| | Do make sure, when working on a car, that it is supported on suitably strong axle stands and/or ramps - ie NOT JUST THE JACK |
| | Do always assume that the worst will happen some day - are you prepared for it? |
| | Do wear face masks when sanding paintwork - old paint can contain lots of unpleasant things like lead, and the dust will do you no good at all |
| | Do always think before using power tools of any sort. Are there animals, children, rare car parts (glass particularly) etc that could be harmed from the sparks issued by your angle grinder or welder? |
| | Do always protect your eyes when drilling, grinding, welding, sawing or any other activity that creates dirt, grit or sparks |
| | Do always protect your ears too - blobs of hot weld down down your ear is mighty uncomfortable I'm told, and repeated racket can lead to tinitus and other hearing complaints |
| | Do remember your skin!! Gloves etc are always recommended when operating powertools |
| | Do remember that engines are heavy! sturdy toe-capped footwear is always a good idea when handling heavy lumps of machinery |
| | Do make some provision for fire in the garage - one stray spark could soon set things going nicely |
| | Do ensure that when moving heavy/awkward loads, take care that you aren't straining your back unnecessarily |
| | Do use a main power breaker when operating power tools. It could save you from getting a shock if by chance you jigsaw through its power cable |
| | Do make sure you dispose of old oil responsibly. Pouring it down the drain will cause pollution in local waterways and earn you little respect from environmentalists |
| | Do try and have a mobile phone to hand when working in the workshop, it may come in handy in an emergency! |
| | Don't ever use tools beyond their working range, whether its hammers, trolley jacks, screwdrivers or whatever |
| | Don't cut corners 'just this once' - many people have suffered through cars coming down on top of them, following failure of a trolleyjack or bottle jack |
| | Don't use an electric welder faceshield when mig welding - the safety lenses are rated differently |
| | Don't get covered in old engine oil - its horrible stuff anyway, and there are reports linking it to skin cancer |
| | Don't smoke near petrol tins. Sounds obvious, but it happens |
| | Don't store flammable liquids like petrol in open containers. Not only will it evaporate, the vapours are mega-combustible and you don't want to knock a tin of fuel over the floor with power tools in the area |
| | Don't jack up cars on a slope or soft ground. Sods law says the jack and/or stands will tip over when you least expect them to |
| | Don't make a racket late into the night. Neighbours will not approve, and you may need their assistance with lifting off your Heralds bodyshell from its chassis one day |
| | Don't use grinding disks for cutting, and vice versa, they're liable to shatter and embed themselves into the nearest squishy object (you) |
| | Don't use cheap tools. Crappy screwdrivers and spanners have a nasty habit of snapping under load - avoid where possible |
| | Don't use a blowlamp until you've checked for combustible items in the vicinity, eg rubber bushes, bits of car trim, dogs etc |
| | Don't forget when welding, strip out any interior trim (including hidden sound deadening & waxoyl type rust preventers) from the area being welded. You don't need an inferno to distract you from getting a good seam. |
| | Don't leave rubbish lying around the workshop. It can be a fire risk and you may trip on it. Same goes for power leads - stash them away when not in use |
