Looking to get into woodworking? Here are the essential tools we started with.
When we were just starting to attempt our woodworking projects, we were not sure what was all needed. Often we used what our dad had in the garage and made basic tools work in the beginning. As we began to take on more projects, we slowly started to realize (typically from our mistakes) what tools were “required” for our woodworking projects. When assembling a woodworking shop, it can be overwhelming to figure out what’s needed because there are so many different tools, from basic to very specialized, and they are often quite expensive. We have selected several different power tools and hand tools that we have found to be essential to a proper woodworking shop that we think will get any carpentry enthusiast on their woodworking journey.
One of the most vital tools for woodworking is a table saw, but there are many different types of table saws for different applications. First, you have to determine if a portable table saw or a stationary table saw suits your needs better. Mobile table saws are great for quick and relatively accurate cutting on job sites. Recent innovations have made them much more user-friendly and versatile, such as folding stands and even battery-powered options. Stationary table saws, on the other hand, are meant for workshops and come in a couple of different styles. The three main styles consist of contractor saws, hybrid saws, and cabinet saws. There are lots of articles describing the differences, but we have found that contractor saws have less power than the others and more basic and simple components, such as fence design and outboard motors, which are great for hobbyists and “weekend workers”. Hybrid saws are a step up in power and performance with better accuracy. Cabinet table saws have much more power and are very heavy-duty, which makes them great for carpenters that plan on using it daily. The dust collection is also much better on cabinet saws, and angle cuts are very accurate, which makes this saw great for detailed cuts. The cabinet table saw can also be upgraded to a sliding table saw, which is great at cutting large panels and sheets and doing repetitive cuts but costs significantly more. From our experience, a good corded mobile table saw was great for starting out and served almost all of our needs. Once we were able to set up a wood shop, we found that a nice heavy-duty cabinet saw made a great stationary saw that holds up well while providing very accurate cuts.
The miter saw is the next big essential component to woodworking. They come in small and large, but we have found a 10” miter saw works best for 90% of the work we do. A 12” miter saw is great if it’s in the budget, as it does expand your ability to cut larger stock, but they can be a little bulky to haul around to job sites. If your work is mainly mobile, we would recommend a battery-powered miter saw as it has the same cutting power without the headaches of cords, and the newer batteries offer significant run times. Mobile miter saws work best when paired with a mobile folding stand as they offer the proper extensions to support the lumber. Overall, we have found that a 10” cordless miter saw with a folding stand worked best for us when we first started.
Hand saws make a great tool for rough carpentry and cutting large panels and plywood. They come in a couple different sizes and styles. 6-¼“ hand saws are great but can be limited in cutting depths of about 2” and less when cutting miters. We have found that a 7-¼” circular saw worked best as it can cut up to about 2.5” deep and relatively light and easy to handle. There are also worm drive circular saws which have a rear-mounted handle that offers a better sightline, more power, and accuracy but also weighs more. Circular saws do come in larger sizes, but they get significantly more difficult to handle due to the weight, which is why we recommend a 7-¼” hand saw for anyone starting out.
A jigsaw can be an underrated tool in a woodshop, but we have found them to be extremely useful. They allow you to perform simple curve cuts and even complicated cutouts that hand saws and miter saws can’t. These work best when they are cordless, as the cord can get caught on items and throw off the cut. The two styles are D-handle and barrel grip jigsaws. Barrel grip jigsaws are more compact and have less power but can be great for tight spaces and small, intricate cuts as they have a better sightline and slightly more control. D-handle jigsaws are considerably bigger than barrel grip, but with the larger size comes significantly more power, which is great for thicker stock and hardwoods. We chose the D-handle as one of our first jigsaws, but the best choice really depends on the applications you plan on using it for.
Multi-tools are another great tool for making small specialty cuts. They are especially great for making straight cuts in tight spaces as the blade can be set to several different orientations. They are also capable of doing small plunge cuts or center cutouts, and there are a wide variety of accessories as well that expand its capabilities from sanding to grout removal. Cordless is the best option for this tool because it allows for the most mobility. There is really only one basic style that comes in different sizes, but those vary depending on the brand you are looking at. We recommend using the same brand as your other cordless power tools so that you can use the same batteries.
