What Hand Tools to Have Aboard ?

[s/v Jedi]

What we use often but not on the original list:

- gear puller (from steering wheels to winches etc.)
- machine clamp (vice that sits on table, worth it's weight in gold)
- vice grips 1 big and 1 small needle nose
- driver for driving out pins like for hatches etc.
- mallet (we use plastic sand-filled version)
- yes taps and dies, also for cleaning fasteners and threads
- impact driver (a must, can't leave without)
- small surform rasp
- razor knife for removing sealant etc.
- calipers; I added a digital one to make sense of stuff like 0.368 inch
- feeler gauges
- stubbies (the very short screwdrivers)
- clamps clamps clamps

electric minimum:
- cordless drill (love the smallest Makita)
- Dremel full set plus extra bits like fiberglass reinforced cutting wheels, polishing wheels & compound and "scotchbrite" wheels

cheers,
Nick.

[Minggat]

If you go to you mechanics tool chest you will likely NOT find "adjustable" wrenches. If you ask him about it he will likely tell you about rounded nuts.

Several years ago I discovered Knipex pliers. They may resemble Channel Locks but believe me, they do a much better job than either Channel Locks or adjustable wrenches. I have not owned either Channel Locks or adjustables for many years now.

Visegrips now makes a similar tool. Possible a better tool. I have both the Knipex and the Visegrip version.

There may be a tiny rusted adjsutable somewhere in my toolbag, but I am only admitting this because we are not face to face.

By the way.... for the boat I have a toolbag. Not toolbox.

[s/v Jedi]

Rounding heads with adjustable wrenches mainly happens because they are not adjusted precisely enough or they are just cheap knock offs. A decent Bahco or Crescent correctly adjusted will work as good as a fixed wrench and is in every mechanics toolbag that I saw ;-)

ciao
Nick.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Minggat

If you go to you mechanics tool chest you will likely NOT find "adjustable" wrenches.

Nonsense. It's often better to use a regular wrench if you have one, AND if you can get get it onto the nut or bolt, but Crescent wrenches are essential things on a boat, especially the jumbo sizes, for which you can simply never have all the regular wrenches. All professional mechanics I know keep a few of them around. The larger the size of nut or bolt, the less difference in effectiveness from a regular wrench. For low-torque applications they are perfectly acceptable substitutes for regular wrenches. For things like holding a nut while you turn a machine screw or bolt they are better than regular wrenches because you can apply some jaw pressure to keep the nut in place in your wrench -- very handy.

As Nick said, it's important to buy really good, expensive ones with precision jaws and made of really good metal. That will reduce nut-rounding. Also of course adjusting and using them carefully. But you can round off nuts with regular wrenches, too.

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Nonsense.

Well "Nonesense" is a little... unfriendly. (No offense intended). But not unexpected (not aimed at anyone). I am entitled to be happy with my choice.

People having been using adjustable for a long time. I used to. Happy that I don't anymore. So that would make it... an non essential for at least one person in the world. If I can get along without it there is either somethjing wrong with me or... it's it's a worthwhile tool. Take a look at it.

Agreed and agreed. A regular wrench if you have one. I didn't nix them. And quality tools are a must.
You and I don't know the same mechanics. But I can tell you that I am not making this up.

But more importantly, Just try the German made Knipex tools. You may find your adjustables left behind. A lot less weight and IMHO a more effective and versitle tool. Like I said, I haven't owned an adjustable for years. I am no tool dummy. I carry as little weight as possible when I go aloft. I wouldn't go up without my Knipex. Heck, I hardly go anywhere without it.

Where an open end or adjustable will grab a hex at 2 points, this will grab 4. Where Channel Locks will slip (out of the channels) this can't.

[Efraim]

Originally Posted by Minggat

... Just try the German made Knipex tools.

Knipex make about a billion different tools, which one are you talking about...you got me thinking.

[doug86]

DW, assume that you will loose some tools overboard, loan a few that don't come home, give away a few to fellow cruisers, and some will rust beyond usefulness. With that in mind, I would say your list of available screwdrivers is pretty short. Don't leave any tools at home. The more tools you have, the more options you have for tackling a problem.

A few items I can add to the list: a few C-Clamps; I find them handy at times. An Xacto Knife set. A magic claw flexible grabber tool for retrieving dropped nuts. An adjustable inspection mirror.

[White Feather]

It sounds to me like everyone has thier favorite tools. Just because you like certain tools don't rule out the other ones. Skimping on tools is a sure way to get into trouble when you would have had a chance to make repairs underway. Just take whatever you can and damn the brand. The only thing to look at is quality and survivability under harsh conditions at sea.

I had a toolbox go down on a boat that I was working aboard. I was off duty that week and the boat went down taking all our tools and gear with it. Although only in 25 feet with the rigging sticking out of the water at the dock, we were not allowed to dive her for safety reasons. About 6 months later it was raised and I recovered my toolbox. The tools that held up the best were Snapon, Matco and "Some" Craftsman. Everything else was ocean fadder. Now, most of my tools are whatever Snapons I can find anywhere. Yard sales, flea markets and even online if the price is right.

