The amount of work required to renovate a boat is often minimized. It is important to be properly equipped at the beginning of the work to gain efficiency and enjoyment. Of course, depending on the main material of the boat, one does not use the same tools. We will focus here on the most essential and most universal tools: the grinder, the drill and screwdriver and especially the vacuum cleaner.
The construction site vacuum cleaner
At the top of the list, we will place the construction site vacuum cleaner. This kind of can on wheel with a motor is simply indispensable! Of course, we will choose a "water and dust" model. It will allow to clean sawdust, chips or any other type of dirt generated by the work on the boat. Connected to a sander or other dust generating machine, it will prevent dust from spreading everywhere.
To pump funds
In "liquid" mode, it can be used to pump out the most inaccessible areas of the bilges. Thanks to it, it is possible to suck up the residual turbid water between the meshes of the booms, or the hydrocarbons in the gatte under the engine. It is then relatively easy to dispose of this pumping water in a dedicated recovery tank, in the port or at the waste disposal center.
In the water and in the dry, we ensure
Choose a vacuum cleaner of reasonable size so that it can be transported when full. It is recommended to equip it with a rope that allows you to hoist it on board, but also to moor it to a fixed point to avoid its fall. Get an extra hose to extend the original one. This will make it easier for you to connect your unit to a sander. Some models have a power outlet that turns on the vacuum and the connected machine.
Drill - screwdriver
The battery-powered drill and screwdriver is another essential. It must be light and, above all, immediately available, which requires regular recharging of the batteries. Better two "handyman" machines than one overly powerful model. It is indeed frequent to have to drill, to mill, then to screw and it quickly becomes tiresome to replace the tools. It saves a lot of time to have several machines, each equipped with a bit or a drill. For those who shrug their shoulders, the machines shown in this article are in their third restoration and still work perfectly!
Taking care of the batteries
Charging management is the real secret of this kind of equipment. The best thing to do is to install a "recharging bench", or at least a multiple socket grouping all the chargers and placed near the door of the site. This way, when you go to lunch, you won't forget to charge your machines. They will be back in top shape when you return to work.
The angle grinder, a tool holder
The angle grinder is probably the most universal machine available, regardless of the material that makes up the boat. Depending on the tool that is mounted on it, it can become a grinder, a disc grinder, a sander, a polisherâ?¦ A fine disc allows precise cuts. A grinding wheel allows deburring, rounding or smoothing an imprecise cut.
A training machine
On soft materials, a soft plate with abrasive discs should be used. This is the basic polyester repair tool, but with a little skill it can be used to round or shape wood with precision. With practice, you can literally sculpt a material. For stripping, you can also find discs with superimposed abrasive flaps. This arrangement allows the abrasive surface to regenerate as it wears.
Multiple uses
Models with a variable speed drive can be fitted with a wire brush, foam pads or polishing cups. This increases the possibilities of this machine, but it should not be used without caution: it turns very fast and the tools can break and splinter. It is imperative to wear protective equipment, at least glasses and gloves. Also remember to unplug the machine before changing tools!
There are many other portable electric devices, saws of all kinds, planes, files, drillsâ?¦ It is up to each one to measure the need for them, depending on the work he undertakes. They will complete these 3 essentials which constitute the basic equipment of any nautical renovator.
