UNIVERSITY OF

GONDAR
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

BASIC WORKSHOP PRACTICE

Introduction to Safety Precaution and Hazards
Causes of Accidents
1) Faulty attitude towards safety
2) Failure to recognize a danger in the act being performed
3) Emotions which take the mind from the work such as worry, fear,
anger, uncertainty
-It is very important to follow the safety rules that can avoid accidents
on oneself and on others
-Safety must be taken as a way of living
-Safety in the workshop means
1) Learning how to handle tools, machines and materials with care
2) Learning how to follow instructions and never taking chances
General Safety measures

• Dress properly, wear good strong shoes

• Remove rings, wrist watches, necklaces and bracelets
• Always be patient, never rush in the workshop.
• Protect your eyes
• No horseplay (Noisy playful activity)
• No scrap materials on floor
- Place all scrap materials in container
- Keep floors free of oil, grease or any other liquid
- Aisles ( a passage ) should be clear at all times
- Store materials in the proper place
- Get help for handling long or heavy materials
 CONT’D
• Do not use any tools, machines ,materials until you have been
thought how to use them
• Use the right tool for the right work
• Learn by watching, listening to your instructor
• Learn by asking not by making dangerous mistakes
Tools and simple machines

1) Measuring Tools (Linear and Angular)

-Steel rule
-Tap-rule
-Protractor
-Dial indicators
-Vernier calipers
-Micrometers, etc
2) Checking Tools
-Try squares
-Thread gauges
-Calipers
-Sprit levels-indicate whether the surface is horizontal(level) or vertical
-Feeler gauges-used to measure gap widths
3) Layout/marking Tools
-Scribers-used to mark lines on work pieces
-Divider-The circles and arcs on a flat surface are marked by means of a divider
-Punch-is used to mark the centre of hole before drilling
 Cont’d
4) Cutting tools
-Hack saw-used for cutting of rods, bars, pipes, flats etc.
-File-It is used to remove the material by rubbing it on the metals
-Chisel-Chisels are used to cut metals, either in hot or cold state.

5) Assembly tools
-Wrenches-
-Clamps
-Screw drivers
The use of measuring instruments
Vernier Caliper-To determine the diameter of a metal ball and the
length of the cube using VERNIER CALIPER.
Vernier Caliper
Used to measure internal, external and depth
dimensions of an object
Can also be used to measure thickness & openings of
slots
Vernier calipers are made to measure at different
range of accuracy. The most common are :-
- 1/10th of a mm (0.1 mm)
- 1/20th of a mm (0.05 mm)
- 1/50th of a mm (0.02 mm)
 Vernier Caliper with 0.1 mm accuracy
This caliper has 10 graduation (divisions) on the sliding
scale or vernier scale.
These 10 divisions occupy the same space as 9
divisions on the main scale. Therefore
1 vernier division = 9/10= 0.9 mm
The difference between 1 main scale division &
1vernier scale division is:
1- 0.9 = 0.1 mm
To get the Total reading, the vernier scale which
coincide with the main scale is multiplied by this
number, i.e 0.1mm & add with the main scale reading .
Read the “0” position of the
vernier scale on the main
scale to get a rough reading.
Rough reading = 36 mm
Look along the vernier scale 3 4

until one of the vernier

division coincides with the
main scale 0 5 10
Accurate reading = 36.7mm

overlap
On this mm scale the reading is 12.3mm
 Vernier Caliper with 0.05 mm accuracy
This caliper has 20 graduation (divisions) on the sliding
scale or vernier scale.
These 20 divisions occupy the same space as 19
divisions on the main scale. Therefore
1 vernier division = 19/20= 0.95 mm
The difference between 1 main scale division &
1vernier scale division is:

