a certain pipe turning into the driveway, well heck, I wouldn't be mad at y'all for that either :bigsmyl2:

[oscarflytyer]

This is FANTASTIC! Awesome that you are doing this! I have a ton of things I try and make sure my five boys know how to do. It is a long laundry list...

The VERY FIRST thing I would teach is safety. I am actually a bit surprised that, on a shooting forum, no one suggested safety glasses! And if tools/motors are running, hearing protection.

Other things that come to mind...
- How to sharpen a knife - and to always use a sharp knife. Same for wood chisels
- Use the proper tool for the job at hand.
- No loose clothing around power tools
- agree with hammer and nails. also proper nails for the job.
- how to counter sink a wood screw, and proper screw for the job
- how to change oil, tire and check all automobile fluids. Also how to check belts
- How to install/replace a door knob and dead bolt lock
- how to replace a toilet
- install a sink faucet and a shower head. How to use teflon tape and pipe dope. how to get an object out of the P trap
- use a hand saw and a circular saw
- how to sand using a sanding block so you don't round the corners
- how to sew! by hand!
- how to safely start a grill
- doesn't exactly fit, but... how to cook basic things
- how to safely use a chain saw
- basic electricity and how to replace a light switch, plug socket, and install a ceiling light
- how to use a multimeter
- how to use a caliper/micrometer
- carpentry math. use of a carpenter's square. use of a chalk line
- advanced, but basic roof repair
- safe use of a ladder
- how to dig a post hole and build a fence. also build a deck - these are advanced topics, but there are a ton of sub-tasks included here.
- another advanced one - how to install a laminate floor
- caulk a window
- wash cloths - using laundry detergent. DON'T ASK why I say WITH detergent! I have 5 boys!!!
- how to use a torque wrench
- use of an air compressor, and draining the air so it doesn't rust
- how to care for and maintain tools and equipment!
- how to use a nail set
- stress checking the oil in a lawn mower before use
- how to properly mix gas and oil for a 2 cycle engine
- never ever ever to keep running an engine when it either overheats or you loose oil pressure!!!
- how to mix anti-freeze with water for a 50-50 mix. and don't put cold water in an overheated engine. use of stop-leak for a radiator leak
- how to bleed brakes
- basic first aid, especially for chemicals and foreign objects in the eye, cuts, burns, treatment for shock
- furnace filter replacement
- how to cut a piece of glass
- how to use a file and a wood chisel
- hang a door

[429421Cowboy]

It is a very good thing you are doing for these kids, it amazes me to this day how many kids my age (20) that have jut never been around things that we take for granted. Not their fault or something to be ashamed of fi they never had a way to be exposed to it, but it makes it hard for them to get a job too.

When I was in high school and competed in 4-H, I was on the state Ag Mechanics team for a few years. In Ag Mech we were required to know what was considered basic knowledge for rural kids that had a shop class at school. This consisted of diagnosing/troubleshooting small engines, ID of engine parts as well as all of the various vital fluids; IE tell motor oil from tranny fluid or hydro oil, basic hydraulic calculations as well as determining leverage/force, concrete calculations and knowledge of basic tools and mixtures, simple framing, roofing and measuring skills, ID of different metals (spark test) and properties, basic welding designations and the ability to read blueprints for welding, simple electrical knowledge, wiring a light switch in with a 3 way switch, proper and safe use of a voltmeter, as well as shop/working safety rules, sharpening various tools from knives to chisels and mower blades.
One of the other things I studied and competed in was Meats Identification, it would surprise you how many kids can't even cut up a chicken these days, much less figure out where a steak comes from. I know that is outside of what you are teaching, but it does say something for how far we have gotten away from a DIY society.

Good on you for trying to make a difference!

[lylejb]

HEARING and eye protection!!! Lots of shops require eyes, but don't think much about ears.

When I was 16, in HS metal shop I had a project that I used a 7" disc grinder on. It was just going to take a minute........which turned into an entire class. It was located in a somewhat enclosed corner of the shop, which concentrated the sound even more.

When I was done, my ears were ringing. I thought very little of it at the time, I had been shooting, and to loud concerts. The ringing always goes away in an hour or so.

Well, my ears are still ringing.......that was in 1986.

Most Young people don't think ahead, I didn't.

If you could teach them to think ahead, even just a bit, it might save some of them from regret

[Wal']

Measure & re-measure again........how many time have you cut that 4x2 an inch or a foot to short.

[redneckdan]

To the OP, you my friend are a saint!

