Frayed Knot
Well-known member
Plus it’s fun to play with!
What items would you carry in your toolbox in addition to normal tools?
- Thread starter coopec
- Start date
doug748
Well-known member
I always carry a loose keyless chuck, which can be used by hand to pilot and drill holes where a drill can't. Also useful as a bradawl and for gripping round stuff for filing, soldering etc.
If you carry a power drill you can, of course, remove the chuck for use but it's best done in the workshop first, some older models need persuasion.
If you carry a power drill you can, of course, remove the chuck for use but it's best done in the workshop first, some older models need persuasion.
jdc
Well-known member
I consider most things on the above list (ok, not the endoscope) to be normal tools. Abnormal (read obsessive's) ones to add might be:
- brazing torch, flux and rods
- taps and dies (just a few, M3,4,5,6,& 8)
- a helicoil kit for M5 (M5 is used on Selden booms and masts, where the Stainless screw often strips the thread from the Aluminium boom section). Choice is then to repair the thread with a Helicoil or retap to M6.
- carpenters saw. It's amazing what one can bodge with wood provided one can saw it to size!
- brazing torch, flux and rods
- taps and dies (just a few, M3,4,5,6,& 8)
- a helicoil kit for M5 (M5 is used on Selden booms and masts, where the Stainless screw often strips the thread from the Aluminium boom section). Choice is then to repair the thread with a Helicoil or retap to M6.
- carpenters saw. It's amazing what one can bodge with wood provided one can saw it to size!
coopec
N/A
I bought one the day as I will need to calibrate the tachometer (I've installed a new alternator) and it only cost around $20
roaringgirl
Well-known member
Most of my boat is spares and tools.
Belts
Cables
Crimp terminals and crimper
Battery terminals and crimper
Hoses
Spares for watermaker
Spares for stove
Spare stove
Pullers of various sizes
Jigsaw
Tongue-type oscillating multitool
Grinder
Mallet
Scrapers and 3M pads for hull
Spanners large enough for thru hull
30m of 6mm dyneema
Spare bottlescrews
Dremel
Spare backstay chainplates
Spare fuses
Spare nuts
Spare bolts
Spare screws
Lifejacket service kits
Toilet pumps
Sail repair tape & whipping twine
Blowtorch
Staplegun
PV cable plugs (MC4?)
Scraps of marine ply
Bathroom paint
Spare compression olives for fuel lines
12 racor filters
Some fuel filters
Some oil filters
Several impellers
Oil
Coolant
Gear oil
Spare autopilot motor
Spare windlass motor
Shackles and soft-shackles galore
Sewing machine
220v drill, drill bits and holesaws
Bilge pump spares
About 5 different spare water pumps - centrifugal, diaphragm and impeller types of different sizes
Multitester with clamp
Tds meter
Wire brushes
Torx bits
Imperial and metric allen keys
Tap & die set
Soldering iron
Led strips
I could go on...
Somewhere we also squeeze in sailing gear, homeschool equipment, 4 weeks of stores, a sailing dinghy, a homeschool library and a family of 4.
Belts
Cables
Crimp terminals and crimper
Battery terminals and crimper
Hoses
Spares for watermaker
Spares for stove
Spare stove
Pullers of various sizes
Jigsaw
Tongue-type oscillating multitool
Grinder
Mallet
Scrapers and 3M pads for hull
Spanners large enough for thru hull
30m of 6mm dyneema
Spare bottlescrews
Dremel
Spare backstay chainplates
Spare fuses
Spare nuts
Spare bolts
Spare screws
Lifejacket service kits
Toilet pumps
Sail repair tape & whipping twine
Blowtorch
Staplegun
PV cable plugs (MC4?)
Scraps of marine ply
Bathroom paint
Spare compression olives for fuel lines
12 racor filters
Some fuel filters
Some oil filters
Several impellers
Oil
Coolant
Gear oil
Spare autopilot motor
Spare windlass motor
Shackles and soft-shackles galore
Sewing machine
220v drill, drill bits and holesaws
Bilge pump spares
About 5 different spare water pumps - centrifugal, diaphragm and impeller types of different sizes
Multitester with clamp
Tds meter
Wire brushes
Torx bits
Imperial and metric allen keys
Tap & die set
Soldering iron
Led strips
I could go on...
Somewhere we also squeeze in sailing gear, homeschool equipment, 4 weeks of stores, a sailing dinghy, a homeschool library and a family of 4.
coopec
N/A
Phew! I'll use that as a check list!
I'll never be short of SS nuts, screw, washer, and bolts because if I need X6 of something it is often very little more to buy X10.
I'll also have LED touch lights around the yacht in the event of a complete failure of the electrical system.
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justanothersailboat
Active member
I feel really under-equipped now. I'm clearly going to have to go on a tool shopping spree. But... on my boat the toolbox seems to suck all the condensation out of the air and turn my basic tools into a slurry of rust. This while pretty much everything else stays fine (so far). That makes me wary of excessive contingency tools I won't end up using regularly. Am I the only one? (hope so...)
coopec
N/A
I can give you a list of items if you like which you can use to "suck all the condensation out of the air and turn my basic tools into a slurry of rust."
smithy
Active member
One of those flexible jubilee clip tools and a right angle drill attachment.
SaltIre
Well-known member
Disposable nappies - for soaking up poo and other noxious liquids.
coopec
N/A
I bought a right angle drill for something like $4.50. (I think they are about $10 now though)
When I got it I was disgusted because it was quite small and would only take a max 8mm(?) drill. I felt ripped off.
But not anymore! It has got me out of trouble a few times now
jaminb
Active member
Poignard
Well-known member
What sort of bottle do you open with that?
Stemar
Well-known member
I think my boat just sank under the weight of all that electrical and mechanical weaponry...
pandos
Well-known member
Sods law dictates that you will not have what you need.
The last time I needed a tool whilst sailing I needed a jack and some blocks of wood..following broken bolts in engine mounts..
The last time I needed a tool whilst sailing I needed a jack and some blocks of wood..following broken bolts in engine mounts..
Poignard
Well-known member
Last time I changed engine mounts I used a crowbar to gently lift the engine a fraction of an inch so I could slide the old mounts out and the new ones in, one at a time.
The job was done afew years ago, and won't need doing again soon but I can't bear to take the crowbar home, just in case . . . .
ctva
Well-known member
A cordless angle grinder is nice to have, and a sea magnet for when you drop a tool overboard!
coopec
N/A
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Daedelus
Well-known member
A pair of long handled, snipe nose pliers with 90 turn which are the only things to get the impeller out. (there is a special hell for the engine designer) as for anything else odd you lot will have it!
LONG_KEELER
Well-known member
And you can have a really good look at your tonsils too.