Go to a local hardware store. See how many different tools there are for each job. Pick the area of the store that interests you most and ask an employee more about the tools there.

Visit a hardware store and look around.

Gain mechanical knowledge by taking a class at your school. If your school doesn't offer it, try a community college or see if you can intern or shadow a mechanic in your community.

Take a mechanics class. 

Try these quick projects from Khan Academy that you can do at home. Build a simple motor, a ping pong ball launcher, or something else from the list!

Develop mechanics knowledge with hands-on projects!

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Mechanical Door Repairers

Install, service, or repair automatic door mechanisms and hydraulic doors. Includes garage door mechanics.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Wind large springs with upward motion of arm.

Adjust doors to open or close with the correct amount of effort, or make simple adjustments to electric openers.

Carry springs to tops of doors, using ladders or scaffolding, and attach springs to tracks to install spring systems.

Repair or replace worn or broken door parts, using hand tools.

Complete required paperwork, such as work orders, according to services performed or required.

Fasten angle iron back-hangers to ceilings and tracks, using fasteners or welding equipment.

Install door frames, rails, steel rolling curtains, electronic-eye mechanisms, or electric door openers and closers, using power tools, hand tools, and electronic test equipment.

Inspect job sites, assessing headroom, side room, or other conditions to determine appropriateness of door for a given location.

Assemble and fasten tracks to structures or bucks, using impact wrenches or welding equipment.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Windows

Route mapping software

Web browser software

Work order software

Facebook

Precision levels

Spirit levels

Hand planers

Wood planes

Circular saws

Electric saws

Digital multimeters

Bench grinders

Stepladders

Multipurpose screwdrivers

Manlifts

Flat cold chisels

Nibbling tools

Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Every day

How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Once a week or more but not every day

Once a month or more but not every week

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

Contact with others about half the time

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

Limited freedom

How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?

Once a year or more but not every month

How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions

Mechanical Door Repairers

Overview

Career

What Mechanical Door Repairers Do

Other Job Titles Mechanical Door Repairers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Mechanical Door Repairers

Overview

Career

What Mechanical Door Repairers Do

Other Job Titles Mechanical Door Repairers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Mechanical Door Repairers

Related Leaders