It is incredible how much the kids hiring on at the mine out of school don't know! Unfortunately, the bargaining unit leadership doesn't seem too interested in helping them get some education. Last week I was asked by one of the new guys if I could sit down and explain some lubrication stuff. I prepped a presentation on what I figured he wanted...turns out he wasn't quite ready for an in depth discussion on tribology. He showed up with about a dozen other new guys and we covered stuff like why grease versus oil, fill levels, how to purge air from a grease gun. One guy honestly thought an air locked grease gun was broken and had been throwing them out! [smilie=b: and it's not that they are dumb they just don't have exposure to this stuff. Looking back over the years I can't imagine having to quickly learn everything I have so far, it's daunting. And most of the good stuff didn't come from a class room but rather busting knuckles under equipment or slogging through mud and snow.

My recommendation, The Scientific Method. There ain't a problem in the world that can resist it. It's an organized methodical way to gather and analyze information to solve a problem. Every good mechanic does it whether they realize it or not. Introduce it in the class room, present them with a problem and then have them walk through it. Easy at first but then ramp it up.

[6bg6ga]

Before you teach them anything else teach them to listen.

[Silver Eagle]

In High School I took a metal shop class. One of the projects was a sheet metal planter (about the size of a large box of tissues.) We were given plans and had to layout the cuts and bends on the steel before going over to a shear press and brake for the cutting and folding. Next we cut and braked a small base out of the leftover pieces. A spot welder did all of the attachment work followed by soldering all around for water tightness. Final priming and painting was done in a spray booth.
A second project was forging a basic cold chisel out of octagonal bar stock. Forging was done in a gas fired forge and an anvil. Oil hardening and quenching was also taught. Finish cleanup was done with hand files.
Class did teach a lot about basic metal work and basic shop skills. Basically, find a small project they can actually make and walk them through it from start to finish. While adding in more tools and techniques as you go along.
Keep up the good work! It is truly amazing how many basic skill today's youth do not have and truly need.

[ftut]

Teach them how to read a map. We had a young kid at my work that the company thought a lot of and they sent him out of town to do a job. His van was broken into and they stole his GPS. This kid had to find a Walmart to buy a new GPS to find his way home.

[koehn,jim]

How to use a torque wrench, many of todays cars have a lot of aluminum and plastic parts that need to be tightened like wheels. Too much pressure breaks or strips them.

[blackthorn]

Before you start to teach them, give each of them a copy of this thread and have them tick off the things they think they already know.

[Bzcraig]

Before you teach them anything else teach them to listen.

Best advise possible!

[GLL]

Basic drawing skills are important ! I taught my son how to make a simple 3-view orthographic drawing when he was six.
This gets students to think in 3-D ! Being able to make single and two-point perspective sketches helps as well.
Get them to graphically divide a line into thirds, fifths, sevenths, etc. I work with PhDs that do not know how it is done ! :)

What ever happened to wood shop, metal shop, auto shop, and drafting classes in school? :(
I was in a college prep program in high school but still took them all ! I would guess that we all took these classes in the "old days" ! ?

Jerry

[HangFireW8]

Great ideas here! God bless the OP.

In keeping with your subject, teach them which grease and oil to use for different applications, moly, lithium and silicone. Dot 3 vs 5 brake fluid. The ways you can and cannot substitute diesel, #2 and kerosene.

What oil weight to use or substitute. Oil U at Bob is the Oil Guy forum is a great free tutorial. I learned a lot there.

[btroj]

Teach them to think. To problem solve. To identify what e problem is and a viable solution to that problem.
Teach them to think outside the box. Heck, they shouldn't even know there is a box. Independant thinking solves lots of problems.

Teach them to be self sufficient, to not depend on others for basic functionality.

Teach them to be self sufficient and free thinkers and they will teach themselves the rest.

[wv109323]

A simple leather project ( like a wallet or front pocket wallet for credit/business cards)) would teach them: Measurement, layout, stitching or sewing,tool usage and would be something they could take home and use.

[fecmech]

basic electricity and how to replace a light switch, plug socket, and install a ceiling light
- how to use a multimeter
I will second that one. A basic understanding of electricity is priceless. Practically everything today is electric or electrically controlled. If you can read a multimeter and understand where to put the probes you will amaze and astound your friends and save yourself a bunch of money!

