Sunfish Tools...

[L&VW]

Another thought: I'm not so sure about mounting that 6-inch grinding disc on a bench grinder. While lots of imaginative cuts can be made into a variety of materials (including Kevlar), it can also throw medium-sized chunks back at your face.

I sighted a $3 glass container containing VOSS boutique water. I wondered if I could cut the top off, so I could store stuff and see what's near the bottom. I took a moderate cut using the above mounted grinding disc with a success worth writing about.

Most of the chips were small, but just three "turns" made this into a decent first try. This will need a finer sandpaper (than 24 grit) to smooth the edges, but I'm happy with the result.

 

[L&VW]

As the weather warms up, I'd suggest putting the workpiece (Sunfish) in the sun. UV rays from the sun kills viruses. Now for the second part:

Will West Marine be considered an essential business? 'Better buy more than you need with the first stop, and reduce your exposure to germs.

 

[L&VW]

I think we're still "flattening the curve"...

Getting ready to put some hardware on two (of three) Sunfish I'm advertising locally. I have flat S/S Mollies, but can't find them right now.

 

[shorefun]

My favorite tool is always the tool I need to get the job done. Not possible to have a single favorite tool in my book.

Honestly the tool that gets the most use is my US military 4 blade pocket knife with stainless sides. The Blade is usually dull from too much improper use. The screwdriver/ bottle opener is twisted from over use on things I should not be doing. The pointy can opener is useful in so many places. Poking in holes, scraping crap off stuff, probing fiberglass and I am always coming up with a new use. The awl has a fine point on it which works well for getting some connectors apart and it is narrow enough to fit in a Philips head screw. It can also function as a hammer.

Yes, the knife has been abused heavily. Yes, I am on my second knife. Yes, I wore out the first one.

As a bit a of irony. I am often the only one with a bottle opener when people want to drink their beer. I rarely ever drink.

 

[L&VW]

Don't know what I'd do without a drill, seeing that a hammer is a poor choice for an inspection port installation.

When it comes to "only one tool", I'd select this one—hammer and Vice Grips in one: (Holes for hanging on pegboard or pulling in line with the gripped object).

Multi-tools should be handy, but they're mostly too small. The "Actopus" is only three inches long—and they're advertising this "belt-loop tool"
is also a hammer! View attachment 22039

Seeing that a drill is one of the most frequently selected tools for Sunfish work, I'd recommend a favorite antique drill that needs no cord or battery.

I mean, what's it take to make a hole through 1/8th inch of fiberglass or plastic mast cap? I have two antique "Yankee" drills, and two large antique braces, but I have my eye on one of these ($8) to flesh out my toolbox:

Mercari: Your Marketplace

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[Dickhogg]

It is amazing how many jobs an old hand drill is better than an electric drill for. I use mine all the time.

 

[Fremont]

Not sure it's a Sunfish tool, but my soon to be favorite tool (as soon as it arrives, I Kickstarted it) is this. I bought a 50# box of Lincoln 6011 sticks so I'm ready to melt some metal, and my wife is excited for the MIG welder and plasma cutter. She's wanted a plasma cutter for years. I love her a lot!

YesWelder FIRSTESS MP200 5-in-1 Welder & Cutter

The MP200 is a versatile and powerful 5-in-1 welding machine specially designed for home DIY or maintenance projects. It can be used to weld MIG (GMAW), Stick (SMAW), Gasless (FCAW), and TIG (GTAW). YesWelder MP200 also allows you to cut at the same time.

yeswelder.com

 

[danpal]

I'm pretty sure a MIG welder is perfect for fiberglass repair! It makes cutting holes in fiberglass almost as easy as cutting soft butter. In fact, I used one to slide and dice my Viking hull that I wanted to convert into a duck blind. Unfortunately, the duck blind sank on it's maiden voyage but the ducks were very happy!

 

[Fremont]

I'm pretty sure a MIG welder is perfect for fiberglass repair! It makes cutting holes in fiberglass almost as easy as cutting soft butter. In fact, I used one to slide and dice my Viking hull that I wanted to convert into a duck blind. Unfortunately, the duck blind sank on it's maiden voyage but the ducks were very happy!

Bwahaha! I’m not sure where I’d attach a ground to a Sunfish hull, but I’ll take your word for it!
Yeah, def not a “Sunfish tool” but I’m so darned excited about it. My wife and I took welding classes together a couple of years ago, she’s much better than I am. Hey, we can fix trailers and build boat racks so there’s that!

 

[aborgman]

You have to use a conductive front or back piece - but I've seen fiberglass, carbon fiber, MDF, acrylic, glass, and a number of other things cut with a plasma cutter.

 

[L&VW]

"Muffin fan" is a tool? (AKA "Pancake fan")
I'd certainly say YES! .

My old much-modified muffin fan has finally quit, so I ordered a muffin fan last week--Amazon--$12.

Although it's the correct wiring and voltage, the size is smaller than what I thought I was going to receive. (Never good at math, the metric system ruined my "gozintas" ).

I can still use it for it's intended purpose, but in looking for another muffin fan over Memorial Day weekend, I found a lot of ways to get flummoxed.

You can get tiny computer muffin fans for $1, but some vendors require a minimum purchase of 100!

Muffin fans are cheapest in DC current, which means you can run them off a suitable transformer you've saved from some other application; however, connecting the wire connectors might be a hangup.

Regarding connectors, this latest fan came with two spring-clip connectors. Press down on the tiny levers and slide the wires in--release--and you're connected.

Fan blade rotation and breeze-direction are indicated on one side. If you're ducting your fan through PVC pipe and using a single port, send the breeze out.

Muffin fans also come in house current (115v-120v/220-240v), but not all have the plug!

There are even muffin fans in stainless steel!

But my old muffin fan was a US-made "takeout" (routine replacement) from a Xerox 2400 "duplicator" machine I was maintaining in 1972!

"Duct fans" have much more power, but are shorter on durability. They're available at Home Depot stores in sizes 4-inches and up.

If your Sunfish is stored outdoors, look for a solar-powered muffin fan!

 

[L&VW]

Two last words on fans:

1) The smaller muffin fan isn't noisy at all, but it does sound like a mosquito! Located in the kitchen, it's not what I would have wanted.

2) A dedicated small kitchen fan is available ($23) which has an integral plastic duct. PVC plastic pipe can be added to direct a breeze to distant internal parts of the hull.

 

[L&VW]

You're using $1 Harbor Freight scissors to cut fiberglass? They're decent scissors.

Most scissors used to cut fiberglass lose their cutting edge quickly; however, they can be sharpened with just a single pass on a bench grinder. Not only that, they cut even better afterwards!

 

[LVW]

Well, I just cut through the middle of Craftsman 1/2" socket with a narrow 6-inch "cut-off wheel" (abrasive disk) mentioned in the original post. The socket was hopelessly rusted, but I needed a spacer, so I cut off what was needed.

What stores today recognize Craftsman® warrantee trade-ins, anyway?

 

[danpal]

You could try Lowe's. They carry the Craftsman line now.

 

[Wavedancer]

You could try Lowe's. They carry the Craftsman line now.

 

[gzblack2]

would you consider this a tool?
I use it to keep water out of the mast during washing and storage.
My wife brings them home just about every day.

 

[tag]

that's a grande idea!

 

[danpal]

At $6 - $8 a pop, that's an expensive tool!

 

[LVW]

would you consider this a tool?
I use it to keep water out of the mast during washing and storage.
My wife brings them home just about every day.

View attachment 54506

At three inches across, single-service apple sauce dishes just might do the same job.

There, I just saved you about $7.