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Ever wondered how in god’s green earth some of the furniture around us gets made? Ever wanted to be able to do it yourself? Do you love the look and feel of real wood furniture? Now is the time to learn how to make your own furniture with smart woodworking tools.
Woodworking tools are an interesting craft with entails passion, attention to detail, and of course, skills.
For an individual who does not work as a professional carpenter and for professional woodworkers alike, it is always a good thing to be familiar with the best and most commonly used woodworking tools around.
A properly equipped woodshop that has all the right smart woodworking tools will allow you to create awesome furniture and other unique projects.
#1. Table Saw:
One of the most basic “power” tools for the woodshop/shed is also one of the most versatile, the table saw. A table saw is an excellent investment for your woodshop because you will use it for almost every project/assignment that you work on. It is important to buy the best table saw that you can afford as it is a tool that you will use for many years to come. Here are the Best table saw reviews for fine woodworking tools 2022.
#2. Band Saw:
Also, a very popular tool for a woodshop is a band saw (although very underrated). With a band saw you can do a variety of things such as cutting circles, ripping wood, doing cross cuts, cutting joints, and re-cutting wood.
Many people do not think of the band saw as a necessary tool for the woodshop. However, the band saw is one of the most underrated and underused tools of the shop.
If you know of all of the uses for a band saw, you will be amazed at how useful it can be. In fact, many experienced woodworkers find that the band saw is one of their favorite smart woodworking tools and a must-have for any woodshop.
#3. Measuring Tape:
When you are working with wood and working off of a woodworking tools pattern, it is of course imperative to have a good selection of measuring tools. In any woodshop, you will need to measure, adjust, check, and re-measure before you cut to avoid restarting the entire project because of laziness ;-).
So, it is important that you invest in a quality measuring tape, as well as a wooden stick ruler (any will do as long as it is big enough), a right angle in order to get the proper and accurate measurements.
#4. Router:
A router is also a fabulous tool for any woodshop because by using a router you will have a wide variety of router bits to choose from to create a number of different looks for any woodworking tools project. Using a router, you can create a professional polished look for any project.
#5. Drill press:
A drill press or a drill is also a great tool to have in your workshop as part of your package. You will also use a drill to drill out screw holes for any furniture project that you make. Using a drill, you can countersink the screw holes to create a beautifully finished look.
#6. Nails set and Hammer:
Aside from the common hammer, nail sets are also one of the most common materials used. Nail sets quite resemble the appearance of a small yet round kind of chisel. However, it is used as it sinks deep into the wood’s surface. Nail sets come in various types and sizes for different kinds of wood as well. For thicker wood, you may use the bigger and stouter nails and for plywoods and the likes, you may utilize the smaller ones.
#7. 6-inch layout square:
Another important woodworking tool is the 6 inches layout square. The 6 inches layout square is very important. Aside from being the best tool in making the quickest and easiest square line to make an end cut. The 6 inches layout square can also be used to mark any kind of angle up to 45 degrees, or any kind of angle which measures up to 6 inches. Most professional carpenters keep this kind of tool anywhere in their pockets for easier access.
#8. Chisel:
If you are carving something from wood materials, the chisel is the most essential woodworking tool for you. Chisels are usually used to finely sharpen and to be able to clean out waste from joints and mortises from wood materials. It comes in various sizes like the 1/4″, the 3/4″, and the 1/2″ sizes. Excellent and skilled woodworkers, carpenters, and wood sculptors use this material to achieve nearly perfect results and to be able to create well-made wood products.
#9. Electric Drill (Handheld)
Hand-held electric drills are great but not if you want to drill accurate holes in your woodworking projects. You need a drill press, but what kind you ask, let’s see if I can answer that question for you. There are a lot of different things that you need to look for in choosing your drill press. First off, there are bench models, floor models, single-speed, and multiple-speed drill presses.
#10. Work Benches:
So, let’s start with the bench models. As the name implies, they are mounted on your workbench or a standalone bench. These bench models have a limited drilling depth because of their height.
Also, if your workbench looks like mine half the time you have to move things before you can drill your longer woodworking project.
You are also limited by the length of your bench, not a problem if your drill press is mounted on a standalone bench. The bench models are about half the price of floor models but they are more limited in their use.
#11. Floor Mounted Drill Press
Let us go to the floor-mounted models. As the name implies, these drill presses mount to the floor so you can drill from the chuck to the floor. This is important when you have to drill holes into work that is 12 inches or more in height. You will find that floor models have more power than bench models.
This extra power is very important when using large forester bits or large hole saws. You want to make sure that you have variable speed, most of the time this is done by moving belts to different pulleys so that you can use slower speeds for metal, hardwood, and plexiglass. You need faster speeds for softwoods.
Make sure your quill feed has three levers so that you always have a handle to feed your bit into your work. You want a table that you can tilt to 45 degrees.
I have an adjustable machinist vise bolted to my table; I have a 1/2-inch plywood table with a 2×2 inch board on the bottom that I can put in my vise to drill my woodworking projects on. Remove the wood table and use your vice for drilling metal, this works great for me.
#12. Other Tools:
Of course, you will also want a variety of other tools as you start to delve into some projects (what man wouldn’t?). As you become more accustomed to your woodshop and begin venturing into more complex projects you will begin adding to your arsenal of tools. When you start adding tools to your shop, some of the items that might be of use to you are a thickness planer, radial arm saw, sanders and chisels.
#13. Safety And Precautions:
Let’s talk about safety because woodworking tools beginners don’t understand how dangerous the drill press can be. A drill press will grab hold of anything that is loose. So, guys, don’t have your shirttail hanging out, and preferably wear short sleeves.
Make sure you have proper hold downs for your work because once that bit sticks in the work, it starts spinning and you can’t get your hand out of the way fast enough. I have the scars to prove it. In my younger days, I was not as smart as I am now.
Now for all you ladies out there wear a ball cap, and please, tie your hair back and do the same as the men do with their clothing. Oh yes, this goes for all you long-haired guys also. Well, that’s all for now, but there is so much more about the drill press, we will go into jigs and more later so bye for now, Uncle Mel.
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