You only need 6 tools to start woodworking. It could be really daunting when you look at guys that have a ton of tools. Even in my shop I have tools that a lot of people don’t have. That’s mostly because I’ve been at it for a very long time. But what do you really need to start woodworking? The short version is you need a pencil, a measuring tape, a square, a saw, clamps, and a drill. Let’s visit each of these tools starting with pencils.

Pencil

We all grew up with #2 pencils and frankly those will work just fine. But I have to say after years of using No. 2s and using carpenters pencils, those are the fat ones, I’ve come to rely on a mechanical pencil. And a very specific mechanical pencil marketed by Mylife Unit from Amazon. I’ll put a link in the bottom for you.

The reason I like these pencils is because they use 2.0 mm hefty lead which is pretty strong so unlike a .5 mm lead they don’t break all the time. And these particular pencils have an integrated sharpener at the top. This way you can keep your pencil always pointed with just a few quick twists. And frankly they’re pretty inexpensive.

So why is the pencil important. Or better yet why is it sharp pencil important in woodworking? Because it creates the line that you’re going to use to cut and the more accurate the line the more accurate the cut. Then the more accurate your project will be. Basically, because things are more accurate, the assembly is a lot easier and the project just looks better in the end.

Tape Measure

The second tool is a really good tape measure. There are a lot of tape measures out there, not all of them are good. I’ll say this, invest in a good tape measure. And keep the tape measure length to about 12 to 16 feet. Unless you’re working around the house the bulk of your projects are going to be in that 6 inches to three foot length so you’re going to wear the tip of the tape measure out long before you fail the spring or anything else. But the real reason you want a good tape measure because of accuracy. You’ll find there are lot out there, especially when you buy these Chinese tape measures, that are just not accurate. It’ll say 1 inch but it will be 15/16^th or 1- 1/16^th or something really strange. That is primarily because they’re measuring in millimeters and trying to convert.

My “go to” is a Milwaukee compact tape measure. I like the Milwaukee because of the size, heft, and quite frankly the color. The Milwaukee has an impact resistant case, a fractional scale, and a nylon coated blade. The nylon coating on the blade adds to the life of the measuring tape. Additionally, in case you need it, the Milwaukee has a nine foot reach out. That means you can extend it 9 feet before it falls over. The Milwaukee tape measure is by no means cheap but, it is also not that expensive. Especially when you consider that this is the single tool that’s going to provide accuracy for all your measurements.

Combination Square

The next tool on the list is a square. A square is going to allow you to mark right angles so all your pieces go together easily. Personally, I am an advocate of a Starrettt combination square with a 12 inch blade. Though I do have a 24 inch blade which comes in handy sometimes 90% of your work will be in that 6 to 12 inch range. Now I admit I am biased toward Starrettt because I am an engineer and I want the most accurate square I can get. Starrett squares are very pricey. But in my mind they are worth every penny. A Starrettt will last both your lifetime your children’s lifetime and probably even your grandchildren. A Starrettt is a lifetime investment. Now all that said you could just go with the speed square. They’re really cheap usually made out of aluminum they get banged up easy but really they are for a Carpenter. They’re super useful for building a deck framing roughing and those kinds of things. They’ll work OK if you’re just getting into woodworking. But I’m still a Starrett fan.

Saw

Next on our hit parade of tools is a saw. Now if you’re really bold you could just get a handsaw. Hand saws are really great tools. They’re quiet, they don’t make a lot of dust, but they are darn hard to use and cutting with them takes a lot of time. So while you could use a hand saw I’m going to recommend you get a circle saw.

For the longest time, that is most of my life, I’ve used corded tools Then specifically corded circle sauce. I have both DeWalt, and a Makita 7 1/2 inch saws. These have been the workhorses in my shop for decades. However, I have recently switched over to battery powered tools and they definitely have a place in the shop too. They are easy to use because I don’t have to look around to plug something in and I’m not tripping over the cables. The downside of course is they’re battery operated and batteries are expensive and I have to keep those charged but so far it’s not been a problem.

My recommendation here is an M8 fuel 6 1/2 inch Milwaukee circle saw they’re a little pricey but you can usually get the kit for under $200.00 and that includes the batteries and the charger also. The M18 battery system provides plenty of power and punch to the saw. And these saws have all the features including setting depths and angle both of which are very accurate. A circle saw like this we’ll get you running and keep you going for quite some time.

Clamps

And now that I have my parts marked and cut I need to get them together and held in place so you’re going to need clamps. Clamp size is always a hard decision you want clamps that are not too big but not too small not too expensive but not too cheap either.

My recommendation here are Bessey bar clamps. They aren’t too expensive and they’re made in Germany. You can get the clutch clamps but personally I’m in favor of the professional tradesman style clamps. They can take a little bit of getting used to because you have to position the head properly before you start screwing them down but they’re super easy to adjust and very fast. You’re going to need at least two of these and they probably should be 18 inches long. Mostly because the projects you’re working on again are going to be in that 6 to 12 inch range. But what you don’t want to do is make a project that’s 13 inches and only have a 12 inch clamp. By the way I’d actually recommend a total of 4 clamps but two will get you started.

Drill

And finally you’re going to need a Drill Motor. Again, most of my life I’ve used corded tools and have relied heavily on my Porter cable drill as well as my DeWalt corded drill. But since I’ve moved to the Milwaukee M18 system I’ve discovered that these tools are much easier to use again because i don’t have to plug the cord in and trip all over it .

My recommendation here is straightforward pick up an M18 drill and driver kit because those will come with batteries which gives you extra capacity for your saw too. By the way drill bits are extra.

Hearing Protection

OK there is two more things that you absolutely need to get. They are not actually tools but if you’re running power tools you need personal protection equipment. That is hearing protection and eye protection. Don’t skimp on either. Don’t operate your tools without both. You don’t want to be 70 or 80 years old and can’t hear or can’t see.

So here’s a couple of recommendations. ISOtunes makes a great set of earmuffs that are Bluetooth integrated so you can take phone calls listen to music and do all kinds of things and still muffle that buzzing sound from the saw or even the drill. The ISO tunes have a battery set that will last all day and they have an aware technology which is an omnidirectional pass-through microphone so you can hear normal speech. These are awesome. They’re great for mowing the lawn too by the way.

Safety Glasses

As far as eye protection, safety glasses are cheap. You can get a box of 3M safety glasses, 20 pair to a box, for about 30 some odd dollars. It is so worth it to have a box close to hand. If you scratch them you can throw them away. Don’t set them down in the lenses, they’ll last a long time but when they’re scratched pitch them. And oh by the way they also sell bifocals for those of us that need them. So don’t skimp get a box of these keep them close at hand and as the they wear out and get scratched throw them away. These are like using sandpaper or drills it’s a consumable item.

Well with these tools you can SAFELY build almost any project under the sun and you should be well on your way to woodworking. Just having these tools will not only get you started but it also make your woodworking beginnings much easier. It’ll also help reduce some of the tool anxiety when you’re seeing other people’s shops knowing that you’ve made the first steps to becoming a master woodworker.

Hope you got something out of this and if you did, do me a favor, hit like and subscribe. I’d appreciate that a lot.

Thanks for reading and until next time Good Making!

Bill

Visit my Etsy Store at https://www.etsy.com/shop/30MinuteWoodshop

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