[Hamish]

Gentlemen, Congratulations are in order all the way around. We have reinvented HIGH SCHOOL, Small Town, USA, circa 1950! (With a touch of Voc. School to be sure)

Small engine class, old fashioned home ec., and a real shop class in high school, 2 years in the Armed Forces for every single citizen of the US upon turning 19, been saying it for 25 years,,,,,,,,

[HeavyMetal]

OK, I glanced at every post added to this thread, I did see a suggestion about changing oil in a car, but not one about dealiing with the car batterty!

So here's my soggestion teach you students how to replace a car battery, not just switching it out but how to add or replace a terminal as well!

I can't tell you how many cars I've looked at over the year with a great battery in it but such a Micky Moused wiring system in it I just wanted to slap someone.

Same thing with radio installations: Hate finding a classic 66 or 65 Mustang that some dork has cut the dash to fit a 20 buck am fm radio into! soldering wires and using shrink wrap is a good start but expand this to the battery and radio work, one car could teach a room full of students!

[HeavyMetal]

OK, I glanced at every post added to this thread, I did see a suggestion about changing oil in a car, but not one about dealiing with the car battery!

So here's my soggestion teach you students how to replace a car battery, not just switching it out but how to add or replace a terminal as well!

I can't tell you how many cars I've looked at over the year with a great battery in it but such a Micky Moused wiring system in it I just wanted to slap someone.

Same thing with radio installations: Hate finding a classic 66 or 65 Mustang that some dork has cut the dash to fit a 20 buck am fm radio into! soldering wires and using shrink wrap is a good start but expand this to the battery and radio work, one car could teach a room full of students!

[crabo]

I appreciate all of the ideas, don't stop now!

[Katya Mullethov]

Dont be that guy . Planning ahead so when asked if they need 9 or 10 inch brakes they can put their hands on their hips and proudly proclaim ELEVEN INCH ! Along those lines taking the mower part they are looking for along with them rather than relying on the fact that it is a "Briggs" will make the job go much faster .

The evils of ethanol and the history of the short lived hole in the ozone, and the cost of 1234yf .

How to tighten a lead battery terminal without squishing it .

What happens when a higher order primate with an impact wrench is turned loose on a few thousand dollars worth of custom wheels , studs , and nuts . Stock wheels and studs and nuts for that matter should be enough to freak them out .I have samples of hour glassed and snapped studs and grooved up conical seats I show someone everyday.

Rubber tires are porous and they blow out because you never check the pressure

Antifreeze doesnt last FOREVER.

Grease is cheap .

Don't wash you hands with solvent ,diesel, or gasolene .Dont get carb & brake cleaner on you.Wear gloves whenever you can .

Take a machinists hammer and whack the end of enough bolts so everybody gets one and then pass out the three cornered files and nuts to use as thread gauges .

Bolts graded with a number are metric .

Why you need a lathe ,drill press , vice , and a bench grinder really bad .

Cleanliness is next to godliness in soldering and brazing .

How to free hopelessly stuck parts with electrolysis .

What happens when you mix up those two two screw on the top of a Ford 7.3l water pump with any of the others . lol They're almost all dead , but that just makes them fodder for teenagers .

Assuming they want to make money working on cars , they will need to start right now with ohms law , simple circuits , how solenoids work , how to use a voltmeter, test light ,and read a wiring diagram , where to buy TSBs , recalls, and diagnostic trees . How to burn up a PCM with a test light , twisting and taping connections , or grabbing power without reading the wiring diagram as above . Viewing and collecting a library of fuel pump current waveforms and the like can wait , but the mere revelation that such things even exist will show you who is serious .

And the most important lesson they will learn as independents or otherwise is to constantly ask themsleves "How many billable hours do I have left in my life ?" Which jobs to refuse or way overbid is something they will just have to learn the hard way .

[dbosman]

Teach them how to use orthgraphic and isometric graph paper to draw on.
http://www.printfreegraphpaper.com/ is one site that allows you to print them.

The now I get it look on the face of a kid who can't draw, when they make a box, is worth the effort.

[FishingFool]

How to use a torque wrench.

[merlin101]

I haven't read or even looked at all these post but I did read some and I can't understand HOW some relate to an auto body class! Knots? Oil changes, wheel bearings boxes sheetmetal brakes???
Yeah all are usefull but....

I'm assuming that this is a high school vocational type class and if so they need to learn a skill to earn a living. They do need to know how to read a tape and know the metric system. The need to know very basic electric skills and basic terms and tools. How to properly degrease a panel for painting, how to sand body filler. remember this guys aren't going to get a job right out of school as a bodyman at best the will be a "helper" that means moving cars, washing them, waxing, installing tires and then they will start replacing fenders bumpers mouldings ect. It takes along time to become a real bodyman . Been there and done that for over twenty five years, mechanical problem get subbed out to the mechanic shop, electric problems ( other than simple stuff) went to another shop, it got to where we even subbed most of our AC work and still made money on it and our guys worked on other things.

