12 Essential Woodworking Tools for Beginners .

 

BASICS FOR BEGINNERS IN POWER TOOLS

Without these fundamental power tools, making your own furniture won't get very far. Most of these I use every day! You can complete the bulk of the projects in my library of woodworking designs using these first three tools!

CORDLESS DRILL

Almost every homeowner should have one of these in their toolkit. A cordless drill is necessary to complete tasks like hanging pictures and creating tables. Here are some advice I have on choosing the best cordless drill for you.

Try before you purchase

Before making a purchase, try out the various models at the store. There may be a piece of wood next to the display so you can test each one's comfort and power.

You may save some money by sticking with one brand and utilizing the same batteries on various instruments because each brand has its own batteries. Since they are affordable and have a wide range of instruments that all use the same batteries, I started out with the Ryobi tool line from Home Depot. I should have done as my own counsel suggested and first tried a few different brands, though!

The difference is eerily similar to night and day since I recently moved to the Dewalt Atomic series! That drill is cordless.

My recommendation is to make sure you choose a tool that you will feel at ease using, even if it is a bit more expensive. When I might have avoided hours of aggravation by just obtaining the correct drill in the first place, I suffered for YEARS with that enormous drill.

Think about purchasing two drills

After some time of carpentry, you might want to consider adding a second drill to your collection. You could wonder, "Why waste money that could be spent on other new tools?"

To prevent the wood from splitting, many woodworking jobs call for you to countersink screws or at the very least, predrill a hole. You continually alternate between using a drill bit to create the hole and a driver bit to insert the screw with one drill. Having two drills allows you to complete the task more quickly by using a different bit in each drill.

Storage for cordless drills

These days, it seems like every drill and battery package has a separate cloth bag for storage. I'll be honest—I've never used one for drills! Don't throw them away, either; they're useful for other instruments that you don't use as frequently.

In woodworking tasks, drills are used far too frequently to keep them sealed in a bag. In a cordless drill storage rack similar to this one, I keep all of mine together in one location with the chargers and extra batteries!

RANDOM ORBITAL SANDER

A decent random orbital sander is essential for a perfect finish. Although it appears to just spin in a circle, it also glides erratically from side to side to prevent the dreaded swirl marks. Here is where you can read more about the various sanding tool kinds!

I began by purchasing the cheapest sander I could find, but I soon realized there is a significant difference in quality. Features like easy starts and improved dust collection not only make the laborious task of sanding simpler, but also improve the appearance of your finished product!

Dust Collection

I have a Ridgid random orbital sander, which connects easily to a shop vac to whisk dust away. This is much better for your lungs than the cloth bag that comes with your sander, and keeps your workshop cleaner too!

These adapters can be used to make some sanders' oddly shaped dust ports fit.

Comfort

Additionally, you want to seek for a model that you can hold for extended periods of time without discomfort. Why use a painful instrument to make sanding worse when it already stinks?

The large, circular grip on the Ridgid model eventually wears out my hand. It's not something I'd advise for someone with tiny hands.

MITER SAW

Miter saw vs circular saw

Some individuals advise purchasing a circular saw as your first woodworking instrument rather than a miter saw. Although the miter saw is more affordable, I believe it is a superior instrument for beginners. This page explains more about the distinctions between a circular saw and a miter saw.

You can control the cut better using stationary instruments like a miter saw. If the blade is properly positioned and aligned, you will always receive a straight cut since all sides of the cut are supported. Your circular saw cut is likely to be less than ideal if you don't create a jig like this one.

The thought of holding a whirling blade in your palm might be frightening. Beginners may find the miter saw easier to use because it is simpler to view the blade and make sure that none of your body parts are close to it.

Don't forget that you may have plywood cut for you at the home improvement store, saving you from having to use a circular saw to pull down sizable sheets on your own. I still buy plywood that has been cut into more manageable sizes from the shop even though I have a table saw!

Miter saws: sliding vs. stationary

Consider your planned tasks and the space you have in your garage or workshop before you start buying.

It takes up a LOT of room to store a massive 12" sliding miter saw, especially with the lengthy rail at the back. If you intend to park your car in the garage when you're not working on a project, this workbench's position about a foot from the wall isn't ideal.

Although it doesn't have as much cutting capability, a fixed head miter saw is smaller. You probably don't need the sliding mechanism if the majority of your to-do list involves cutting 2x4s or other narrow boards.

