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ASVAB Study Guide

Shop Information (SI)

Shop Information (SI) tests tools, fasteners, materials and shop practice. On the computer ASVAB it's its own subtest; on the paper test it's combined with Auto Information.

Practise Shop Information free

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The right tool for the job

Learn tool families and their uses: striking (hammers), fastening (screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, ratchets), cutting wood (handsaw, crosscut, rip, circular saw) vs. metal (hacksaw), drilling and boring, and gripping (pliers, vise).

Measuring and layout

A tape measure and caliper measure length; a square checks right angles; a spirit level checks horizontal (level); a plumb bob checks vertical (plumb); a feeler gauge measures small gaps such as a spark-plug gap.

Fasteners and materials

Know screws vs. bolts (a bolt uses a nut; a screw threads into the material), plus nails, rivets and washers, and thread direction ("righty-tighty, lefty-loosey"). Know common materials and how they're worked.

Safety

Basic shop safety and PPE (eye protection, machine guarding, correct tool use). Questions often describe a task and ask which tool or fastener is correct.

Key takeaways

  • Most items ask "which tool (or fastener) for this job?" — learn tools by their use.
  • Level = horizontal, plumb bob = vertical, feeler gauge = gaps, hacksaw = metal.
  • A bolt uses a nut; a screw threads into the material.
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Start a free Shop Information practice set — timed, with a worked explanation after every question.

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Free sample Shop Information questions

A few sample questions with worked answers. Our free Shop Information practice set has 155 questions in total — every one with a full explanation.

1. A rivet joins two pieces of metal by
  • A.screwing into matching threads
  • B.melting the base metal like a weld
  • C.gripping by friction, like a clamp
  • D.headed over so it cannot pull out ✓
Why: A rivet passes through both parts and its tail is deformed (upset/headed over) to form a second head, so it cannot pull back out and permanently clamps the pieces.
2. Which tool is used to check whether a surface is level?
A
B ✓
C
D
Why: A spirit (bubble) level checks whether a surface is horizontal — the bubble centres when it's level.
3. Which tool drives a screw with a cross-shaped recess?
A
B ✓
C
D
Why: A Phillips screwdriver has a cross-shaped tip that fits the cross recess; a flathead fits a single straight slot.
4. An adjustable (crescent) wrench is useful because it:
  • A.Fits just one exact bolt size
  • B.Cuts fresh threads into a rod
  • C.Measures the torque automatically
  • D.Fits nuts and bolts of many sizes ✓
Why: An adjustable wrench has a movable jaw that can be set to fit a range of nut and bolt sizes, replacing several fixed wrenches for light work.
5. Which tool checks and marks a 90° (square) angle?
A ✓
B
C
D
Why: A try/framing square has two arms at a right angle for checking and marking 90° corners.
Practise all 155 free

Shop Information cheat sheet

The formulas and facts worth memorising for this subtest. See all ASVAB cheat sheets →

Measuring & layout
  • Spirit LEVEL = horizontal · PLUMB BOB = vertical · SQUARE = right angles
  • FEELER GAUGE measures small gaps (e.g. a spark-plug gap)
Cutting & fastening
  • RIPSAW cuts WITH the grain · CROSSCUT saw cuts ACROSS · HACKSAW cuts metal
  • A BOLT uses a nut; a SCREW threads into the material
  • TAP cuts internal threads; DIE cuts external threads
  • 'Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey'; a sanding block prevents high spots and ridges

Other ASVAB subtest guides

Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)Mathematics Knowledge (MK)Word Knowledge (WK)Paragraph Comprehension (PC)General Science (GS)Electronics Information (EI)Auto Information (AI)Mechanical Comprehension (MC)Assembling Objects (AO)