Woodwork is an art form that can create the most beautiful of objects. Some jobs are going to be easy and some are going to be difficult. The trick is to have the right tools to get the job done quickly and correctly, the first time. Unfortunately most beginning woodworking enthusiasts think that you need to by a whole garage full of useless expensive tools that might be used once in your life. 

It’s agreed that as you get more advanced in this field you might need more tools. Whether this field is your hobby or career, you really only need a few inexpensive common tools at the beginning to tackle numerous amounts of challenging projects.

Circular Saw

One of the most versatile tools available the circular saw can become a handy standby tool for various cutting tasks. In the hand of an experienced user, this saw can be substituted for many other tools.  For beginners, this tool may take some time and practice to become comfortable with. It’s a tool that must be respected because one slip and you might lose more than just a finger.

The only problem with this tool is not the loud sound or amount of wood dust it kicks up, but the replacement of the saw blade. There are a lot of below standard blades out in the market that are priced high and will not last you a week. Fortunately, I found a killer website where you can purchase a low cost high quality tungsten carbide saw blade set.

Jigsaw

Do you every wonder how manufacturers create those mesmerizing curved and circular pattern in the wood? They use a reliable jigsaw. This is one of the easiest tools to use because the learning curve for it is very low. Before you go out and purchase a jigsaw, make sure you take a look at its features. Versatile jigsaws should be an orbital action corded model. The jigsaw should have an easy blade changing system and, as with any other tool you purchase, should feel good and comfortable in your hand.

Table Saw

This is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. Go to any good woodworking shop and you will see one or maybe even more table saws. This is one of the most important major tool purchases you will make. It is a bit more expensive than the tools previously mentioned, but it is an educated investment that will not disappoint. There is a whole rainbow of different types of table saws you can purchase so take the time to research which table saw will fit your budget and your woodworking needs.

Compound Miter Saw

This is another major tool decision that should be in your arsenal. This tool is not nearly as expensive as the table saw.  The compound miter saw is the best tool available to cut compound angles on the ends of stock. You will find that once you have bought a reliable and durable mitre saw, your circular saw will spend a bit more time in the drawer than it use to.

Power Drill

I know what you are thinking. Cordless is the way to go because it’s portable, powerful, and cheaper.  Even though cordless drills are popular and convenient, they do not have the necessary power and versatility corded drills have in the woodworking shop. Corded drills are better because they have true adjustable variable speeds. The variable speed allows the user to drill at very low RPM’s when using soft wood or very high RPM’s to drill through tough thick wood. A good first drill for any beginner is a 3/8” corded version.

Any shop expert will tell you that your drill is only as good as the bits you put in front of them. Luckily for you guys I found another great website where you can purchase anywhere from 20 piece bits to 25 piece titanium drill bits.

Random Orbital Sander

This tool is not very expensive. You can purchase the less expensive plain paper palm sanders, but they sand in pattern on stock. Not good. The random orbital sander does not sand in patterns but in random motion. Using this tool in this manner will decrease almost all sanding marks that appear on the stock. Remember to make sure that the location from which you buy this sander has a number of sanding disks available in different grits for your model.

Router

The last tool I recommend for beginners is the router. You can purchase two different types of routers; a stationary base or a plunge base router. Although the plunge base router has a bit more features, the stationary base router will help most beginners tackle through a number of challenging tasks.  Furthermore a stationary base router can be fitted onto a router table easily, should you choose to purchase one later on. There are a lot of different routers available in any hardware store. Choose one that has at least 2 HP, for powerful cuts, and one with variable speed because larger cutting bits are only safe to use at slower speeds.

You don’t have to get these tools all at once. Buy more as your level of expertise in wood working increases. Remember to always wear safety goggles and safety shoes whenever working around these equipments.