Single Bevel vs Double Bevel Miter Saws

The bevel is one aspect of the miter saw that you could encounter. The blade may be tilted to make an angled cut over the board's width. The most frequent use for this kind of cut is when adding trim around a home.

One of the two directions—to the left or the right—is the only one that a single bevel miter saw can tilt. By tilting in both directions, a double bevel miter saw eliminates the difficulty of constantly turning your board around to cut the opposite angle.

Miter saw dust collection

Compared to other instruments, the miter saw creates a tremendous mess, and it can be challenging to manage the dust. The little bag attached to the saw's rear serves no use. The miter saw dust collection suggestions on this list will help you keep the sawdust under control and out of your lungs.

A miter saw station is an excellent first woodworking project since it's simple to adapt to your specific needs. To catch all that sawdust, you could even add this do-it-yourself miter saw dust hood!

JIGSAW

A jigsaw is required if you wish to cut curves in wood. Because it's simple to use and safe to handle, this multifunctional tool is excellent for beginners. You may get started by using our jigsaw puzzle usage tutorial!

If you're trying to decide between a circular saw and a jigsaw for your next tool purchase, read this post!

CIRCULAR SAW

A circular saw is the best instrument for the task if you need to make rip cuts (along the length of a board) or you're dealing with plywood. Compared to a table saw, it is far less costly and scary. Make all the cuts you need for your project fast and efficiently using a straight edge or circular saw guide.

The track saw is a step up from the circular saw. A track saw makes cleaner, straighter cuts than a circular saw because it travels on a track that exactly aligns with your cut line. 

SHOP VACUUM

A typical household vacuum just won't do the trick when it comes to the mess that is woodworking! After finishing each job, I've developed the practice of vacuuming up all the sawdust in my workshop to prevent accumulation.

For my larger power equipment, I have a wall mount dust collector to suck up all the sawdust right from the source. Hooking up your shop vac to your sander will assist avoid all those small dust particles from entering your lungs.

OTHER WOODWORKING TOOLS FOR BEGINNERS

Now that we have the power tools out of the way, here are some other things you should pick up before your first project.

TAPE MEASURE

Without a tape measure, your first woodworking project won't get very far. Choose a tape measure that has legible numbers and a solid construction that won't bend over extended distances. I have a thorough explanation on how to read a tape measure, as well as pointers and techniques for taking measures that are as precise as possible.

The fractions are written above each line of my favorite tape measure. You need one of these if you've ever measured something and stated it was just a touch past the halfway point.

SPEED SQUARE

It's likely that you neglected to verify for square if your projects appear a little crooked. This practical tool may be used to mark cut lines in addition to keeping everything at a 90 degree angle.

KREG JIG

My ability to work with wood has improved significantly as a result of the Kreg Jig. Strong joints may be put together in such a quick, tidy manner using pocket holes. To assist you in choosing the Kreg Jig that's best for you, I've compared the R3 and K5!

You'll finish jobs more quickly than ever if you include a few extras, like the Kreg Face Clamp! 

CLAMPS

There are never enough clamps for a carpenter! They hold the boards together as you drill or drive screws, acting as a third hand. I bought a few of these sets of 6" and 12" F-style clamps as well as longer ones for bigger tasks.

If you frequently install cabinets, investing in some corner clamps will make your life so much simpler! Without these clamps serving as a second pair of hands, I couldn't have put my pantry cabinet together!

SAFETY GLASSES

Never, ever operate a power tool without eye protection! They are affordable and could help you preserve your vision. I usually have a pair around since I keep multiple pairs scattered throughout the studio.

HEARING PROTECTION

Hearing protection is last but certainly not least! There are several varieties available, ranging from basic earplugs to elegant Bluetooth headsets. Here is my selection of the top hearing protection for woodworkers. I always have a couple extra pairs of safety glasses lying around the store.

I hope this list satisfies your requirement for a solution to the query, "What tools does a beginner woodworker need?" Chisels, planes, and other hand tools can be found on similar lists. However, this will mainly serve to irritate aspiring furniture makers who just want to use timber from big-box stores. Since I don't consider myself to be a "fine woodworker," many of the items on those lists are gathering dust in my workshop.

Instead of spending a significant amount of money on items you might not utilize, it is far more cost-effective to purchase more tools only when you actually need them. I waited YEARS before I spent the money on a top-of-the-line table saw because I didn't have the necessary abilities. When I grew weary of constantly inhaling sawdust, I purchased a dust collection device. But if I had just started out, I would never have purchased those items!