Like in any other craft, the right tools are necessary to have in woodworking. Without them, you’ll have a hard time executing the required steps. Using alternative items to get the job done can also put your safety at risk, so it’s just best to build your own tool box.
The best thing about woodworking tools is that there is a good range to choose from. You can definitely start with manual items to help you learn the ropes. If you’ve decided to pursue woodworking, there are just a couple of power tools that you need to make your tasks easier.
What are these items? Let’s read our round-up of the power tools you’ll need all the time as a woodworker.
Those who can’t master the art of Sashimono or Japanese joinery wherein nails, glues, staples, and other fasteners are not required to put pieces of wood together, should get a nail gun. This tool will make it easier for you to drive in nails into wood, to hold them together and in place. Nail guns replace can replace hammers when you don’t want to use physical force to drive the nail into the wood. It comes in a few different varieties, each designed to effectively address specific tasks and needs. Here are the major types that you might need:
In order to make something out of wood, you’ll need to cut it to the right piece and shape. This makes a saw a necessary tool to have as they will be used in every project you’ll do. While you can use a handsaw and its other manual variations, power saws will also make things simpler for you. So if you want to skip having sore arms after having to cut some wood, check out the different kinds of power saws that are most versatile and widely used below:
● Band saws
● Circular saws
● Jigsaws
● Miter saws
● Rotary saws
● Table saws
Another important tool in any woodworker’s collection. There are so many types of planers available in the market like Hand planer, Block planes, Jack planer, Bench planes and so on. You need to find yours according to your needs.
Sanding might prove to be one of the most tedious parts of woodworking projects so you might want to do away with the manual task by opting for a power sander. Such items will give you enough power to smoothen and perfect your works’ surfaces. There are also a few different kinds of sanders that you can choose from:
● Belt sanders for sanding large surfaces.
● Palm sanders for sanding in corners, smoothing paint, veneers, varnish, or plaster.
● Belt-disc sanders for prepping surfaces for varnishing as well as removing rust and hardened glue.
● Drum sanders for sanding boards of all sizes.
● Random orbital sander for delicate sanding projects.
● Detail sanders for sanding delicate tight corners and other awkward spots.
While routers are more popularly used for detailing jobs, it’s primary use is to help you hollow out areas on your wood and other hard materials. While you can do the same things manually, these tools offer more precision, especially to beginners. These power tools are very versatile, too, as you can just swap out its bits to change what it can do.
Boring holes into wood and other surfaces should be done effectively otherwise it can damage your material or render the hole useless. Luckily, drills are possibly the easiest power tools to buy as they’re quite simple. Just make sure that it’s of high quality and that’s pretty much it.
What could be more confusing is the collection of drill bits that you’ll need. To help you with this, here are the most basic ones that you might need to get right away:
● Twist drill bit
● Brad point drill bit
● Installer drill bit
● Auger drill bit
● Spade drill bit
● Self-feed drill bit
● Hole saw drill bit
● Countersink drill bit
A jointer is a power tool that will help you flatten your wood to make it easier to work with. It’s often confused with planers and in other countries that their names have already become interchangeable. However, experts say that getting a jointer is more ideal than getting a planer because they can do a better job in laying out the foundation of your project.
With these power tools, you can already furnish your workshop with nearly everything you need to complete a wide range of woodworking projects. You’ll still need to use a few manual tools from time to time, though, so make sure to have some of the basic ones on hand as well all the time. These six, however, will already make your tasks a lot easier and faster to accomplish.