Essential Tools for the Well-Equipped Woodshop

Ready to step up your woodshop? Here is a list of some of the most essential tools for serious woodworking, broken down by category.

Measuring and Marking Tools

• Tape Measure: Accurate measurements are crucial in woodworking.
• Ruler or Straightedge: For drawing straight lines and measuring.
• Square (Try Square, Combination Square, Framing Square): For checking angles and marking perpendicular lines.
• Marking Gauge: For marking precise depth lines.
• Marking Knife or Pencil: For marking cuts.

The SawStop is the safest table saw on the market. See this video on a larger screen.

Cutting Tools

• FEIN MultiMaster Cordless Oscillating Multitool: Once you've experienced this tool, you won't know how you lived without it. 
  
• Circular Saw: A handheld power tool for making straight cuts. We don't currently offer circular saws, but you can pick one up at almost any hardware store. Here's a review of some of the best cordless models. 
• Table Saw: A versatile and essential power tool for making precise cuts.
• Miter Saw: For making accurate crosscuts and miter cuts.

Shaping Tools

• Chisels: A handheld tool for carving and cleaning out joints.
• Planes (Block Plane, Jack Plane, Smoothing Plane): For flattening, shaping, and smoothing wood surfaces.
• Router: A power tool used to hollow out an area in the face of a workpiece. There are handheld routers, router tables, and CNC router machines.

Assembling and Fastening Tools

You probably already have these:

• Hammer: For driving nails into wood.
• Screwdrivers: For driving screws.
• Drill (and Drill Bits): For making holes in wood. A cordless drill - another thing you can find in any hardware store - is versatile and convenient.
• Nail Gun (Brad Nailer, Finish Nailer): For quickly and accurately driving nails.

Clamping and Holding Tools

• Clamps (Bar Clamps, C-Clamps, Spring Clamps, etc.): For holding workpieces securely. You can't have too many.

Make It Yourself

• Workbench or Work Table: A stable surface for working on projects.

Finishing Tools

• Sandpaper or Sanding Blocks: For smoothing surfaces.
• Random Orbit Sander: A power tool for efficient sanding.
• Paintbrushes or Foam Brushes: For applying stains, paints, and finishes.

Safety Equipment

• Safety Glasses or Goggles: To protect your eyes.
• Ear Protection: To protect your ears from loud power tools.
• Dust Mask or Respirator: To protect your lungs from sawdust.

Workshop Organization & Cleanup

• We carry an extensive line of Systainer storage units.
• Wet/Dry Dust Extractor/Vacuum.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it covers many of the most essential tools for woodworking. Depending on the projects you are interested in, you may not need all of these, and there are certainly many other tools that could be useful as well. Always prioritize safety equipment when working with any tools, and ensure you know how to use each tool properly and safely.