Woodworking Tools You Must Own
Many beginning woodworkers make the mistake of thinking they must have the latest in fancy tools. The truth is that most tools make the work easier but it is the talent of the craftsperson that produces the end result. Incredible things can be crafted with a simple knife and beautiful works of art created with minimal tools. However, there are a few things that will make your life a lot easier when beginning woodworking. Below is a list in the suggested order of acquisition. These suggestions are based on the desire to build basic projects. Of course, special projects may require specialty tools.
- A quality ruler and tape measure
- A quality square used for layout and guiding tools
- Basic hand tools including a hammer, screwdriver assortment
- Personal protective equipment including safety glasses, hearing protectors and dust mask.
- Circular saw
- Compound miter saw(12” Sliding is preferred)
- Block plane (no bigger than 8 inches, 6 inches is preferred)
- Sharpening stone
- A hand drill (a quality rechargeable tool of at least 12vdc is preferred)
- Router (a 2 ½ Hp plunge router is the preferred choice for most beginning woodworkers)
- Basic router bit set including straight bits, round overs, flush trim, rabbeting, chamfer and other bits).
- Random orbital sander with various grits of paper
- Bar clamps for gluing up stock.
- Large guide clamp to guide the circular saw to break down sheet goods.
- Woodworking chisels and gouges
- Dovetail jig.
- More clamps
- More router bits
When the time comes to add power tools, you may want to consider acquiring them in the following order:
- Bandsaw
- Router table
- Table saw
- Drill press
- Planer
- Disc/belt sander
- Jointer
- Lathe
- More clamps
When selecting your power tools, always choose quality over quantity. A small tabletop saw is much less expensive but can be difficult and sometimes even dangerous to use on larger pieces. Find a woodworking club in your area and join it. You will meet people with common interests, and they can help you acquire tools many times at a great value. Do not hesitate to buy good quality used tools. A quality used tool is much preferred over a new substandard one.
