What does ASVAB Shop Information test?

The official description covers tools, shop terminology and practices. This guide reviews common hand tools, measurements, fasteners and material properties through original practice questions.

How is Shop Information reported on the ASVAB?

The computer test administers Shop Information separately from Auto Information, then reports a combined AS score. The paper version administers them as one Auto and Shop subtest.

Does the Shop Information practice set require tools?

No. You can answer the questions from the descriptions and diagrams. Learning the names and purposes of tools is useful even without hands-on workshop experience.

Should I memorize exact tool pictures?

Recognizing common forms helps, but manufacturers vary their designs. Learn what feature makes the tool suitable for its job so you can interpret an unfamiliar drawing or description.

ASVAB Shop Information: Tools Guide & Practice

Try a few questions without opening the solutions, then explain why each answer works. Use scratch paper for calculations and work without a calculator. These original, untimed questions sample the subject; the result is not an official score.

Shop Information practice: 12 questions

Work through one question at a time. Explain your approach, check the worked answer, then move on. Use scratch paper for calculations.

0 of 12 checked · 0 correct.

Progress is saved in this browser. These original study questions do not produce an official AFQT score.

Question 1: A joint with complementary recesses

Question 1 · A joint with complementary recesses · easy

The members have equal original thickness. At the overlap, each has half its thickness removed so their assembled faces are flush, as shown. What joint is this?

Two equal-thickness rectangular members have complementary end recesses, each removing half the thickness. The lower panel shows the recessed ends overlapping with the assembled upper and lower faces flush.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: A. A half-lap joint

A half-lap joint removes part of each member’s thickness at the overlap. For equal-thickness pieces, removing half from each lets their combined overlap equal the original thickness. A plain butt joint lacks this overlapping recessed area.

Question 2: Counterbored recesses

Question 2 · Counterbored recesses · medium

Each drawing is a cross-section through a hole in a plate. Which profile provides a cylindrical recess with a flat shoulder for the underside of a socket-head cap screw?

Four hole cross-sections labeled A through D. A has a tapered widening at the entrance. B has a wide cylindrical entrance ending at a flat shoulder above a narrower through-hole. C is a uniform through-hole. D is a uniform blind hole ending at a conical point.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: B. B

B has a wider cylindrical opening with a flat shoulder above the smaller through-hole: a counterbore. A is tapered like a countersink, C is a straight through-hole, and D ends in a conical drill point instead of the required flat shoulder.

Question 3: Reading a vernier scale

Question 3 · Reading a vernier scale · medium

The main scale is marked in millimeters. This vernier has 10 equal divisions spanning 9 mm, so each aligned vernier division adds 0.1 mm. Assume no zero error. What measurement is shown?

Main scale labeled 11 through 22 mm. The vernier zero lies 0.6 of the interval from 12 to 13 mm. The vernier has marks 0 through 10; its sixth mark aligns with the 18 mm main-scale mark.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: C. 12.6 mm

The vernier zero lies between 12 and 13 mm, so the whole-millimeter reading is 12. Its sixth division aligns with a main-scale line, adding 6 × 0.1 = 0.6 mm. The result is 12.6 mm; the main-scale value must be read at the vernier zero, not at the aligned sixth line.

Question 4: Stored hydraulic pressure after lockout

Question 4 · Stored hydraulic pressure after lockout · hard

The hydraulic pump disconnect is locked open, but the pressure gauge on the trapped actuator line still reads 80 bar in the diagram. Under the equipment-specific lockout procedure, what must be done before opening that line for service?

Hydraulic schematic: pump disconnect marked locked open, a closed line valve, downstream actuator line gauge at 80 bar, and a labeled bleed path from that line to a tank.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: B. Use the specified downstream bleed path, then verify zero pressure before opening the line

Locking out the pump prevents re-energization but does not remove hydraulic energy already trapped downstream. The authorized worker must follow the specified bleed path and verify zero pressure before opening the line. The other sequences leave an 80-bar trapped-pressure hazard.

Question 5: Recognizing a locking hand tool

Question 5 · Recognizing a locking hand tool · easy

The pictured hand tool has curved jaws, a screw at one handle end to set grip pressure, and a release lever. What is it?

Side schematic of curved-jaw pliers. One handle ends in an adjusting screw and the other has a short release lever. The curved jaws meet around a small round workpiece.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: B. Locking pliers

Locking pliers use an adjusting screw to set the clamping pressure and a release mechanism to disengage the locked jaws. Slip-joint and cutting pliers do not lock in this way, while a threading die cuts external threads.

Question 6: Keeping the finished side of a cut

Question 6 · Keeping the finished side of a cut · medium

The board’s finished-length line and waste side are marked. The saw removes a 3 mm-wide kerf. To preserve the marked finished length, where should the kerf lie?

A long board has a vertical finished-length line. The region left of the line is labeled Keep; the region right is labeled Waste.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: C. Entirely on the waste side, with its near edge at the line

The line marks the finished boundary. Placing the blade’s kerf on the waste side removes waste while preserving the full required piece; centering on the line would remove material from both sides.

Question 7: Two parts of a wire crimp

Question 7 · Two parts of a wire crimp · medium

In the terminal section, crimp A surrounds bare conductor strands and crimp B surrounds the wire insulation. Which division of functions is intended?

Side section of a wire terminal. Bare wire strands extend left into metal crimp A. The intact insulation starts farther right and is enclosed by metal crimp B. A is connected to the terminal’s mating end, and B supports the insulated cable.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: D. A contacts the conductor electrically; B supports the insulated wire against flexing

A compresses metal strands into the metal terminal to form the conducting joint. B supports the insulated wire so bending and pulling are less concentrated at the conductor crimp. Swapping these roles would put insulation where direct metal contact is needed.

