Woodworking Tools That Make Up a Woodworking Shop

What is woodworking without tools? Such justifies the axiom “a woodworker is only as good as his tools”. Any beginner who wants to pursue woodworking as a hobby needs to assemble one’s first set of tools to start working on a project. Choosing simple woodworking projects at the start and moving to more complex ones help a newbie learn the uses of various woodworking tools. As the projects become more complicated, the need for additional and more specialized tools grows too. Learning to use the various types of tools is a must for all people who are aspiring to embark on woodworking. Such includes the basic hand tools for woodwork, power tools, woodworking lathes, woodworking machinery, jigs and accessories.

Basic Hand Tools

Getting started means acquiring the basic hand tools. There is nothing more basic than a hammer, chisels and screw drivers. There are many types of hammer but the most versatile is the claw hammer with a finish head. Chisels are practical in cleaning out joints and mortises. The basics that are functional and with most uses are: 1/4″, 1/2″, 3/4″ and 1″ width bevel-edged chisels. Working on screws is basic and thus require screwdrivers that exist in several types. The most practical to keep are #1, 2 and 3 sizes of Phillips as well as Flathead varieties, and a couple of Torx, square head and star drivers. To clean up woodwork, one must have a block plane and a utility knife. The former shaves thin amounts of wood from the stock and the edges, while a utility knife cleans up hinge mortises (and a hundred more uses). A clean-looking woodwork cannot be attained when all the nail heads are visible like sore thumbs. A nail set looks like a small chisel and drives those peeking nail heads beneath the surface of the wood.

To make woodworking easier, it is important that precision is achieved in all phases of work from cutting wood stock down to the last corner. This means precise measurements and leveling of surfaces that can be done with the use of 6” layout square, 25’ retractable tape measure, level and sliding bevel. A 6” layout square is valuable being the easiest tool to use in marking square lines to make end cuts, marking up to 45 degree angles, or measuring up to 6 inches. An alternative to the square is the sliding bevel that is adjustable and can be locked at any angle. Retractable tape measure with standard ad metric markings is a ‘must have’ tool for every woodworker. Determining the perfect level of a wood stock is important and this is done with the use of a level which can either be a long (28” or 36”) or a short (6”) one.

Power Woodworking Tools

Many woodworkers dream of building a whole shop full of every tool and machine that the hobby require. That would definitely cost a small fortune. But to get started, aside from the basic hand tools, it will just be important to start with seven inexpensive power woodwork tools that are enough to start and complete many projects. These are: circular saw, jigsaw, table saw, compound miter saw, power drill, random orbital sander, and router.

Saws are important in woodworking and there are several types with different uses. The most versatile is a circular saw that especially useful in cutting sheet woods such as plywood and medium-density fiberboard. A jigsaw or sabre saw is practical and accurate when working on stock with curved and circular patterns. When choosing, pick an orbital-action corded jigsaw that has an easy blade changing system that suits your grip. The table is usually the first major power tool that is contemplated being the centerpiece around which the other tools are organized and used. This means going for the best that your budget can manage to pay for. The next major power tool to consider is the compound miter saw that is most useful when making compound angles such as beveled, mitered and combination cuts on the ends of a stock of wood.

Meanwhile, a cordless drill is both cheap and versatile which is why it is commonly preferred over portable cordless drills. There are many options available and learning all of these is important to make a guided purchase. For a beautiful and fine finish that makes a woodwork professionally done is a random orbital sander. Make sure that sanding disks are available to make it more functional and attain the fine finish you want.

With advancement in woodwork, efficiency is generally aimed for to improve the quality of woodwork products, to make the tasks easier, and to enhance precision as well as safety. Aside from these and all the hand and power woodworking tools, modern wood shops can’t also do without woodworking machines and woodturning lathe; woodworking jigs and accessories complete the picture.