Sunfish Tools...

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. :eek:
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.

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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. :)
 
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? :eek: 'Better buy more than you need with the first stop, and reduce your exposure to germs. :cool:
 
I think we're still "flattening the curve"... :rolleyes:

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. :(

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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.
 
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: :cool: (Holes for hanging on pegboard or pulling in line with the gripped object).

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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! :rolleyes: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.

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

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" :confused:).

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. :oops:

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! :cool:
 
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. :rolleyes:

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.
 
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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! :cool:
 
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?
 

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