We can all agree that it is challenging to become a woodworker without appropriate tools that will help you along the way.
However, the idea is that you differentiate everything you need so that you can create a toolbox that will help you deal with any project you had in mind.
Since we live in a modern age where technology everything around us, we can divide tools into two categories: hand and power tools.
We are here to present you a guide on woodworking tools for beginners so that you can start with your projects promptly:
25 Woodworking Hand Tools for Beginners
#1: Wooden Workbench
A workbench is the indispensable part of woodworker tools because it represents a table that will hold the workpiece while you’re working with other tools. We can say that there are different types of woodworking benches, and each one will provide you with the ability to finish a specific kind of craft.
But all of them have two features in common: they are rigid enough to keep the wood still while you’re working and you can adjust height and position so that you can work with wood with ease.
#2: Smoothing Plane
This is another type of bench plane, and it is the last step that you should use if you want to adjust and maintain the wooden surface. If you use it the way you should, it will produce a finish which is way better than you would get with sandpaper. This particular finish will happen as the result of panning the wood in strips.
In most cases, it is between eight and ten inches long, and it features adjustable throat that will reduce tear out of the grain and provide you fine shaving.
#3: Spokeshave
This particular tool is perfect to smooth and shape wood in various projects especially if you’re making chair legs, wheel spokes, arrows, bows, and paddles. Historically speaking, spokeshave features a metal cutting blade and wooden body, but due to industrialization, it became the standard tool among woodworkers.
It features concave sole, flat bottom, and everything depends on the type of project you wish to finish.
#4: Shoulder Plane
This is another plane tool that features a blade flush similarly as edges of the plane, which will allow you to trim the edges of workpieces. It extends which will produce accurate cuts that will enable you to make full width.
It is a common choice for cutting and trimming faces of tenons and shoulders, but you will also be able to use it in curved corners.
#5: Sharpening Supplies
Sharpening tools are an indispensable part for any woodworker because it will help you hone the edges of steel tools so that you can increase their life and efficiency. You can easily sharpen tools such as knives, scythes, scissors, razors, hand scrapers, plane blades, and chisels.
They come in various sizes, shapes, and material compositions, and they can be flat if you want to sharpen flat edges or have different forms for more complex sides which are used in woodturning and wood carving projects.
#6: Two Hand Saws (Panel Saws) Rip and Crosscut
We can call this particular saw the panel saw, which is a sawing machine that requires from you to cut things into sized parts. It could be horizontal or vertical, but have in mind that vertical one will save you more space in the workshop.
The parallel machine is large and requires pushing the material through it. It can come without sliding feed table too.
#7: Dovetail Saw
Dovetail, or backsaw, is a hand saw that features stiffening rib on the cutting edge, that will provide you the possibility to make precise cutting and have additional control especially when we compare it with other types of saws.
It is the standard choice if you want to create an accurate work such as cutting miters, joinery, cabinetry, tenons, and dovetails.
#8: Carcass Saw
This particular type of saw is an excellent choice because it will provide you the possibility to make a precise cut across cutting tenon shoulders, grain so that you can define edges and finish other accurate assignments.
In most cases, it features the possibility to cut quickly but both smoothy and accurately at the same time.
#9: Tenon Saw
When it comes to tenon saw, it features stiff spine and a short blade that runs along its back. It is a common choice for making tenons that most people use for tenon joints and in mortice, which is the main reason for its name in the first place.
It features hard blade sot hat you can make straight and precise cuts with ease. You can use it for both soft and hardwoods, which is another reason why you should have it in your toolbox.
#10: Jack Plane
Jack plane, or as other people call it a fore plane, is a general purpose bench plane, and it is most commonly used to help you dress down the timber in appropriate size so that you start with edge jointing.
In most cases, they are between 2.5 and 3 inches wide and 12 to 18 inches long, and feature blade that will prevent digging into it during the performance.
#11: Miter Box
Miter box is woodworking tool which is the indispensable part that will help you guide a hand saw so that you can make more accurate miter cuts in the board. The most common form is a three-sided box that will open at ends and top. It features width that will accommodate any board that you wish to cut.
It includes slots in the walls that will provide you the possibility of finding a precise angle, and you can cut at 45 and 90-degrees.
#12: Miter Saw
Miter saw is part of woodworking tools that will help you make accurate miters and crosscuts in a piece by using backsaw or any other type of saws that will provide you a quick motion.
Today, most people use power miter saws, and we will mention it in the paragraph below.
#13: Coping Saw
This is the standard type of bow saw which is the perfect choice if you want to make interior cutouts and external shapes. That is why most carpenters are using it to create coped joints and cut moldings. It is a common choice if you want to make fretwork, but you won’t be able to use fret saw because you are cutting through thin materials.
Saw blades are thick and coarse when compared with other types, and you will be able to cut through slight bends so that you can make circles, but you have to use it carefully.
#14: Bench Chisel Set
Bench Chisel Set is a mandatory tool in woodworking, mainly because they will help you trim, chop, pare and create joinery. Since you will use it in tight areas, it is essential to have an acute angle on the base so that you can make appropriate joinery.
Therefore, the profile of the blade is vital, and when you find the narrow one, you will be able to make acute angles due to fully-sharpened edges.
#15: Mortise Chisel
Mortise chisel is all about sharpening and appropriate angles, and we can differentiate square edged and timber frames that are used for cutting mortises.
It features proper width so that you can easily square and clean the mortise, and most of them feature heavy hand and big mallet due to its characteristics.
