5 Best Tools for Beginner Woodworking

So you want to build, eh? And you are feeling tough, huh? Well, what are ya gonna do about it, hmm?! (I picture this being read by an old fashioned Jimmy Stewart in a gangster movie, apparently.) Anyhoo, if you want to get into woodworking, unfortunately you’ll need a few tools. Not saying I don’t love tools. I do. But they are pricey, require storage, and to be honest some of them can be downright scary. You need to know what you are getting into and just get the essentials to start. Read on and I will provide you with a list of my favorite beginner woodworking tools that you need to complete 99% of DIY projects for your house!

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  1. Measuring tape. That may sound simple or silly or common sense, but it is definitely a tool you should have around the house and one that you will need for every single project. If you are anything like me, you will measure something, walk away, immediately forget said measurement, and repeat 45 more times until you get mad and finally write it down. (So maybe grab a pencil and small notebook too!) Make sure you get the tape with the hook!
Stanley makes great products and you really can’t go wrong with any of their tapes.

2. Cordless screwdriver and drill. I’ve used this for about 8000 improvement projects around the house in my pre-DIY days and continue to do so with woodworking as well. One point I would like to make here: research a brand, pick one, and stick with it! That way your tools can share batteries and you won’t have to keep a thousand batteries and chargers lying around. I love Ryobi for durability, affordability, variety, and look as well (the lime green is fun, what can I say?!).

This version comes with a battery and charger. You can also buy just the tool if you already have the batteries/chargers from other tools of the same brand.

3. Miter saw. Yes, in the beginning, you can get away with either using a hand saw or getting cuts done at your local Home Depot (and I definitely recommend starting this way!). That said, if you start to get a little more into DIY projects and woodworking, you will definitely want a miter saw of your own. I use this thing for legitimately every single project that I do (I have now literally said that for everything on my list! But it is true…). And for some things it’s really nice to be able to cut in real time. I don’t know about you, but I definitely have a hard time planning things so perfectly that I can have someone else cut it for me and it all fit just right.

There are a couple of versions that you can consider. I have a more bare bones version that my brother-in-law gave me a while back. If I were to do it all over again, I would go for the compound sliding miter saw so I could cut wider pieces. That said, it is pricier so do what makes sense for you.

This is a GREAT starter miter saw. It is on Amazon, has excellent reviews, and does pretty much everything you could need this saw to do!

And this is the mid-level sliding compound miter saw. It runs a bit more and would be the saw I would choose if I were buying a new one today. Why are the pictures exactly the same?? Not sure. I blame Amazon. But the links will take you to the two different products.

4. Random Orbital Sander.  You’ll need to sand pretty much every project you do (I am seeing a trend here), so pick one you like and make good friends with it. There are several different types of sanders, so don’t get overwhelmed. For basic projects, I recommend the random orbital sander. This is my go to 90% of the time. There is also a corner cat sander which I believe is for smaller projects and finishing. I personally don’t have one and haven’t missed it. Then there is a belt sander. It takes off more surface area and is great for larger pieces where you need to take a lot off in a short amount of time. The belt sander is the newest addition to my team and, while I love it for some of my more involved pieces (like this industrial farmhouse desk I built), you don’t really need one for getting started.

Cordless Ryobi random orbital sander. Save money if you buy the tool only without the battery.

5. Nail gun. Truly, I think this falls into the category of nice to have vs. need to have. You can totally get by with a basic hammer and nails or using your cordless drill and screws instead. That said, ever since I got one of these babies, I’ve used it for millions of things. It is a nice way to attach smaller pieces while leaving a relatively small hole to fill for a cleaner look. And it is super fast and simple to use.

This thing is pretty reasonably priced and has a pretty avid following too. It is great for lots of things like trim/finishing, small projects, and really anywhere you would use a nail!

Optional items: So above, I talked about all the items I use with nearly every DIY project I do. If you have all these things and are looking for other options to make your life easier and your projects nicer, I recommend adding the following to your collections.

Ok, so there you have it! My go to beginner woodworking tools, and a few other additions to include to your stash when you can! Go back and check out my post on beginner projects to find some project inspiration to get you started with your new tools. God speed!

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