Tools unique to boat building

[paul aubin]

All

I am curious as to what tools you added to your shop as you began building boats and as you advanced to more complex designs.

Paul

[John Bailey]

I added a good Bosch jigsaw and a larger bandsaw. The most important thing was to have a bench arrangement to handle longer boards. I think hand tools become a little more important.

John

[Angus Hines]

Good hand tools are a must especially if your doing work on older wooden boats where things flex and move while your in the shop working on the project.....

[Mac McQuinn]

I guess if I had but one choice of power tools for boatbuilding, it would be my Bandsaw. Other than that I always seem to have a low-angle block plane in one hand and Japanese saw in the other.

Mac

[Lawrence Smith]

I added a scew block plane and a rabbit block plane. I also added an old Baily #6 plane for scarfing boards together. For riveting I added a small 5oz ball peen hammer along with a sledge hammer head to back up the rivets. In addition to several really good straight slot hand screw drivers I bought an old Yankee screw driver on E-Bay. Hope this helps.:)

[Dave Ray]

All the above plus:o "C" clamps of all sizes, portable power planer, "C' clamps of all sizes, a Slick, a draw knife, "C" clamps of all sizes. Various tools for working tupperware material (fiberglass and resin). I love wooden boats but in todays world you need to be able to work with that #$@^%$ material. Of course more "C" clamps of all sizes.http://sawmillcreek.org/images/smilies/redface.gif

[John Messinger]

Long boards for fairing a hull with "stick-it" type sand paper.

Also, tungue depressors (and lots of them) for epoxy.

[paul aubin]

so other than more C-clamps and a few had tools most of what I already have should work.

What about stands or a bench of some sort. I used old 2 by 4 saw horses to repair the row boat this spring.

Paul


and more clamps

[Lawrence Smith]

The size and type of boat you are going to build will determine the bench or strong back that you will need. I doubt that 2X4 horses are going to do it. They are just not suitable. Be sure to build the platform that will hold the construction molds high enough so that you will at least most of the time be working at a comfortable level and not hurting your back.

Ditto on the clamps that were previously suggested. You might also want to make some clamps yourself since some clamps will be needed that have a long "reach". Take a look at the clamps that are offered on the Duck Trap Boats website. He offers them finished or you can buy the hardware from him and make them yourself.

P.S. Another handy tool I found was a small bevel gauge. I made one by taking an old hacksaw blade and snapping the ends off in my vice. I then riveted the two broken off ends together. It works great and it didn't cost anything, just don't rivet it so tightly that it doesn't move smoothly.:)

[Bill Ryall]

Clamps. Small bevel gauge- 3" or so. Clamps. Bosch barrel grip jig saw. Clamps. 14" minimum band saw. More clamps. A couple good block planes- 1 low angle, 1 regular. More clamps. When you think you have enough clamps, get/make more. You will never have enough clamps.

2x4 horses won't cut it. Build a strongback appropriate for the boat you are building. Also, make sure you have access to long runs of clear horizontal space. Boat building uses a lot of long, thin pieces.

[Robert Parrish]

I built a 19' Bruce Robert's sloop with just an old Sears radial arm saw and several hand tools and gallons of epoxy. My 1 car garage was 19'3" and the boat was 19'1". I sailed it for several years then I donated it to a boys and girls club on Chesapeake Bay.

[Jim Creech]

Unless you are going to limit yourself to flat bottom, hard chined boats, a steam box is almost a necessity. Did anyone mention clamps? Lots of clamps.
Knowing how to use a Spanish Windlass is also helpful as well as a comprehensive understanding of Murphy's Law.

[Mac McQuinn]

A few years back a good friend lost his father who had been building boats for a living since 1945. I had heard stories through the years about this gentleman and the boats he created, national award winning boats of all sizes, a tremendous amount of runabout restorations were also included. His fit and finish quality was unbelievable. After he passed my friend asked me to help in moving some unfinished projects out of the shop. I went over and when he opened the door, other than a small selection of hand tools still hanging in their proper place, there stood one stationary power tool.......A 14" bandsaw. A 75% finshed runabout was sitting in the shop also and the quality was as nice as I've seen. He was not a rich man and always made due with extraordinary results. I remember going to the funeral home and looking down at his hands, Hands that were heavily caloused, banged up and bigger than you would think for a man his size. He worked his whole life with these hands.

Perhaps before we jump out there and pick up that new state of the art perfect power tool for the job we think we need to have, We should look down at our own hands and witness the finest set of tools God gave to any living being.

Mac

[Jim Creech]

Amen Brother!!