Hoosir's Woodworking Diary

Picking The Right Tool For Woodworking

If you want to be able to handle any do-it-yourself projects in your home, make sure you have a work shop that has everything you need. Make sure you have the basic tools and any job, whether it is sawing, nailing, sanding, shaping or sharpening can be done.

There is virtually no limit to the number of tools that are available for the home handyman to invest in. Just check out any hardware store or look in the garages of your neighbors. But many times it is overkill since so many of the tools do the same thing. With a basic arsenal of five tools, you can tackle just about any reasonable job. From there, you can start to develop a complete workshop as you get more proficient.

A basic important tool any handyman wants is a circular saw. Cut large curves or straight lines with this saw; all you have to do is set a board on the top of sawhorses, and you have a work surface to hold the wood to be cut.

If you are planning on any large wood working projects, you will need a radial arm saw or a table saw. Pick a saw that can rotate to different angles if you want to make picture frames or mouldings. These angles will permit you to make 45 degree miter cuts that you need for corners.

A small electric sander will be invaluable in your woodworking jobs. You can do hand sanding, but a belt sander that is electric powered is faster and gives the finished product a smooth, professional look. Strips of wood for moulding or furniture are smooth and can just be painted or stained.

Next you will need a router. A tool such as this lets you make patterns in wood or grooves that are needed to form furniture. You can start with a plain Shaker style, and graduate to more complex designs such as French provincial furniture.

To maintain your tools in tip top shape, you will want to invest in a knife sharpening tool or a grinding wheel. With these, you can keep all of the blades in perfect condition. This is the hallmark of a quality wood worker: if the tools are sharp, you can cut finely and work in detailed patterns that look very professional.

If you want to do quality work, you should invest in quality brand tools. Some of the top names in the field that you should choose between are: Sears Craftsman, Makita, Rockler, Rockwell, Ridgid, Rockwell and Snap-On. If you buy any of these, you know you will have a top notch tool. There is some variation in price, but each of these should last decades and be a good investment for your workshop.

Now that you have the basics, you can add the extra items that will make the jobs easier and fun. You will want to have clamps and gluers, of course, but add to them over time jet tools, dovetail jigs, electric nailers and more.

If you have anl organized workshop and all of the basic tools, wood working will be a pleasure. How about a workbench as your first major woodworking project?

About the Author

Eric Slarkowski routinely edits web pages on ideas dealing with antique tools and discount tools. You can see his articles on
hand tools
on his site.

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