What Are Your Favourite Woodworking Tools?
If you have a bunch of tools in your shed you probably have a favorite one. Is it a plunge saw, a router, or is it a set of chisels? My favorite would be my cordless drill. I am a cabinetmaker by trade and my area of expertise leans toward the kitchen and flat-panel joinery. Cordless drills are a necessity in the kitchen industry. My cordless drill is great, and a little bit funny because it has quick-release attachments.
- Keyless chuck
- Angle chuck
- Eccentric chuck
- Quick-release screw tip holder
This stuff makes getting into tight spaces easy.
Another one of my favorite woodworking tools would be my biscuit joiner, I can just about join anything together with it. It’s great for joining miters because when it comes to the gluing and clamping process, I can get a neat and flush join because of an angle adjustable stop.
My favorite hand tool would be my block plane, it’s a small version of the no.4 hand plane that fits in the palm of your hand. It comes in handy for little jobs like arising timber moldings and easily stores in the top tray of my toolbox.
Every time we go to the hardware store my wife has to tear me away from the tool section. My woodworking tool collection would be 3 times the size it is now if I wasn’t married. I truly love shopping for woodworking tools, it’s a pity they are just so expensive.
There are many super cheap manufacturers, but the quality just isn’t suitable for trade use. I’ve tried cheap tools like angle grinders and sanders from time to time and found immediately that the quality of the machine is just not anywhere near those made by reputable companies. I did only pay $15 each for these tools so the quality is not going to be to the same standard as a $120 tool.
I suppose if you are on a tight budget or maybe it is something that you only use once or twice a year, these more affordable versions might be just for you.
Timber furniture is more of a passion for me. I don’t get to work too much with solid timber because my wife prefers modern white-painted furniture, so I make most of my projects from MDF. I do have an old timber china cabinet with lead light glass that I’m restoring. I found it at a yard sale and got it pretty cheap. It had a few coats of paint on it and even the glass had been painted. Yard sales are a great way to find these little gems, but it does take some patience and persistence. I have also picked up lots of woodworking tools at these types of sales.
- All sorts of Squares
- Spokeshave
- Sliding bevel
- Marking gauge
- Coping saw
- Set of chisels
I look forward to the day I can get myself some real machinery. I think my first 5 will be:
- Thickness planer
- Table saw
- Dust extraction
- Surface planer
- Linisher
I don’t yet have a shed big enough to set up any static woodworking machinery so I have to do all my work with hand and power tools. I usually buy my timber dressed to size if I can. There are lots of cabinet makers in my town so if I need some timber to be dressed or large panels to be put through a drum sander I take it to them. There is a pretty good range of aluminum tables and stands that can be integrated with the plunge saws and routers, but for now, I have to make do with a pair of saw horses and a sheet of board for a workbench.
