Power Tools

Inquiry -- what power tools do you keep on your boat?* Where do you secure them while you are underway?** Which tool(s) do you find that you use the most?*** KJ

Cordless drill, used by far the most. Fein Multimaster for mostly woodwork, but has lots of other uses. Two other sanders for woodwork. Saber saw also.

I've got four canvas tool bags stored under the forward berth. One with power tools: cordless drill, corded drill, dremmel, impact driver. One with electrical supplies, one hand tools and the last with wrenches and sockets.

For the last 9 months they have lived on top of the forward berth since I have done far more fixing than cruising.

Power tools only......Let's see, ....I keep my variable speed, cordless drill plugged-in in the companion way closet with charging batteries for other cordless tools. In the lazerette, a Dremmel, jig & 5" cordless saw. Below the stateroom hatch, corded table saw, drill, and grinder. In the separate engine and gennie spaces, a combo-electric screwdriver with the socket end for hose clamps with philips and flat ends stored in the handle.

I keep the power tools in a*supermarket plastic hand basket in the engine room: 2 sanders,*drill, jig saw, angle grinder and heat gun plus a router/laminate cutter in it's own case.** The Dremal tool, cordless drill and* 2 soldering irons*are in the pilot house*in their own cases.

The Dremal tool and corless drill get used the most.

The tool I wish I had is a Fenn.

In a cabinet under the settee, I keep my smaller electrical tools including heat gun, solder iron, DVM, crimper and wire continuity tester. These get a good workout during all electrical projects.*

In the aft stateroom, I keep my bulkier tools including my cordless drill, multi-tool and 12V jump start rechargeable battery pack.

My most often used tool is my cordless drill and my multitool.* The 12V portable battery pack provides me portable 12V power for light, accessories and troubleshooting.* Very handy.

Greetings,
All of the above minus the table saw and Fenn tool BUT, what has come in VERY handy is a mini (3") bench grinder with stone and wire wheel-About $12 at Harbor Freight.Can't count the # of machine threads I've cleaned out with the wire wheel.


http://www.nextag.com/Equus-Products-Remote-Starter-1247892223/prices-html

Has proved very handy as well


-- Edited by RT Firefly on Sunday 11th of March 2012 03:10:33 PM

I have to agree with most, cant live without the cordless drill(2) and the drimell has turned out to be a wonderfull thing. My V berth is my tool and supply closet, going to have to change that for when Brother and Sister in law come. BB

There's only one cordless tool I'll have anywhere, and that's one with a second battery in the charging stand. I don't get along well with batteries; the inverter and generator are so handy batteries not worth the frustration and they just don't perform like real tools.

But this one I love:
http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-DB3DL-3-6-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Screwdriver/dp/B000H2P05Q

and I have a chuck that makes it a drill.
http://www.micromark.com/mini-drill-chuck-for-cordless-screwdriver,7852.html

I keep the tools where I only need one operation to easily get at them...not remove a cushion, open a hatch, push aside a toaster, retireve a tool box, clear the table, set the tool box down on the table and then open it and scrounge around for the tool you want. Mine are under the step - flip open the step and see/grab the desired tool.

For backup, every couple years I buy and stash away a SAE/metric tool kit such as:
http://www.harborfreight.com/105-piece-tool-kit-4030.html
I 'Goodwill' the old set which may have a sticky pair of pliers or a missing socket or slightly rusty screwdriver...

The tool you use the most depend on the state of repair your boat is in. The tool I use the most is the beer bottle opener.

The only power tool I've used on my 10-month old boat was a corded 3/8" drill for helping*mount the fire extinguishers and cup holders.* It normally stays at home, and on*onboard it used the boat's*110-volt AC outlets.

Besides a cordless drill, I keep an oscillating buffer for polishing and waxing in route. I assume that counts as a power tool? *

I have a plug in (cheap) drill and a heat gun on my boat. If I'm doing a project I will bring other tools and for my flooring project, I put just about every portable tool I own in my truck just to have them handy.

What power tool do I use most on the boat? An electric screwdriver powered by 4 AA cells.

markpierce wrote:
The only power tool I've used on my 10-month old boat was a corded 3/8" drill for helping*mount the fire extinguishers and cup holders.* It normally stays at home, and on*onboard it used the boat's*110-volt AC outlets.

Click to expand...

*What?* It didn't come with cupholders? ;-)

I'd hope you wouldn't need many tools.* It's still under warranty, right?

