Tool Recommendations

[roverhi]

Impact drivers are great for removing fasteners especially SS in aluminum. Have a real hard time setting screws as a moments inattention will stripp out the screw. Too hard for me to work with. Both Milwaukee and Bosch make 12v screw drivers that really make boat work go faster.. These are non impact drivers with clutches which I've found to be invaluable in setting fasteners into delicate material. The first new tool I bought when I started my current boat renovation.

Have a Fein Multi tool but patent must have run out as most other tool mfg. are now offering them way cheaper. These saws will make cuts where no other saw will work and don't splinter the wood along the edge of the cut. Would not be the first tool I'd buy but if you've got that impossible to reach cut, nothing else will do. Seems to be the easiest hand saw to get a straight line cut withou a guide.


A quality saber saw. Nothing is straight on a boat and a jig saw will make all sorts of complex cuts and doesn't do a bad job in a straight line with a guide. The most used cutting tool when building our W32 kit boat.

Quarter sheet sanders. Like the Bosch one I've got because paper is so easy to load. Other mfg. tools work too but loading paper can be a pain. Check out carefully before you buy.

Orbital sanders work great on flat surfaces and even doing small fiberglass work.

18v battery powered drill.

Table saw.

Grinder if you will be doing any glass work. Invaluable to remove paint and rough up surfaces before glassing. Do a decent job of cutting and forming metal with either a cut off or grinder blade. This is the only tool I'd buy a cheap version as fiberglass dust tends to eat them up right quick and the $30 variety seem to work just as well as the $60 and up variety.

My daddy told me to buy good tools and they'll be your friend for life. Has proven to be true as I'm still using the Milwaukee hand tools I bought to build my first boat project. You don't need to buy Festool or Fein to get good journeyman quality tools. Have found the cheap tools don't last, are underpowered and quite often a pain to use.

The Stanley low angle block plane is a great tool for straightening out shaky cuts and general trimming, even formica and plastics. Have found these planes to be invaluable for working with plywood as they'll cut across the grain.

[GILow]

This is a really terrific list, thank you to all.

It all makes sense, and many of these tools I either do not own and/or would not have thought to have needed, so it's also an eye opening list as I hoped it would be.

Matt

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by roverhi

.........
Orbital sanders work great on flat surfaces and even doing small fiberglass work.
.........

OMG, how did I forget the orbital sander

The most used tool in all of my re-fits. In fact, I don't see it as a tool, just an extension of my body .

Thanks for the reminder Roverhi.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Cordless drill motor with adjustable clutch. And Philips driving bits...

Robertson screws are a better choice. Nothing beats being able to place the screw on the end of the bit without it falling off and less chance of a stripped head.

[Cheechako]

The most useful bigger tool for redoing an interior are a small portable Bandsaw (just put it on a setee) and a small combination Disc/Belt sander. These allow you to fit trim, small bulkheads etc perfectly inside the boat. Both can be had used for less than $150 for the two. The Bandsaw shown was $90 new.

[Matt sachs]

I have used the heck out of my DA sander, cordless set, (drill , impact driver and sawsall) circular saw and hand planer.
If you want to remove some wood, I just bought some 30 grit ceramic belts for my porter cable sander. Holy Cow! They eat wood, epoxy and screw heads and last forever.

[Terra Nova]

The Fein Multi tool and Festool's track saw are highly useful.

Additionally:
plastic dial caliper
engineer's scribe
hot glue gun (for making patterns from door skin strips)
close quarters angle drill
Japanese saw
multimeter

[GILow]

Originally Posted by mitiempo

Robertson screws are a better choice. Nothing beats being able to place the screw on the end of the bit without it falling off and less chance of a stripped head.

This post reminded me that my friend keeps the bits for his impact driver in his pocket when he is not using them. The building site was pretty cold during the day, a few degrees above freezing, and he found that the cold driver bits were more likely to shatter than those kept warm in his pocket.

Matt

[jeepbluetj]

I'm a bona fide tool slut. Love gettin new tools. Cannot park any cars in the garage because of all the tools.

That said, some of these lists of tools would cost more than my boat. My current approach (after recognizing my addiction) is to buy em when I need em. Makes the projects take awhile longer, but saves $$$ on little-used tools. And some tools that I know I'll use real rarely, I'll buy the cheap chinese stuff (gasp). Some tools I'll buy the top of the line, some I'll buy midline. I've used the absolute crap out of my dremel multitool (the vibrating kind, not the rotary). Is it as good as the Fein multi tool? No. But it cost a third as much. For boat tools I'm definitely in the cheaper camp - i.e. if I drop it in the harbor how much am I gonna cry about it. A cheap ryobi drill? Not too much. If I drop a top of the line Milwaukee in, I'm gonna be out some $$$.

"buy as needed", however, is a very very tough plan if you're on a mooring or actively cruising. Since I've got a toy boat in a harbor, it's pretty easy to lug whatever's needed to the boat.

[mikereed100]

After completely rebuilding my boat I was surprised to find that the one tool I use almost daily is an angle grinder. With a sanding disk I use it all the time in place of a plane for shaping wood.

[Cheechako]

Yeah, angle grinder an oft used tool for sure... especially for glass. The little belt sander I posted above will do much of the wood work though and do it with the grain so you don't have so much sanding once it's shaped! The round ends on the belt are handy for shaping too.

[Ex-Calif]

Get a copy of "Boat Joinery & cabinetmaking - Fred P. Bingham"

He is a bit old school and some things are dated but he has good ides on tools and a fairly comprehensive list - Dels list is great BTW.

He has a couple of cool ideas for woodshop "machine" replacements - How to turn a circular saw into a table saw for example.

He also has good descriptions of basic wood joinery joints and how to make them.

Maybe mentioned but I didn't see above - Good set of wood chisels. Miter box or miter frame. A selection of good quality planes, large L or T square, plumb bob, bubble level, awl, small adjustable bevel edge square, protractor, scribing compass.

I recently started the woodworking journey and have added most of these tools to my inventory.

[Ramble]

Regarding the impact driver, the riggers around here taught me to use a propane torch for heat and a brace to remove stainless screws from aluminum. Works great, does less damage and certainly is quieter. You might give that a try as well.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by mitiempo

Robertson screws are a better choice. Nothing beats being able to place the screw on the end of the bit without it falling off and less chance of a stripped head.

Oh so true but.....
almost unobtainable in the OP's country

And those USA prices you guys quote...
Again unobtainable in this lucky country

[fryewe]

My favorite new hand tool is the microplane rasp. Fantastic for shaping wood with fine control...



One example of my use (as a novice...if I can do it anybody can do it) using a small black locust scrap...in about 20 minutes (for shaping)...an eight inch cleat...