If necessity is the mother of invention, then 450 clams is the fertilizer. WTG Dave! The old timer I seek Merc advice from does the same thing - said he makes most of his own specialty tools for the same reason - silly pricing. The coupler alignment tool is a classic example:90 clams from merc or 15 bucks of cold steel and a lathe, or $29 from heartland on ebay...
Carry on skipper, it's a pleasure to watch your progress and learn, even from afar.
Merry Christmas.
McG