1- 0.95 = 0.05 mm
To get the total reading, the vernier scale which
coincide with the main scale is multiplied by this
number, i.e 0.05mm & add with the main scale
reading .
• EXAMPLE 1
A shaft diameter is measured with a 0.05 mm
accuracy vernier caliper. The measurement shows
that the main scale reading is 33 mm & the two scales
coincide on the 17th division of the vernier scale.
Calculate the total reading.
Solution
main scale reading= 33 mm
vernier scale = ( 17 x 0.05)= 0.85mm
Total reading= 33.85 mm
 Vernier Caliper with 0.02 mm accuracy
This caliper has 50 graduation (divisions) on the sliding
scale or vernier scale.
These 50 divisions occupy the same space as 49
divisions on the main scale. Therefore
1 vernier division = 49/50= 0.98 mm
The difference between 1 main scale division &
1vernier scale division is:
1- 0.98 = 0.02 mm
To get the total reading, the vernier scale which
coincide with the main scale is multiplied by this
number, i.e 0.02mm & add with the main scale
reading .
• EXAMPLE 2
Bore diameter of a cylinder is measured with a 0.02
mm accuracy vernier caliper. The measurement shows
that the main scale reading is 64 mm & the two scales
coincide on the 46th division of the vernier scale.
Calculate the total reading.
Solution
main scale reading= 64 mm
vernier scale = (46 x 0.02)= 0.92mm
Total reading= 64.92 mm
Parts of a Micrometer
Main parts of outside micrometer
• Anvil- is the part attached to one end of the u-shaped frame and has a true
surface that enable the part to be measured for a true alignment.
• Frame- is a supporting unit for other parts of a micrometer
• Spindle-the moving part of which has an external thread to fit with the thimble
• Thimble- is the part of a micrometer which slides over the sleeve. The
circumference of the thimble has 50 divisions and has an internal thread to fit
with the spindle
• Locknut- control the movement of the spindle
• Sleeve- is the part on which the main scale is graduated into millimeter and half
a millimeter
• Ratchet stop- is fixed to one end of the thimble to rotate the thimble in a
standard pressure.
 Reading of a Micrometer
The sleeve of a micrometer is graduated in to mm
below the indexing line & in to half mm above the
indexing line.
The thimble of a micrometer has 50 divisions on its
circumference.
The spindle which passes through the sleeve is fitted to
the thimble by a screw thread whose pitch is 0.5 mm.
When the thimble is rotating, it drives the spindle
longitudinally.
The spindle of a micrometer has an external thread
whose pitch is 0.5 mm.
 Cont…
1 complete revolution of the thimble, i.e. passing
through the 50 divisions, moves the spindle a distance of
0.5 mm which is equal to the spindle thread pitch.
Therefore, since the thimble has 50 divisions around its
circumference, rotating 1 division moves the spindle a
distance of 0.01mm (0.5/50= 0.01 mm)
Reading a Micrometer
• Example
A connecting rod of a piston is measured with a
micrometer. The reading shows that the main scale
reading on the sleeve shows 38mm & the 38th division
of the thimble coincide with the indexing line of the
sleeve. Calculate the total reading.
Solution
Main scale reading= 38.00 mm
Thimble reading=38 x 0.01= 0.38 mm
Total reading= 38.38 mm
Reading a Micrometer
Reading a Micrometer
6.57mm
6.22mm
1.02mm
6.52mm
10.5
mm

10.97mm
0.47
mm
Hand Tools
• Hand Tools: The devices used for preparing the job with various
operations by hand are called hand tools.
• Machine Tools: The devices used for making various operations with
machines like, lathe, milling m/c, etc.
• Hand tools are used to remove small amounts of material,
usually from small areas of the work piece.
• This may be done because no machine is available, the work
piece is too large to go on a machine, the shape is too intricate
or simply that it would be too expensive to set up a machine to
do the work.
Engineer’s files

• Files are used to perform a wide variety of tasks, from simple removal
of sharp edges to producing intricate shapes where the use of a
machine is impracticable. They can be obtained in a variety of
shapes and in lengths from 150 mm to 350 mm. When a file has a
single series of teeth cut across its face it is known as single-cut file,
and with two sets of teeth cut across its face it is known as double-cut
file
The hacksaw
• The hacksaw is used to cut metal.
• Where large amounts of waste metal have to be removed,
this is more easily done by hacksawing away the surplus
rather than by filing.
• If the work piece is left slightly too large, a file can then be
used to obtain the final size and surface.
Chisels

• Chisels are used for cutting metal.They are made from

high-carbon steel, hardened and tempered at the cutting
end.
• The opposite end, which is struck by the hammer, is not
hardened but is left to withstand the hammer blows without
chipping.
• Cold chisels are classified as ‘flat ’ or ‘cross-cut ’ ,
according to the shape of the point.
Screwdrivers
• The screwdriver is one of the most common tools, and is also
the one most misused.
• Screwdrivers should be used only to tighten or loosen
screws. They should never be used to chisel.
• Once a screwdriver blade, which is made from toughened
alloy steel, has been bent, it is very difficult to keep it in the
screw head.