	Useful Tools

	I've accumulated a very modest collection of tools over the years. Some rarely get used; others are in nearly constant use. On this page, I thought I would point out the ones which I think are of particular merit.
	Home built disk sander / router table: I built this about 15 years ago, and it has been very useful. The massive aluminum platter for the sanding disk comes from an old Rek-O-Cut turntable; it is mounted to a 3/4" steel shaft (machined for me by a friend), is supported by a couple of surplus pillow block bearings, and is turned via a 3/8" belt from the motor below. The motor was a 'take out' from an old furnace blower, and at 1/6 horsepower, is probably a bit weak for the task. The weight of the motor, mounted on a hinged platform, tensions the belt adequately. The Craftsman 1 1/2 HP router is mounted to a polycarbonate base plate, which sits in a rabbeted opening on the far end of the table. A homebrew fence, with detachable faces that can be shimmed for precision trimming, is secured to the table by 3/8-16 brass inserts that accept some surplus toggle clamps. The table itself is plywood with a plastic laminate surface.	Combination disk sander / router table, looking at the sanding end The router end, showing polycarbonate router base insert and homebrew fence
	12V Cordless Drill: These things are truly ubiquitous among homeowners, woodbutchers, and craftsmen... inexpensive to buy, simple to operate, and, with no cord to get into the way, convenient to operate. I've owned a couple of these, but the best one is my Black & Decker 12V cordless drill, which has a unique and extremely useful feature. The keyless chuck can be easily removed (by pressing two plastic buttons) to reveal a Phillips head bit concealed beneath, ready to drive a screw with. This is, by far, the simplest possible way to first drill the hole, and then drive the screw, and I used it exclusively while planking the hull. You first drill the hole, and then quickly remove the chuck and drive the screw. The same feature is available in models with higher battery voltages. Personally, I prefer to use a beefy AC-powered drill when I have to drill a large hole, or drill a hole into a really tough material. However, for general woodworking, the cordless models are hard to beat.	It looks like an ordinary 12V cordless drill... but press the buttons at the base of the chuck, and... ...the chuck detaches, revealing a driver bit. It's the easiest way to drill & drive with a single tool, and unlike the convertible bit attachments, it doesn't end up being way too long to get into tight spaces.
	Bosch Orbital Sander: If I could describe one tool as being absolutely indispensable, it would be this one. It uses 5" eight hole disks with a Velcro-style attachment. This tool is powerful enough to effectively sand multiple layers of bottom paint or fresh epoxy fiberglass, but can also be subtle enough to put a fine finish onto a surface before painting. The disks are available in 60-220 grit, although anything above 120 grit is probably best done with a vibrating sander, rather than a random orbit type. Makita, Porter Cable, and others build similar tools. I like the Bosch version because it's lighter than the others, but it still has plenty of power. I use the exhaust port to hook up to my shop vac for dustless sanding.	This is probably the most indispensable tool I own. Until a few days ago, I owned two of them, but the older one finally gave up the ghost, after 10+ years of hard use and abuse... it didn't owe me a penny!
	Black and Decker Power Plane: This one is fairly old, but nonetheless a great tool. It isn't for fine or subtle work; for that, you need a decent quality hand plane, with a sharp blade. However, for hogging out a lot of material quickly, you can't beat a power plane. This one uses simple disposable knives that are easy to replace... and a belt which is a bit of a pain to change, as well as obtain. It's great for cleaning up the edges of plywood after rough cutting, especially around convex curves.	It's NOT a subtle tool... but it's fast and effective when you need to take down an edge
	Sears 30,000 BTU Kerosene Heater: Since I work in an unheated garage, I need some way of getting the temperatures up to reasonable levels when I work in the winter. I bought this unit about 20 years ago, and it has never failed, and never needed service. It's noisy, and requires careful consideration for venting, but it doesn't smell too much. Thankfully, there is an off-brand gas station a few towns away that sells kerosene from a pump for about $1.75/gallon. I buy 4 gallons at a time, and that's good for three refills which last 4-5 hours each.	Filthy and noisy... but it can give me 20-25+ extra dregrees of warmth in my unheated 11 x 22 garage
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