With shop classes getting kicked to the curb in many schools all over the country in the past decade or so, it’s not surprising that lots of people nowadays have no idea how to do stuff with their hands anymore.
It’s not too late to get started, however, if you’re interested in taking them up as a new hobby or skill. Lots of them, especially woodworking, can really come in handy in your daily life.
As the roughness of this trade can be quite intimidating, many would think that it takes a lot to get into woodworking. On the contrary, however, you can get started with just a few basic tools. What are these tools, you ask? Get to know them below.
7 Woodworking Tools You Need
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Saws
Saws are the most basic woodworking tools ever because they’re the very items you’ll use to cut your wood to the right size and shape your project requires them to be in. Without it, it’s quite impossible to get started on a carpentry project.
However, there are quite a few different types of saws that you’ll find in the market. Even with an online search of the term ‘saws’ and you’ll end up with various kinds of saws as a result.
Which one should you get? Here’s a list of the most basic ones that you’ll find useful:
Handsaw
This is the most basic of the lot and it’s the very thing that will come to mind when the word is mentioned.
Also sometimes referred to as panel saws, they are characterized by long, thin metals with a jagged end on one side and a comfortable handle on one end. This tool is further categorized into two types: Rip and Cross-cut.
Rip hand saws cut along the grain, the same way a chisel would work. The Cross-cut type, as its name suggests, cuts across the grain like a knife would.
You will need both to have a well-equipped woodworking toolbox. Don’t worry about the price, though, as these things don’t come with hefty price tags.
Backsaw
Also known as the miter saw or tenon saw, this item is like a cleaver version of saws. It’s rectangular in shape and is relatively short. It’s often used in applications where you need a consistently straight and fine cut.
Keyhole saw
Reminiscent of knives, the keyhole saw is made for smaller and more precise cuts.
Alternative: Power saws
Hand saws require a lot of effort to work with. If you’d rather do away with them, you can get the most basic power saws like the following:
- Circular saw
- Jigsaw
- Table saw
- The Track saw
Nailers
While you can definitely use a hammer to piece your work together, Nailers are more convenient and easier to use.
Also known as nail guns, they will drive in the nails into the pieces of wood that you want to attach to each other. To know more about different nail guns that are required for specific jobs you can go to ToolzFinder.com.
Jointer
Not to be confused with the planer, jointers are power tools that are made to flatten out warped or bowed boards. On many occasions, you’ll need to flatten a piece of wood first before you can make anything with them.
Review which is the best biscuit joiner on the market today.
Drill
Another power tool that you can use to cut into the wood is the drill. This tool promises easy, accurate, and clean holes.
What complicates the use of drills is its use of bits. They come in different shapes and sizes so you might want to get to know them better before using any. The most basic ones, however, are the following:
- Brad-point bits
- Forstner bits
- Spade bits
- Countersink bits
Chisel
Detailing is a necessary part of woodworking and for this job, you’ll need a chisel. These tools have a characteristically shaped cutting edge that allows them to cut into the wood surfaces with ease.
There are several types of woodworking chisels that you can get depending on what you need. Some of them are the following:
- Firmer
- Bevel edge
- Carving
- Butt
- Dovetail
- Corner
- Skew
- Mortise
- Flooring
- Skew
- Framing
- Paring
- Bench
Router
A router is a high-powered rotary tool that is made to apply edge profiles on wood. Some think that it’s not a basic tool but if you’ll think about it, it’s more versatile than what many folks thought it to be. As it can also perform other tasks that you often do by hand, it can prove to be a more functional power tool.
Like drills, routers use bits to achieve different effects on wood. They also come in different shapes and sizes and offer various results.
Another tool which is very important as well is the planer and there are a lot of similarities between them but they are not the same. Get to know more about planers you can follow the ToolFits.com
Mostly, if you want a nicer edge finish on your work, a router can help you achieve that. It can also alter the shape of wood so you can also use it for a wide array of projects without breaking a sweat.
Vises
Wood may be heavy but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ensure that it will stay in place when you work on it. For this job, you have the vise to hold them together or in a specific spot.
Vises are typically found attached to workbenches but you can also find detachable varieties if you don’t have a dedicated workbench at home. You will then use it to clamp down the piece of wood you’re working with on a stable surface or with another piece of wood.
If you’re worried about denting or damaging your wood, don’t be. This tool is designed not to do so when used properly.
Conclusion
With these seven tools, you can already whip up different kinds of carpentry projects without breaking your back. While not all of them are manual tools, they are guaranteed to be well worth the investment as they can save you dozens of hours of labor.
You can definitely do most of what the power tools can do but it will take you years of mastering the required skills. With the power tools, you can achieve somewhat similar results in minutes.
If you’re worried about your starting costs, you really don’t have to fret. The manual ones are very cheap while the power tools are available at various price points.
You can even rent most of them or even borrow from friends or relatives. So if you want to get started on woodworking, you don’t really have to worry about your budget at all.
