PAINT SCRAPERS

You will need an assortment of paint scrapers.   Usually the cheaper ones have more flexible blades and these can be used for handling the resin putty “Bog” and fairing up various areas of filler.   Purchase a selection of widths from 1” [25mm] to 6” [150mm] of which one or two can have the corners rounded so that they can be used for creating fillets.   Paint scrapers can be cleaned in acetone after removing any residue of hardened bog.  

DISK SANDERS

It is a good idea to buy a disc sander of reasonable quality as it will do a lot of work.   The right size is about 7” [175mm].   Choose a low or duel speed disc sander that will be happy running at 4000 RPM.   As well as a rigid backing, the sander should be capable of being fitted with an 8” [200mm] circular foam pad (Ferro) to which you can attach the adhesive type sanding discs for finishing work.   You will need a selection of varying grits.  

OTHER SANDING DEVICES

You will need a selection of sanding blocks and boards.   One particularly board is a piece of plywood 4’ 6” [1.37m] x 6” [150mm] x ½” [12mm] thick which when fitted with handles and sandpaper attached makes an excellent device for obtaining a good finish on a hull or deck  The board is handled with long sweeping strokes that follow the contour of the hull and will tend to even out any unfair areas.   There is a variety of power sanders with all types of actions so check them out and find the best for your job.   Always use any new sanding tool on a test area before committing its use to large areas of your boat.

BRUSHES

All the brushes you purchase should have unpainted handles and you will need a variety of sizes

MOHAIR ROLLERS

Mohair rollers are used for applying and spreading resin as part of the hand laminating process. Again you will use different sizes but mainly 5” [125mm] and look for plastic or unpainted handles and it is a good idea to have a few replacement sleeves.   After use, always remove the sleeve from the roller and thoroughly wash in acetone.   Make sure you always use mohair rollers as other types, sold for painting, will soon fall apart when used with fibreglass resins.

PLASTIC BUCKETS AND CONTAINERS 

For mixing resin save all suitably sized plastic containers and have your friends save theirs too. You should also be able to buy ice cream container “seconds” from your fiberglass suppliers.  You may also purchase some small plastic buckets.   Half gallons [2 lit.] and one gallon [4 lit.] will be the best size for the job.   The hardened resins will crack out of these after use.   It is a good idea to use one specially calibrated and marked bucket for measuring out the specified quantities of the resin as this will save the bother of actually weighing every batch.

JIGSAW

When building any boat, there is a considerable amount of trimming required and an electric jigsaw is one of the best tools for these jobs – able to be used on a work bench or in confined spaces.   On glass fibre, you should only use high grade cutting blades including tungsten and diamond blades and the unit will handle the fibreglass laminate with ease.   Equipped with the correct wood cutting blades a jigsaw will make short work of cutting out plywood bulkheads and furniture

SURFORM

A great little tool for surfacing wood or fiberglass, it comes with flat and rounded blades and is available from most hardware stores.

ELECTRIC DRILL

A good cordless drill is not only for drilling holes but with the addition of a set of hole saws and other attachments will see plenty of action during, and after, any boatbuilding project.  

STEEL ROLLERS

Steel rollers used for rolling the mat and roving remove any air bubbles trapped in the laminate.   With a bit of practice, these steel rollers also roll the material to a smooth finish.   A range of sizes is required including some very small diameter ones for getting in the corners and wide ones for bulk work.   Check with your supplier regarding the various sizes and types.

SCALES

A set of kitchen scales that weigh up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) will be ideal for weighing out the resins and you may be able to pick these up second hand.

SCREEDS

You will need a variety of screeds, most of which are made from flexible plastic or thin metal.   You can make your own or buy ready made from your supplier.   A handy screed can be made from an old saw blade with, or without,  the teeth ground off. 

VACUUM BAGGING EQUIPMENT

You may want to use vacuum bagging when installing any core materials used during the construction of your hull and deck.   Details of the equipment required will be covered in a special section dealing with vacuum bagging techniques.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Other important tools include some heavy duty scissors to cut the fibreglass roving. CSM should be torn unless you want a sharp edge and with woven roving, pull out a strand as you cutting line.  Also needed is a paddle mixer which can be attached to a variable speed electric drill running at slow speeds.   A table on which to lay out the mat and roving with a device to hold the roll at one end is a necessity.   Also required is a measuring glass or bottle for the catalyst and a selection of woodworking tools,  clamps, and ladders etc.