What essential tools do you carry?

[Neeves]

Having an Oz built cat we have both a complete set of metric and imperial spanners and sockets (long and short) sets. Most of the rigging is imperial but the engines, Volvo MD2020, are metric. To replace the oil seal at the back of the impellor there is no room (to swing a spanner more than 1 or 2 degrees) so we bought a cheap set of the right size and cut them short. We changed all the little flat blade screwdriver 'bolts' on the impellor plates to alan head, easier to undo. The Volvo folding props are secured with a monster nut (might be 32mm) took months to find a cheap socket to fit. Most of our screwdrivers have square shafts, so as you can get a spanner, mole or shifter on them, the shafts come right through the handle - so you can bash them with a hammer.

We sharpen old hacksaw blades, great for getting under sealant. We sharpen acrylic, great for scraping sealant off - does not damage the gelcoat.

We had an almost complete set of tools and some disreputable backpackers from a country off your coast stole them (the 2 of them were caught, after they had sold everything, and escorted to the nearest aircraft) its taken 6 years but we are still collecting. I don't think you ever have enough

Has anyone mentioned bolt croppers and decent rivet 'gun'?

Gas soldering irons are the only ones that are any use up a mast.

Probably the most useful essential for any maintenance task is an accommodating wife

Jonathan

 

[johnphilip]

....and a Boy Scout for taking things out of horses' hooves.

.

I always thought it was a fancy knife to get boy scouts out of horses' hooves?

 

[oldbilbo]

"....We changed all the little flat blade screwdriver 'bolts' on the impellor plates to alan head, easier to undo....."

'Roger, that!' - and keep some spares in a wee box together with the right-sized allen key

"....We sharpen old hacksaw blades....."

Very 'Weegie'. I've been known to sharpen a chainsaw, but that sounds a labour of love - or extreme parsimony!

"....some disreputable backpackers from a country off your coast stole them...."

That'll be France, then.....

".....Probably the most useful essential for any maintenance task is an accommodating wife...."

Any one in particular? I s'pose WR88 will be on here in a minute, banging on about 'hot riveting'....