Yah ran right inta that one, Mark..

When I started the rebuild/conversion of our lobster style boat , I installed a 4KW noisemaker so I could be powered on the hook.

Worked fine , but today there are so many (and I now have most) 18V power tools the noisemaker sits idle , year after year.

With a modest collection of std. hand tools most jobs can be done , before a power tool could be set up for the job.

This years job , replace with a properly cambered cabin top the main salon overhead , is being done at our FL dock,
so access to band saw , two table saws , and 6x48 belt sander are a big help.

BUT it could almost as easily be done with smaller hand tools ,construction just would be a bit slower.

I asked the original posting person if I could hijack this thread, he reluctantly said "yeah".

So, what do you keep on board to deal with a below the waterline leak, while underway? *Say for instance,*you hit an object and it made a hole ( I know "size matters") in the hull?* So, for different size leaks, what do you have to fix them?****** KJ


-- Edited by KJ on Monday 12th of March 2012 11:11:44 AM

Nerf football. It can be cut or forced into the smallest of openings and my boys have one or two on board anyway for water toys.

CPseudonym wrote:
Nerf football. It can be cut or forced into the smallest of openings and my boys have one or two on board anyway for water toys.

Click to expand...

*Hmmm. Never heard of that one before.********** KJ

Peter B wrote:
Yah ran right inta that one, Mark..

Click to expand...

*With both eyes wide open.* *

A wax toilet seating ring, and a block of electricians putty.

*

I keep the following power tools (and a few other important items on board):
*
Forward most stowage locker, centered under forward stateroom V-berth:
*
-********* Battery powered Worm-drive saw / Electric drill / Jig saw / Saws all / Flood light with AC charger and two batteries in big plastic box
-********* Good supply of mechanics tools in containers as well as many other incidental tools for mechanics or wood-working or metal work needs, all in tool boxes if small, or separate if large
-********* 1,500 +/- bucks (close as I can guess at it) all types of stainless fasteners in well separated see-through plastic container boxes, bins, and even a good sized fishing tackle box
-********* Good set of electric tools, wires, and fasteners
*
Starboard stowage locker, under forward stateroom V-berth:
*
-********* Bulk Fluids for twin 350 cid 255 hp Mercruisers and 50 hp Johnson o/b on tow behind, as well as distilled battery water etc...
-********* Fluid change/add equipment
-********* Clean towel/rags and bilge-floor diaper-pads
*
Port stowage locker, under forward stateroom V-berth:
*
-********* All forms, shapes and sizes of line, chain and their attachments
-********* Jumper cables, AC flood lights, extension cords, knee pads, and other useable work items; as well as a dock-side foldable set of two steps for use on cruises
*
Engine compartment:
*
-********* General maintenance fluids and applicators, strap-on head lamp, roll of commercial grade paper towels, crank-powered flash/flood light...
*

Far too much stuff.

I am a sucker for all those bargin bins at the local hardware store, I come across tools and fittings on the boat that I have bought and stowed, only to wonder what the hell does that tool do.

Sometimes I find I have two or more of the same mystery tool. So not only have I forgotten what I bought the tool for I have forgotten that I had even bought the thing in the first place. If ever i find I have three of the same tools on board , it may be time to see the doc for some of those little red pills.


-- Edited by Andy G on Wednesday 14th of March 2012 12:24:46 AM

10x12 plastic*tarp (may switch to canvas when I find one I like)*with 20 feet or so lines attached to the grommets.* Its*to lower and position over the side of a larger hole or crack*(for the holes bigger than a nerf football).

Assorted sizes of*1/4 inch plywood up to 2x2 feet with drill driver and drywall screws...plus assorted strips of 2x2 inch foam rubber as gasket material.

You can forget all that stuff if you have a great dingy and good insurance

We probable have more mechanical and wood tools than most. *We have a small air compressor, and a small portable welder.* Ive used the air compress mainly to pump up toy/things.* The Welder I bought to repair the middle diesel tank as the welder, did not have a small poratble machine and the cable where to short. *I even have a small drill press, ta le saw and mitter saw, that I can set up on the stern deck.* When we remodles the boat the back enclosed deck was a work area/shop.* Now its my wife sawing/quilting area.*
*

I have tools in three locations the engine room with its own bench, the salon roof storage box, and the helm.* However, to day I bought a new crowbar, 5 bucks, as I did not want to bother finding the ones that are on the boat.* So you name it I probable have it, someplace if I can find it?