A panel beater is a term used in some Commonwealth countries to describe a person who repairs vehicle bodies back to their factory state after having been damaged.
Panel beaters repair bodywork using skills such as planishing and metalworking techniques, welding, use of putty fillers, and other skills. Accident repair may require the panel beater to repair or replace parts of a vehicle. These parts may be made from various metals including steels and alloys, many different plastics, fiberglass, and others.
The common panel beater will work on everyday vehicles, cars, vans, 4WDs for example. Specialized areas include repairs to motorcycles, trucks and even aircraft. Some panel beaters also work exclusively on vehicle restorations and do not repair smash work at all. Others may specialize in body customization such as is seen on hot rods etc.
Training to become a panel beater is done by completing a trade apprenticeship. For the most part, these apprenticeships are around three years long but can be completed earlier. These usually consist of three years on the job training mixed with schooling at a trade school
Where To Study Panel Beating In South Africa?
Panel Beating At Crane Training
CBMT: Panel Beater At Northlink
OBDSA Panel Beating Courses
3 Auto Body Repair Academy
How much does a panel beater earn in South Africa?
According to indeed.co.za, The average salary for a Panel Beater is R 11 172 per month in South Africa.
What Tools Do Panel Beater Use?
Special equipment examples:
- Various hammers and dollies used for planishing.
- Body files and flippers.
- Assembly tools such as socket sets, screwdrivers, and spanners.
- Other hand tools like pliers, tin snips, vise grips, punches, chisels, etc.
- Hydraulic pushing/pulling devices.
- Vehicle measuring and aligning devices, or jigs e.g.
- Vehicle lift hoists.
- Personal safety equipment such as boots, coveralls, safety glasses, welding helmets, gloves, respirators, and hearing protection.
- Welding equipment – MIG or TIG.
Special equipment for restoration, advanced panel repair or panel fabrication from scratch include:
English wheel
Power hammer
Pear-shaped mallets and Sandbags
Benders/Folders
Rollers/Rolls
Beaders/Swaging machines
Station bucks
Templates
Oxy-acetylene welding equipment
Lead loading equipment
Do Panel Beaters make good money?
The average salary for a panel beater is $68,211 per year in New South Wales
Is Panel beating a trade?
Training to become a panel beater is done by completing a trade apprenticeship. For the most part these apprenticeships are around three years long, but can be completed earlier. These usually consist of three years on the job training mixed with schooling at a trade school or TAFE.
How much does a panel beater cost?
Panel beating is a necessary process to get your car looking like new following an accident. Scratch and dent repairs cost around $1000, while major works can cost many thousands more. The average cost of panel beating is between $2000 and $3000.19 Feb 2018