An orbital sander is a great tool for any project from home remodeling to furniture and craft making. It is a must-have tool to properly prep wood for finishing. There are many different sizes to choose from, and they also come in corded and cordless versions. If you plan on doing large projects with big surface areas, then a corded version is a better choice to avoid constant battery swaps. As for size, we found the 5” round to be a great starter sander due to the relatively low cost and availability of sanding pads. The round orbital sanders also have a higher material removal rate than sheet sanders, which makes quick work of smoothing and leveling rough surfaces. Sheet sanders are optimal for final pass sanding as they leave a finer finish. We eventually found that a 6” corded professional sander works great for getting extremely consistent and even finishes on large surfaces. Overall, the 5” round orbital sander is a great starter sander, and as your work progresses, you can upgrade to a sander that fits your needs and projects.
A router is a great tool because it expands a carpenter’s capabilities substantially. They also have many optional accessories that can be added as you need them, such as plunge bases, router table set-ups, templates, and many different types of bits, which leads to endless possibilities. We started out with a small cordless handheld router with a fixed base, which worked great for board edging and small grooving and template routering. We purchased another type of router that we could fix to a router table, which allowed us to router dovetails, large grooves, and rabbets for joinery. Plunge bases also allow you to plunge cut into the center of a workpiece, and when paired with a cutout template, can produce some unique cutouts for inlays and epoxy. If you are just looking for simple edge routering, we would stick with a small handheld router, but if you plan on some intricate workpieces, we would go with a router that has at least 2 HP or more, which will have the power for repetitive use and heavy material removal. Remember, you can always start out basic with a fixed-based model and then buy the added accessories as you need them.
Chisels might seem like a no-brainer for woodworking, but what quality, type, and size of chisels to start out with can be a difficult choice. Chisels have a wide price range, from a couple of dollars at a department store to hundreds of dollars per chisel. Bench chisels are the most common and widely used chisel type and the perfect starting chisel. As for sizes, we would recommend at a minimum a set of 4 or 5 chisels between ¼” and 1” wide. The quality is very closely associated with price. You can find some okay chisels at your local department store, which we find good for rough carpentry and are good to have in the shop, which will run anywhere between $30-$60 for a set of 4 or 5 chisels. For finish woodworking, you should look at spending at least $100-$130 for a medium-quality chisel set to get quality results. But remember, sharpening chisels is just as important as the quality of chisels, and all chisels need to be sharpened regularly, even new chisels need to be sharpened right out of the box. Overall, for a starter woodwork shop, we recommend at least 4-5 bench chisels between ¼” and 1” that are at least medium quality to produce a smooth finish.
The key to a successful and seamless project lies within proper measuring and marking tools. Aside from a tape measure, we would consider a square to be the most commonly used measuring and marking tool inside a woodworking shop. There are several different types of squares that have their own unique roles in the shop. One of the most common squares is the combination square, which marks angles at 45, 90, and 135 degrees and measures the distance of your marks at the same time, which makes it very useful for finish carpentry work. The adjustable ruler also allows you to accurately measure depths of cuts, holes, and mortises. Speed squares are great for rough carpentry and on the jobsite because they are robust and easy to use and can help a circular saw produce square cuts on timbers and boards. Speed squares also feature angle indicator marks, which allow you to mark most angles between 0 and 90 degrees. Framing squares are another vital square as they are typically 16”x24”, which allows you to ensure a 90-degree angle over a larger area, which is great for those bigger projects such as building walls, roof rafters, and even large furniture and cabinetry. For any woodworker, three must-have squares are combination square, speed squares, and framing squares, and for the most part, these are all relatively inexpensive.
Overall, these tools are a great start to any beginner’s shop, and once you are able to determine what niche of woodworking you would like to focus on, you can expand your tool arsenal accordingly. Some other machines that we think are great for woodworking if you have room for them in your shop and budget include a planer, jointer, bandsaw, drill press, drum sander, and shaper. These machines can get bulky and pricey very quickly, so they are more for woodworkers that need them depending on their type of work. Determining what brand tool can also be a task in itself. We are local to Milwaukee, WI, so naturally we chose Milwaukee Tool for almost all our hand tools, and they haven’t disappointed, but there are many other great name brands to choose from. For all our larger equipment, we went with Grizzly, which offers heavy-duty tools at a competitive price. We have found Powermatic tools to be a very reliable brand as well. No matter what brand you choose, just remember to have fun while using them! Good luck on your woodworking journey, and God Bless!
Key Points/overview:
Table saw
Miter Saw
Hand saw
Jig Saw
Multi-tool
Orbital sander
Router
Chisel set
Variety of squares
Additional tools to have if in budget: Planer, Jointer, Band Saw, Shaper/router table