[crabo]

I'm assuming that this is a high school vocational type class and if so they need to learn a skill to earn a living.

So every time I ask a question about something that is not purely autobody on a forum, somebody always assumes that I don't teach those skills. I am not so naive that I believe every student of mine is going to work in a body shop. I do believe that I can help prepare every kid that wants to learn, how to survive life with some skills.

Merlin, please watch this short video and then tell me if you think I am teaching my kids the basic skills that you mention. I made it for a grant application. It will give you a good idea what my program is all about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2TTktDL9hk

[waksupi]

It seems like every skill I have learned, has always been useful in some way when learning other skills. Diversify. Specialization is for insects.

[Hamish]

What happens when you mix up those two two screw on the top of a Ford 7.3l water pump with any of the others . lol They're almost all dead , but that just makes them fodder for teenagers .

Oh, that's just great. You don't know it, but you just hexed me. The next time I start it up, the WP will go out. After I arrive at my out of town destination.

[Four-Sixty]

Teach them how to shake hands and look someone in the eye when they greet them!

So many young men I meet don't know how to give a firm, confident handshake. They also don't seem to be able to speak up when they introduce themselves. They say first impressions are very important, that an employer makes a hiring decision in the first 15 seconds of the greeting. These kids won't get to employ any of these skills if they don't have enough personality to get hired in the first place.

I know if I was meeting potential job candidates, I would want to hire someone I'd like to see in my shop, not somone I'd be embarrased by. A little nudge on the dress code would not hurt either.

[country gent]

Teach them the hand tools files hacksaw chiesels polishing and fitting. In the trade I saw many that fet a file was only for removing burrs, In the home situation few are going to have mills welders and lathes present. Hand tools and knoiwng how to fit a joint so it can be screwed bolted or nailed is important. I taught my apprentices all the above. They made a drill angle gage with all hand tools from 1/8" X 2" gage stock. The only mill work was the graduations. Vise hack saw files and most did a great job. we even got to the point after cutting the grads we would polish on a piece of sand paper backed by a surface plate and then tourch a case hardn on them. Drill angle gages small try squares, drill size gages, all can be made with simple tools and a drill press. Kids learn more with these simple projects andgain confidence for later.

[pipehand]

I've taught craft training as a Pipefitting Instructor, to high school graduates (mostly). The biggest failing I saw was in math skills. So much so, that I felt I had to reteach 4th grade on, in order to bring a lot of them up to speed.

A lot of the problem with students not "getting" math is that a large number of school teachers went from H.S. to Teacher College, to teaching, and do not have any real world practical experience in using math in layout and fabrication. Never having practical examples, most kids will say "I'm never going to use this when I get out of school." You could show them why their Geometry teacher is showing them how to bisect angles, and construct perpendiculars. Trigonometry makes a whole lot more sense if you can get hands on while building something. So much of "Math" is taught as a complete abstract instead of a practical science.

I dropped Calculus in College. Never did get my brain around it, or why the "area under the curve" was a big deal. If someone had shown me the pressure graphs of 180 grain cast 30-06 loads contrasting a safe load of Bullseye and a safe load of 4895 I think the lightbulb would have gone on over my head.

[popper]

After they learn to pound a nail, hammer & dolly shaping. Best project would be a watering can ( or similar). I remember sanding that block of Cornia for a pen holder base nobody wanted or used. I also remember setting type for letter heads and our business cards - 7th grade. Had to print your own the roller press to pass that 2 week test. I was very fortunate having really good teachers that never heard of a computer. And if you didn't do it right, you didn't pass.

[waynem34]

It seems like every skill I have learned, has always been useful in some way when learning other skills. Diversify. Specialization is for insects.

I agree with waksupi. I was always told to specialize but always taught to diversify. I would always ask questions out the waazoo. I had to know why. I've always thought knowing how to use a multi meter was useful but not in metal mechanics or painting but maybe reinstalling lights and such. That would kinda lay over into other trades and home life also. Just my $.02.

[gbrown]

I agree with waksupi. I was always told to specialize but always taught to diversify. I would always ask questions out the waazoo. I had to know why. I've always thought knowing how to use a multi meter was useful but not in metal mechanics or painting but maybe reinstalling lights and such. That would kinda lay over into other trades and home life also. Just my $.02.


