Boat Renovation - What tools do I need?

[ghostlymoron]

Even with the most fabulous toolkit, I think it's going to be a hard sell without a portfolio of successful projects behind you. Particularly as you say you have little experience, merely an ambition to bring back ageing wrecks from the brink. It's easy to spend more on restoring than the finished product is worth. Ask any one whose done such a restoration, even if you discount the labour, which you won't be able to do if you wish to make a living. Look at the final accounts for PBO's Hantu Biri.

 

[chinita]

Even with the most fabulous toolkit, I think it's going to be a hard sell without a portfolio of successful projects behind you. Particularly as you say you have little experience, merely an ambition to bring back ageing wrecks from the brink. It's easy to spend more on restoring than the finished product is worth. Ask any one whose done such a restoration, even if you discount the labour, which you won't be able to do if you wish to make a living. Look at the final accounts for PBO's Hantu Biri.

You beat me to it by about eight minutes.

I was going to query why everybody had engaged in a tool willy waving competition without asking the fundamental question; viz:

'If you have the skills, knowledge and necessary experience to enter into the world of professional commercial boat renovation then surely you would be fully aware of the tools you need - why are you asking us?'

 

[DownWest]

One of my most used tools currently is a Henry Hoover it takes everything I chuck at it.
I'm never happy with the results of rolling and tipping but I'm still practicing but in all honesty I would rather spray it's just the annitial outlay of the equipment as you most probably know.

Not only the outlay on the spray kit, but any two component paint requires serious respiratory protection for yourself and others. Most will only do it in a proper shed, which is why roll and tip is generally used.

As a business, humm. I have some experience with boats and engines and do a certain amount of boat work now. But I would not want to rely on it as a living in the current climate. Over on another forum, a poster with years of time on powerboats engines has lots of work, just getting paid is a problem. Often, what appear to be simple problems have expensive solutions and give the owners a fright.
Restoring boats is a time hungry business and it worries me that you need to ask these questions. Experience is what makes the job go faster, so less hours and a keener price. It might be better to work for a yard to gain the experience before setting up on your own. Not what you want to hear... I have most of the stuff listed above, plus serious welding kit and folding/bending equipment . I also have a workshop and trying to do a lot of this out of a boat is just not possible.

Slow typist , so missed the last bits by Ghostlymoron and chinita. Agree.
DW

 

[Tammany]

In my renovations the tool that has had the most use is a cordless multi-tool. Not the dremel type, the larger ones that fit sanding pads & cutting & grinding blades. I bought an einhell one as it came up cheap but the bosch gop 18v is the best.

 

[prv]

I was going to query why everybody had engaged in a tool willy waving competition without asking the fundamental question

Apart from the part where I said exactly that, in my second paragraph

Pete

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Okay, its expensive, but if you are working with a lot of joinery and flat stock, the Festool circular plunge saw with its track is an amazing piece of kit and replaces a band saw in a lot of applications. Safe, easy to use, satisfying and just awesome.

Making up my new galley worktop.

I'm sure someone has already said it, but a mitre saw you find you end up using in a whole lot of applications.

Making up the flange for the galley sink lid using the mitre saw (and yes, spot the cock up, my routed channel splintered a bit at the edges. I can live with that )

Good luck, tools are FUN. Do be careful, my late father was a shipwright and he cut his fingers off on more than one occasion! Go to Axminster, its one big, expensive, wonderful toy shop.

Edit: Oh, oh, and plus one on the Dremel (yes, other brands are available, but go for the real deal IMO) and Multitool (I have the Fein, and its amazing http://www.axminster.co.uk/fein-fmm-350q-multimaster-quickstart-ax941045, helped me repair must mast truss http://www.albinballad.co.uk/how-tos/fix-your-mast-truss/)

 

[clyst]

In any restoration or "saving an unloved from the brink".. to generate a bit of cash it's the storage that gobbles up the "profits " .

 

[davidpbo]

This is my on boat tool kit.

Impressive, but sadly that weight would make mine list severely mine

 

[Graham_Wright]

I find a machining centre and a CNC lathe indispensable.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I find a machining centre and a CNC lathe indispensable.

Some forum members complained that my tool kit would sink their boat let alone a machining centre and a CNC lathe and I don't think i could find space on my boat either.

 

[prv]

I find a machining centre and a CNC lathe indispensable.

I've had a couple of jobs where a lathe would have been very handy, but sadly mine (inherited from my grandad) is boxed up and stored away for lack of workshop space.

Shortly before he died I did borrow it (in his workshop) to make up the manual winding adaptor for my windlass, the original part being unobtainable. He was delighted to see the machine being used.

Very glad I went to a school that taught useful things like turning and milling - and that I defied the Director of Studies who insisted I should choose GCSE Latin instead

Pete

 

[louisderry]

Okay, its expensive, but if you are working with a lot of joinery and flat stock, the Festool circular plunge saw with its track is an amazing piece of kit and replaces a band saw in a lot of applications. Safe, easy to use, satisfying and just awesome.

Making up my new galley worktop.

I'm sure someone has already said it, but a mitre saw you find you end up using in a whole lot of applications.

Making up the flange for the galley sink lid using the mitre saw (and yes, spot the cock up, my routed channel splintered a bit at the edges. I can live with that )

Good luck, tools are FUN. Do be careful, my late father was a shipwright and he cut his fingers off on more than one occasion! Go to Axminster, its one big, expensive, wonderful toy shop.

Edit: Oh, oh, and plus one on the Dremel (yes, other brands are available, but go for the real deal IMO) and Multitool (I have the Fein, and its amazing http://www.axminster.co.uk/fein-fmm-350q-multimaster-quickstart-ax941045, helped me repair must mast truss http://www.albinballad.co.uk/how-tos/fix-your-mast-truss/)

Good work on the worktop by the look of those clean cuts it seems like it was worth the purchase.