#16: Combination Square
This particular tool is perfect for various purposes such as metalworking, stonemasonry, and woodworking. It features a rule that contains interchangeable head that you will have to affix to it. The most common type is with a square head, and it is perfect for making 45-degrees and right angles.
It all started back in the 19th century when Laroy S. Starrett invented it, and it is still the indispensable part of woodworking toolbox.
#17: Try Square
When it comes to trying square, you should have in mind that it is made for both metalworking and woodworking reasons and it is used to measure a piece of wood or any other material.
Its primary use is to measure the appropriate angle, the most commonly 90-degrees and to inspect whether the surface is straight and corresponds with another surface too.
#18: Sliding Bevel Square
Sliding bevel square is an adjustable gauge for transferring and setting angles. It features handle made of plastic or wood, and the idea is to connect it with the metal blade by using wingnut or thumbscrew.
It features the ability to pivot, so you will be able to lock it at any angle by tightening and loosening the thumbscrew. It can easily duplicate the actual edge, or you will be able to set required one by using other measuring tools too.
#19: Block Plane
Block plane is a woodworking hand place that features blade in various angles but lower ones when compared with other types of planes. That will give you the ability to make bevel cuts, but we can easily say that it is perfect for end grain especially if you want to make accurate cuts.
It is small enough so that you can use it with one hand only, which is another advantage of working with it.
#20: Two Pairs of Dividers
You cannot become a professional woodworker without implementing dividers that will help you with technical drawing so that you can find the exact position on things that you wish to cut.
Dividers are tools that will measure and create a perfect circle, which is an excellent addition to your toolbox.
#21: Marking Gauge
We can also call it scratch gauge, and it is a fantastic tool that is still used in metalworking and woodworking with the idea to mark out lines for cutting.
The primary purpose of this particular tool is to create a line which is parallel to the surface or reference edge. It is a common choice in sheet metal and joinery operations.
#22: Tape Measure
This particular table features flexible rules with the idea to measure the distance from point A to point B. It comprises a ribbon of cloth, fiberglass, plastic or metal strip that contains linear measurement markings.
It is the most used measurement tool, and due to its design, you will be able to carry it in the pocket without any additional problem so that you can always measure around corners and curves.
#23: Marking Knife
Marking knife, or as other people call it a beautiful knife, is a woodworking tool that will scribe a line that you should follow afterward for using chisel or hand saw so that you can make joints and other woodworking operations.
It features steel blade which is sharp to the edge, while the other side is straight so that you can follow ruler. The primary purpose is to create straight lines that will aid you in making more accurate cuts with a chisel or saw that before.
#24: Wooden Joiner’s Mallet
This particular type of hammer features wood or rubber and it is smaller than beetle and maul, but it features a large head. They are a common choice in various industries, and you can use it for upholstery work or other general purpose projects.
Woodworking enthusiasts are using it with chisels because they will provide them real drive and softened strike when compared with different types.
#25: Woodworking Clamps
Woodworking clamp is more of a fastening device that will secure and hold objects tight which will prevent separation of movement of the material even under pressure. It is a standard tool used in woodworking, and we can differentiate wide array of types based on its purposes.
Some of them will help you position components by fixing them together, while others tend to provide you with permanent stability.
7 Woodworking Power Tools for Beginners
#1: Circular Saw
We have all hear about circular saw which is power saw that features abrasive disc or toothed blade that can cut various materials by using rotary motion. They are popular because of the efficient and robust edges.
They entered the market in the 18th century, and today, they are used for cutting a wide array of materials such as masonry, metal, plastic, and wood based on the model and its robustness.
#2: Power Drill
If you want to drive fasteners or make round holes with ease, you should use a power drill. All of them feature bits, that could be drivers or drills depending on which application you wish to choose and bits are secured by the chuck. Some of them will also provide you hammering function.
They vary in size, power, and speed and most commonly you will find corded ones, but since the technology improved, battery-powered became popular due to the possibility to use it wherever you are.
#3: Jigsaw
Jigsaw is specific power tools that feature reciprocating blades so that you can make bevel cuts at irregular curves due to its stenciled design. You will be able to cut through metal, wood and other materials. In most cases, they are electrical, which means both corded and battery-powered.
The hand version appeared in 19th centuries, and it features treadle that operated the blade. However, the modern version entered the scene after World War II.
#4: Random Orbital Sander
Random Orbital Sander is an excellent alternative to hand sanders because it will deliver you sanding action in orbit path. The angle of rotation varies per your convenience.
Festool invented it in 1982, and they combine both aggressiveness and speed of belt sander, but you will get more accurate and more beautiful finish than standard ones.
#5 Table Saw
Saw Bench or table saw is a common woodworking tool that features circular saw which is mounted on an arbor. It uses the electrical motor, and the blade will protrude through the surface, which will provide you with additional support to the material you want to cut.
You will be able to change the depth of cut by moving the blade up and down, and the higher you place it, the deeper cut will be.
#6: Compound Miter Saw
We have mentioned above hand miter saws, but when it comes to this particular type, it is perfect for miter cuts because it can rotate the blade as well as head in various angles, which will allow you to make more precise bevel cuts than any other power tool.
You can also enjoy in more complex cuts which is why it is used for trim work for household users.
#7: Router
Router is a powerful tool that woodworkers use to hollow out, or rout an area in thick materials such as plastic or wood. They are mainly common in woodworking, especially when making cabinetry.
You can fasten them in a router table or use it manually, in both cases it will provide you the precise cuts for your specific needs and requirements.