It seems like every skill I have learned, has always been useful in some way when learning other skills. Diversify. Specialization is for insects.

I'm right there with both of them. Anything that can be learned adds to the knowledge base. In education parlance, it is known as transfer ability--transferring a known skill into a different area. Like I can rewire a lamp, I can figure out the wiring on a ceiling fan, or rewire trailer lights, etc. You just take a basic skill and apply it to other things. One of the things I have always thought about--just how much knowledge and education to the people that build these things have, versus me?

[popper]

Pipe hand know what you mean. Don't know how I passed the FT5 test without knowing trig. Figured out Calc 2nd semester. Steam tables were fun too.
Crabo. Think about the can project. Measuring, ovals, angles, planning, metal working, brazing, finishing, painting, etc. Everybodies Mom needs one.

[Idaho Mule]

All great posts, but I have to add my .02c worth. My first thought was how to properly install a cotter key (already mentioned). Second thought was the 3,4,5 rule (already mentioned). I will add simple logic and the rule of thumb, and treat others as you wish to be treated. I would also like to thank you crabo for your efforts. JW

[waynem34]

+1 for the Golden Rule.

[oscarflytyer]

+1 on the handshake and looking someone in the eyes when you talk to them.

I would add keeping a coffee can full of old nuts bolts parts that you THINK you will NEVER need or use! We all now how that works. Would also teach them how to use a proper file and dress bolt threads that have been buggered.

[LynC2]

Teach them the hand tools files hacksaw chiesels polishing and fitting. In the trade I saw many that fet a file was only for removing burrs, In the home situation few are going to have mills welders and lathes present. Hand tools and knoiwng how to fit a joint so it can be screwed bolted or nailed is important. I taught my apprentices all the above. They made a drill angle gage with all hand tools from 1/8" X 2" gage stock. The only mill work was the graduations. Vise hack saw files and most did a great job. we even got to the point after cutting the grads we would polish on a piece of sand paper backed by a surface plate and then tourch a case hardn on them. Drill angle gages small try squares, drill size gages, all can be made with simple tools and a drill press. Kids learn more with these simple projects andgain confidence for later.

You totally hit the nail on the head with one of my pet peeves! As a former supervisor that was often a deciding factor when I hired people for a position. I hate whimpy fish handshakes and those that won't look me in the eye!

[Blacksmith]

If you could come up with some really frozen nuts and bolts you could show them the many ways of getting them apart without stripping them. And the times when a nut buster or "gas wrench" makes economic sense.

Also learning the other trades helps you appreciate other peoples work and keeps you from thinking my job is the "MOST" important instead of it is just one piece of the puzzle.

[HangFireW8]

Sorry I picked up on "auto" but not auto body. So (try #2) here's a sheet metal project.

Kids like to bling out their cars. Have them build a fog light housing. A cylinder with a closed back and external mounting tabs. For extra credit, make a parabolic reflector for (say) an H11 bulb. Find a wholesaler of the plastic mounts. You can even work in some 12V with a relay switched power harness, teach them how to loom and dress wires for automotive service.

[sundog]

About tools for measuring and weighing -- calibration (and documentation).

Simple as it may be, I've seen measuring tapes that did not match up.

Torque wrenches, micrometers, pumps and flow meters, and scales are a whole other subject.



How to use shop manuals and tell if they are current.

[jsheyn]

How to read a standard Imperial tape measure

[merlin101]

So every time I ask a question about something that is not purely autobody on a forum, somebody always assumes that I don't teach those skills. I am not so naive that I believe every student of mine is going to work in a body shop. I do believe that I can help prepare every kid that wants to learn, how to survive life with some skills.

Merlin, please watch this short video and then tell me if you think I am teaching my kids the basic skills that you mention. I made it for a grant application. It will give you a good idea what my program is all about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2TTktDL9hk

Sorry , I got that impression from the "nails"
I spent many years working in a body shop and saw many kids come in to work or shadow that had almost no idea of what would be expected from them. We had a local auto body teacher that was kinda stuck in the 50 or 60s and hurt more kids than helped, I guess thats why I came down so hard Some had learned about laqquer (sp?) or brazing when we hadn't used either in more than 10 years ! It's tough telling a kid that you need someone with more exp. when your filling an entry level position! It's even worse when you have to let them go because they just arn't up to "speed".
Once again sorry.

[bob208]

one thing that would help them in any trade. this was drummed into me by my father. show up everyday on time.