Updated: 13/11/2020

Types of Woodworking Tools

Almost all beginners and DIY enthusiasts need a reliable set of woodworking tools. The biggest concern for them is budget and usability. It is easy to forget efficiency and usage when faced with several options in the market. They usually end up with several power tools that they do not need. Unfortunately, these woodworking tools cost a lot of money, and if misused, may cause accidents and mishaps. 

Many useful tools in the market do not cost a lot of money, yet they are instrumental in the tool shed. For woodworkers to create long-lasting, valuable pieces of wood, they mostly need a good set of tools that help become an outlet towards the creative mindset of users. Whether you’re a master craftsperson or a novice, there are a few different types of woodworking tools you should always have at your disposal. 

Let us help you sort through the intense maze of the types of woodworking tools, and help you narrow your choices down in a logical manner, consistent with the style of woodworking that you may need. 

Scroll Saws: These are ideal for making intricate designs on curves and corners in wood, metal, and other materials. Scroll saws are excellent for personal and creative touches to timber. Most people love the versatility of scroll saws since they are electric or pedal-operated. They are easy to use, maintain, and clean, and can be used for almost all wood-based work, and for finishing touches to small and large projects. The reciprocating blade is exceptionally sharp and is much better and precise than a regular hand coping saw, fretsaw, or a power jigsaw. 

Planer Thicknessers: Planer thicknessers are called thickness planers in North America. The planer thicknesser is a woodworking machine that helps trim wooden boards to ensure even thickness. This machine is ideal for longboards that require consistency in thickness throughout the length and breadth of the wood. The wood should be fed into the device with the help of an extremely powerful feed roller. The pressure on the timber helps hold the wood in shape while it is passed through extremely sharp knives in the cutting block component of the machine.

Band Saw: The band saw is another fabulous woodworking power tool. It is desk mounted and made with a long, sharp blade with continuous toothed metal that is fed into the wood with the help of two or more wheels. While the band saw is used mainly for woodworking, it can also be used on several types of metal and for lumbering. Resawing is a widespread use for band saws since this power tool can easily cut thick wooden boards into two even thin timber boards. 

Router Table: A router table is one of the most essential pieces of equipment that woodworkers need. Router tables are stationary tables with a vertical spindle. This spindle is attached to the router table and can spin from 3000 RPM to 24000 RPM. Router tables are usually of three types – floor standing machines, bench-top machines, and ones that have the accessories bolted firmly into table saws. As the timber is steadily fed to the router table, the cutter heads of the table mold the needed profile directly on the wood. 

Palm Routers: Palm routers (as the name suggests) can be held comfortably in hand. Palm routers come with a thick base that needs to be attached to the router body. The base is always at a right angle to the router bit for precise and efficient cuts. The palm router is versatile and can be used to bevel an edge, it can be used as a quick planer thicknesser, used to edge minute profiles, and much more. They also come with plunge bits to adjust the bit depth. 

Pillar Drills: Pillar drills are excellent for single drilling. They are mostly used on a variety of materials to drill single holes with extreme precision. The head of this drill can be adjusted manually to be lowered and raised vertically and plunged into materials. The manual plunger helps control the pressure needed to work with different materials. They are easy to maintain and are usually based on a large steel column. 

Wood Chisel: Wood chisels are a set of manual tools that have sharp cutting edges with a blade on one end. These woodworking chisels are available in several sizes and shapes and are excellent for carving and cutting various materials. Some materials that respond excellently to wood chisels are timber, stone, and metal. Wood chisels can be used directly by hand, struck on with pressure by a mallet, or used with mechanical power.