The Alternative Guide to Boat Building Tools
It's fairly obvious that when building your own boat
, you will need the standard tools that you would expect to find in the average toolbox, like hammers, screwdrivers and maybe drills if you have them. Therefore, in this article I don't want to dwell on these and instead want to bring your attention some of the more specialist tools available and also raise some points you may not have otherwise thought of when thinking about boat building tools.Building your own boat, you will more than likely be working with wood and therefore it should come as no surprise that most of the tools you will be using are common wood working tools. This includes saws, chisels, planes, hammers and mallets.
Another tool you will definitely not want to be without when boat building is a clamp, or should I say clamps? These basically work as you third hand (or fourth, or fifth!) for holding pieces in place, allowing you to use both of yours for carrying out other tasks such as hammering in nails, mixing and applying glue, or anything else you may need to do with you hands free. Therefore the more of these you have the in your toolbox the better, as this will allow you to work on more things at the same time and speed up the whole process.
You will also want to make sure you have arsenal of marking and measuring tools so that when looking at your boats building plans, you have an accurate way of transferring these dimensions to your pieces of wood ready for cutting. Measuring tape, try squares and sliding bevels are just some of these tools you will want to look into further.
If you are buying new tools for the build, you will want to make sure that you take good care of them too so that they last and also to make using them easier. There's nothing more frustrating and time wasting than using a chisel with a dull edge. This will not only end up being a waste of time and effort in the long run, but it will also mean you'll get left with far rougher finish which is of course, less desirable.
Now, if you have read any of my other articles available on boat building, you may have noticed a recurring theme running through many of them. For those of you who haven't it's, you get what you pay for'. Guess what? This is also something that is also relevant to boat building tools.
Along with a good set of plans, one of the most important factors in helping you to successfully complete your project with the greatest ease, is a toolbox containing some good quality tools. You will be working with these throughout the project, so you want to make sure they will stand up to the job and see it all the way through to the end, helping you to do the same.
You especially don't want something breaking just when you need it the most. For instance, just imagine you have set up your clamp for gluing, applied the glue and left it to dry, only to come back and realize the clamp has slipped and the wood is stuck in the wrong position. That's a waste of time, energy and money, all for the sake of a little extra expense in the first place.
Again, I'm not saying you have to go out and buy the most expensive available on the market, especially if this is your first project, but I still wouldn't suggest you buy the cheapest either. If you are using these tools regularly and can justify the expense by all means, you may want the best specialist tools, but most of the time these will not be needed.
For more information on boat building tools, or for similar boat building topics, please feel free to visit my website. You're always welcome aboard! Just click on the links below. Also, If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, please take a moment to leave a comment and let me know. I would love to know your thoughts, so just drop me a line if you have time.
The Alternative Guide to Boat Building Tools
By: Tony Metcalf Choosing to Build a Wooden Sailboat Methods of Wood Boat Repair and Maintenance How To Remove Mildew From Boat Seats When You Have A Skeeter, You Will Want A Skeeter Boat Cover Boats For Sale by Owner - Where to Find Them Choosing a Boat - How to Choose the Right Boat For You Solar-Powered Boat Takes a Journey Around the World Houseboat Honeymoon Tour In Kerala Smooth-sailing Windward Commons Creates Campus Enhancements For Armstrong Atlantic State University Taking A Boat Into The Antarctic What are the basics of outdoor Longboat Key wedding? Pontoon Bar - Sydney, Nsw - Review Boat Building Kits For the Boat of Your Dreams