So go cruising with whatever you feel comfortable with. But remember, that old box of "tools" that you have under the workbench may have something you will need one day. A little "Hint from been there before" Sometimes you can use ziplock baggies to put tools in inside the toolbox. The gallon size heavy duty work best.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Minggat

Well "Nonesense" is a little... unfriendly. (No offense intended). But not unexpected (not aimed at anyone). I am entitled to be happy with my choice.

People having been using adjustable for a long time. I used to. Happy that I don't anymore. So that would make it... an non essential for at least one person in the world. If I can get along without it there is either somethjing wrong with me or... it's it's a worthwhile tool. Take a look at it.

Agreed and agreed. A regular wrench if you have one. I didn't nix them. And quality tools are a must.
You and I don't know the same mechanics. But I can tell you that I am not making this up.

But more importantly, Just try the German made Knipex tools. You may find your adjustables left behind. A lot less weight and IMHO a more effective and versitle tool. Like I said, I haven't owned an adjustable for years. I am no tool dummy. I carry as little weight as possible when I go aloft. I wouldn't go up without my Knipex. Heck, I hardly go anywhere without it.

Where an open end or adjustable will grab a hex at 2 points, this will grab 4. Where Channel Locks will slip (out of the channels) this can't.

Sorry -- I didn't mean to be unfriendly. Of course everyone has his own tool tastes and his own tool habits, but in my humble opinion this kind of purist attitude towards imperfect tools (as adjustable wrenches no doubt are) is not productive on a boat, where the thing is to get the job done by any means necessary. My father, who was an amateur, was just that kind of purist; but when I worked briefly as a BMW mechanic in my teenage years, there was a much less tool fetishism and a much more practical attitude about getting the job done (although I must say we used almost all Snap-On and didn't economize).

Just one scenario one can think of -- something is loose on the foredeck in bad weather; you need to crawl up there and get it tightened down -- do you crawl up twice? Once to figure out what size, and then a second time carrying just the right wrench? Or do you crawl up once carrying an adjustable wrench?

Another scenario, from real life -- just last weekend I had a little trouble adjusting the tension of my backstay, because the compression fitting was turning. I needed to hold it while I turned the rigging screw. What did I ask my crew to hand me? A whole box of giant wrenches, so that I could waste ten minutes fiddling around finding the right one (and which I don't have anyway)? No, the jumbo Crescent wrench, of course, which did the job perfectly.

So I'm just saying -- in my humble opinion Crescent wrenches have a perfectly valid place in a sailor's tool bag, and I would want that printed in this thread so as not to scare off newbies from making up their own minds.

Your Knipex tool sounds brilliant. Sounds like something I need to have. Any links so that we can see exactly what it looks like?

Cheers,
D*ckhead

[Pete7]

240 volt genny, extension lead and an angle grinder . Goggles (if I remember to use them) disposable gloves and a mains vacumn cleaner for afterwards.

Pete

[rtbates]

First I suggest you go around your boat and pretend that you want to take things apart(whatever you might want to be able to fix) and find out what tools are needed to take them apart.

Whatever tools you find that you need, get a CoMPLETE set of SS vice grips. From the tiny needle nose (my favorite) to the biggest. IF I were stranded and could have only a hand full of tools these would be it...And my Leatherman...

[cantxsailor]

A portable table top vise is very handy. Crescents in ALL sizes are handy. I have to disagree on not buying cheap tools. Even the cheap chinese stuff is mostly good enough for the occaisional use it will see on a boat and even the Snapon stuff won't float.

Good tools if you make your living with them (which I do) and a good box set from Northern Tool with both standard and metric sockets, screw drivers to fit the screws on your boat, I have tried to get them all the same heads at least.

I have a set of the vise grips with a length of bike chain for jaws and a set of large(ish) bolt cutters.

I also carry 3 smaller sizes of pipe wrench and one flat file with different courseness on opposite sides and 2 round files, one smaller and smoother and onr larger rasp for those holes that fall between the sizes of drill/holes saws you have.

My tool bag weighs about 50lbs and that doesn't include the plastic boxes of screws, bolts, nuts, rivets, electrical crimp fittings and a large plastic box of "trading stock" shackles, pins, hanks, cleats, blocks, fuses, bulbs short lengths of wire all kinds of crap which I may never need but WILL need if I take them off the boat.

Thanks I needed to be reminded of all the extra stuff that weighs my boat down and have as yet never been needed.

But hey IT COULD HAPPEN.............m

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Maybe if you used a torque wrench you wouldn't need the tap and die set

I actually use them mostly for fabricating or installing new stuff, not repairs. I can only remember striping threads once , but that reminds me that helicoils are pretty useful.

Regarding power tools, I would say a strong battery drill would be the minimum. Beyond than I have a sander, jig and circular saw, & dremel but they get only occasional use, the drill is used a lot.

[White Feather]

CRESCENT WRENCHES? They are valuable tools. Quit arguing, pack them! The point of carrying one or two wrenches forward in bad weather, climbing the mast to free a pully or crawling down through the engine room. Crescents are wonderful fitsall wrenches. What's the problem?

[daddle]

Seriously, your toolkit isn't complete without this tool...

Okay, actually I have no idea what it is for, but it came with the boat, looks important, looks like it's for pulling on something....it's one piece of solid aluminum, no moving parts.....

So, know it all tool guys, what is it for??