Question 8: Material left after machining

Question 8 · Material left after machining · hard

The drawing gives an initially solid block and three nonoverlapping machined features: one rectangular pocket and two circular through-holes. The material’s density is 2.7 g/cm³. Using π = 3 for this calculation, what mass remains? Ignore chips retained on the part, burrs, and any other material removal.

A top view shows a 10 cm by 6 cm rectangular block with thickness 2 cm. Two separate circular through-holes each have diameter 1 cm. A nonoverlapping rectangular pocket is 4 cm by 2 cm and 0.5 cm deep. The holes lie outside the pocket.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: B. 305.1 g

The initial block volume is 10 × 6 × 2 = 120 cm³. The pocket removes 4 × 2 × 0.5 = 4 cm³. Each 1 cm-diameter hole removes 3 × 0.5² × 2 = 1.5 cm³, so the two holes remove 3 cm³. The remaining 113 cm³ has mass 113 × 2.7 = 305.1 g. 18.9 g is the removed mass and 324.0 g is the original mass.

Question 9: Choosing the engaged caliper jaws

Question 9 · Choosing the engaged caliper jaws · easy

In the diagram, the larger lower jaws of a caliper touch two opposite outside faces of a block. What dimension is being taken?

A simplified caliper grips a rectangular block between its two large lower jaws. Small upper inside jaws and a rear depth rod are visible but do not touch the block.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: A. Outside width of the block

The large outside jaws contact the block's opposite external faces, so their separation measures its outside width. Inside jaws, a depth rod and step faces are different caliper features that are not contacting the work here.

Question 10: Comparing grinder clearances

Question 10 · Comparing grinder clearances · medium

For this bench grinder, the maximum permitted work-rest gap is 1/8 in and the maximum upper tongue-guard gap is 1/4 in. Using the measured gaps shown, which statement is correct? Make any needed adjustment only with the wheel stopped.

A bench-grinder schematic labels the gap from the wheel to its work rest as 3/16 in. The gap from the wheel to the upper tongue guard is 1/8 in. Dimensions are labeled, not drawn to scale.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: A. Only the work-rest gap exceeds its limit

The work-rest gap is 3/16 in, greater than 1/8 in or 2/16 in. The upper gap is 1/8 in, below its 1/4 in limit. Comparing both measurements with the same limit would confuse the two different clearances.

Question 11: File cross-sections

Question 11 · File cross-sections · medium

Which file cross-section shown is best suited to smoothing both a flat face and a broad concave curved surface with the same tool?

Four file cross-sections: A is rectangular, B is circular, C is triangular, and D has one flat edge and one semicircular edge.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: D. D

D is half-round, providing one flat face and one curved face. A round file lacks the broad flat face, while the rectangular and triangular profiles do not provide the same broad rounded surface.

Question 12: Straight taper layout

Question 12 · Straight taper layout · hard

The part has one straight reference edge and one straight tapered edge as shown. What should the width be 90 mm from the left end?

Top view of a straight-sided tapered part: left width 40 mm, right width 20 mm, length 300 mm. The lower reference edge is straight and horizontal. A dashed width station lies 90 mm from the left end.

Worked answer and explanation

Answer: C. 34 mm

Width decreases uniformly from 40 mm to 20 mm over 300 mm. At 90 mm, the decrease is 20 × 90/300 = 6 mm, so the width is 34 mm. Measuring 90 mm from the opposite end would give a different result.

Plan the next study session →

Format	Questions and timing
Computer test, without tryouts	10 scored questions · 6 minutes without tryouts
Computer test, with tryouts	15 possible additional unscored questions · 17 minutes total with tryouts
Paper test	Combined Auto & Shop (AS): 25 questions · 11 minutes
Domain	Science & Technical
Contributes to the AFQT	No

ASVAB Shop Information: Match the Tool and Read the Scale

Read a ruler marked in eighths

Identify the whole units

Find the value of one division

Combine whole and fractional parts

Key concepts to keep handy

Shop Information practice: 12 questions

The members have equal original thickness. At the overlap, each has half its thickness removed so their assembled faces are flush, as shown. What joint is this?

Each drawing is a cross-section through a hole in a plate. Which profile provides a cylindrical recess with a flat shoulder for the underside of a socket-head cap screw?

The main scale is marked in millimeters. This vernier has 10 equal divisions spanning 9 mm, so each aligned vernier division adds 0.1 mm. Assume no zero error. What measurement is shown?

The hydraulic pump disconnect is locked open, but the pressure gauge on the trapped actuator line still reads 80 bar in the diagram. Under the equipment-specific lockout procedure, what must be done before opening that line for service?

The pictured hand tool has curved jaws, a screw at one handle end to set grip pressure, and a release lever. What is it?

The board’s finished-length line and waste side are marked. The saw removes a 3 mm-wide kerf. To preserve the marked finished length, where should the kerf lie?

In the terminal section, crimp A surrounds bare conductor strands and crimp B surrounds the wire insulation. Which division of functions is intended?

In the diagram, the larger lower jaws of a caliper touch two opposite outside faces of a block. What dimension is being taken?

For this bench grinder, the maximum permitted work-rest gap is 1/8 in and the maximum upper tongue-guard gap is 1/4 in. Using the measured gaps shown, which statement is correct? Make any needed adjustment only with the wheel stopped.

Which file cross-section shown is best suited to smoothing both a flat face and a broad concave curved surface with the same tool?

The part has one straight reference edge and one straight tapered edge as shown. What should the width be 90 mm from the left end?

Turn your mistakes into the next lesson

Common mistakes to check

Pair tool names with a simple use

Practice measurement deliberately

Test format and scoring reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources