Tools: High Quality or Cheap and Replaceable

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I'm wondering, what is the best philosophy in regards to stocking your boat with tools, both hand tools and power tools? Normally, for my home workshop, I tend to go with high quality tools that I know will perform well and last a long time. But obviously on a boat, corrosion will be an issue, especially in things like power tools and hand tools like ratchets. Should I just stick with my normal philosophy and buy high quality tools, hoping that the quality will translate into longer usable life? or go with more budget tools with the philosophy to replace them if they become unusable?

Go with the good stuff and invest in some plastic storage boxes to beat the corrosion issues. A good tool will outlast a cheap one many times over making them more cost effective over time. Some of the new Lithium combo sets would be fine for a boat as most tasks are fairly light duty. If you're doing a bottom job then the corded power tools would be the way to go. Bosch and Porter Cable always make good reliable tools. Avoid any urge to invest in the designer brands like Hilti and Festool - not enough value for the extra money.

[Cadence]

re: HF. It has been my experience they will advertise a good price on a quality tool to get you in the door and then be sold out or can't find it.

[anotherT34C]

Pretty sure half my ballast is 10mm sockets down in the depths.

+1 to avoiding battery operated tools.

[CarlF]

Another vote for mostly going with mid-price - it doesn't hurt as much when one falls overboard if it's not a $50 Snap-on.

Over the years I've found mid price brands that have excellent chrome plating and fit well.

I can't ever remember one of my tools breaking or wearing-out onboard. They aren't used everyday - failure is -- in order of frequency.. (1) "misplaced" (often for years), (2) fall overboard, and (3) fall into an inaccessible spot in the bilge.

In the "mid priced" category I've had great luck with Crescent socket and wrench sets and Channelock pliers and screwdrivers. Inexpensive on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Crescent-CTK1...74&sr=8-1&th=1

Crimpers are a special case. I buy from MaineSail
https://shop.marinehowto.com/t/crimp-tools

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by anotherT34C

Pretty sure half my ballast is 10mm sockets down in the depths.

+1 to avoiding battery operated tools.

I don't know? Battery technology has advanced significantly. I had no grips with a 9.5V drill in days of yore. Beats the hell out dragging around a cord.

[jmschmidt]

Cheap and replaceable. I bought a set of Made in India (complete set of SAE end wrenches $20 or so) hand tools almost 40 years ago for my boat. Still not a speck of rust on them, heavy chrome still beautiful, much better shape than the Craftsman's of about the same age that I have in my shop at home.
I also have a Taiwan made 1/2" chuck 3 speed drill press, bench grinder and vise (about the same age) for about $150 total.
Why have expensive tools on you boat for people to steal?

[cuthbert]

Me too on the budgie approach (cheap cheap).

If I was starting again I would buy a kit/case that everything snaps into a specific place on but by now I put everything I need in a tool roll and then the rest that I sometimes need in a tool bag.

I must have 6 variants of 1/2 sockets and wrenches and same for 7/16 and 9/16. No point spending a large amount of money. Don't buy from West Marine for some odd reason their stuff rusts more than Harbor Freight

[anotherT34C]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I don't know? Battery technology has advanced significantly. I had no grips with a 9.5V drill in days of yore. Beats the hell out dragging around a cord.

Cool. I haven’t had luck with keeping tool batteries charged. Probably I’m just too lazy or inattentive. My extension cord always works, and my boat is kinda small.

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I'm wondering, what is the best philosophy in regards to stocking your boat with tools, both hand tools and power tools? Normally, for my home workshop, I tend to go with high quality tools that I know will perform well and last a long time. But obviously on a boat, corrosion will be an issue, especially in things like power tools and hand tools like ratchets. Should I just stick with my normal philosophy and buy high quality tools, hoping that the quality will translate into longer usable life? or go with more budget tools with the philosophy to replace them if they become unusable?

My point is that a high quality tool will always work better than most cheap tools and it is especially important with ratchets and electric tools, but even true with screwdrivers etc.
Doing repairs etc is sometimes (or mostly?) frustrating enough on a boat and you want the best tool in hand to perform as precisely and fast as possible. The former owner of my Contest was German and he left me with some tool sets of the highest quality I’ve ever seen.
The power tools I have are mostly based on the Makita 18V cordless line - both almost make any job I need to do way more enjoyable.

[onestepcsy37]

i buy good quality tools if i expect to keep them awhile. still have most of what i bought 30 plus years ago. but i had an occasion once to buy the cheapest tool i could find.

the time came to sand off fifteen or so years of pettit trinidad hard paint from my 37 foot full keel boat. the yard recommended a 7" sander/grinder, lots of blue tarps hanging from the lifelines to encircle the boat, and the best tyvek suits and masks i could find.

i could have bought a milwaukee sander for 250 dollars but i feared that using it in an enclosed space would fill the motor with copper dust and destroy it. i also figured i would never use it again. so i went to harbor freight and bought a grinder for 40 dollars.

the job took seven days. the grinder lasted four days. i hosed it down and brought it back to harbor freight. they gave me a new one. that finished the job. i left it with the yard.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

i buy good quality tools if i expect to keep them awhile. still have most of what i bought 30 plus years ago. but i had an occasion once to buy the cheapest tool i could find.

the time came to sand off fifteen or so years of pettit trinidad hard paint from my 37 foot full keel boat. the yard recommended a 7" sander/grinder, lots of blue tarps hanging from the lifelines to encircle the boat, and the best tyvek suits and masks i could find.

i could have bought a milwaukee sander for 250 dollars but i feared that using it in an enclosed space would fill the motor with copper dust and destroy it. i also figured i would never use it again. so i went to harbor freight and bought a grinder for 40 dollars.

the job took seven days. the grinder lasted four days. i hosed it down and brought it back to harbor freight. they gave me a new one. that finished the job. i left it with the yard.

I’m always and forever the contrarian. Ha ha.

I put a fortune into my polisher/grinders buying the best I could. I LOVE these tools. They were the most used tools of my project.

Hitachi.

https://www.lanescarproducts.com/hit...SABEgLKZfD_BwE

I have a pair of them and have replaced the brushes several times. They are always and forever choking on fiberglass dust.

They were often just locked on for half the day grinding away.

So smooth and precise I feel like Michelangelo using them. I can create any shape. They melt away pounds of fiberglass in a few seconds at high speed or can take an atom or two off at the lowest setting.

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by jmschmidt

Cheap and replaceable. I bought a set of Made in India (complete set of SAE end wrenches $20 or so) hand tools almost 40 years ago for my boat. Still not a speck of rust on them, heavy chrome still beautiful, much better shape than the Craftsman's of about the same age that I have in my shop at home.
I also have a Taiwan made 1/2" chuck 3 speed drill press, bench grinder and vise (about the same age) for about $150 total.
Why have expensive tools on you boat for people to steal?

Same here. Mine have never been off the boat in over 10 years and still like like new.


And because they are cheap, they don't ever take that one extra bounce overboard when dropped like the expensive stuff does.

[onestepcsy37]

chotu you did the right thing. if i had as much need for it as you do i also would have bought the best.
reefmagnet, aint that the truth. but i've been lucky. only lost an expensive leatherman multi tool overboard.

[Cheechako]

Corrosion is not an issue unless you neglect or store them in the bilge in my experience. Some expensive tools are terrible, some are great. I guess it just depends on the tool. Never buy the cheapest of the cheapest though. generally you get what you pay for. Snap On wrenches are a work of art, but the metal is too meaty on the open end to use the wrench in some tight locations.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I don't disagree but screw drives seems to have a penitence for going overboard. Probably the most used topsides.

True that. I've made bounteous sacrifices of Wera screwdrivers to the deep. Despite being careful, despite sometimes even using a lanyard.