Favorite Tools
Considering the amount of work I did on Saba, I really didn't use many tools. Here are my favorites. I must admit that Tim Lackey's reviews on the Glissando site had a big influence on me. The first two listed below I bought because of his reviews, and I'm glad I did.
Bosch 1584 VS Variable Speed Jigsaw
I had no trouble at all shaping my new cabin sole thanks to this tool. It also came in handy for cutting plywood for my platforms, for enlarging holes in the deck house, for cutting the hole for the anchor deck pipe, and for cutting out the loose baffle in the water tank. Tim Lackey, in his review, pointed out how holding the barrel of the saw gives much more control than jigsaws that have a high handle. I found this to be true; that's what I like the most about this saw.
Porter Cable 7334 5" HD Random Orbit Sander
This sander was very useful for removing many layers of bottom paint. I bought the attachment that allowed me to connect it to my shop vac -- the color of my neighbor's house would have changed to bottom-paint red if I hadn't. It has more power than random-orbit circular sanders, but less than a high-speed grinder (which can take too much material away if you're not careful). Again, check out Tim's review for more information.
Rotozip
This is a versatile tool, especially when you get the various attachments. I used this to cut out my cabin sole, to cut the propeller shaft coupling free from the shaft, to cut out the old fuel tank, to sand my fiberglass/epoxy work, to trim openings I made in the bulkhead and deckhouse, and to cut free seized fasteners (including those that held stanchion bases). I own just about every attachment offered.
Ancor double crimp ratchet tool
I think using this tool is what made my rewiring job so much fun. It gave me confidence that my connections were secure. At $70 it was expensive, but it was worth it given the amount of work it saw.
Gearwrench wrenches
These wrenches were necessary for only one job, and that was to tighten down the fasteners for the stanchion bases and bow and stern pulpits. Access to the nuts were very tight in places -- too tight for a socket wrench and not enough swing room for a standard wrench.
palm sander
Maybe there's nothing special about this sander, but I used it a lot and I like it.
Here are some of the other tools I used: They did what they were supposed to do and gave me no trouble.
- Black and Decker Workmate
- Craftsman cordless drill
- Black and Decker corded drill
- Craftsman table saw
- palm sander #2
- belt sander
- Craftsman wrench and socket sets
- Craftsman screwdrivers
- multimeter
- small Craftsman shop vac