General Woodworking Tools to Consider
Including Woodworking Hand Tools
The following general woodworking tools are worth considering, especially the First Aid Kit.
First Aid Kit
A basic first aid kit is necessary. You never know when an accident may occur. You might as
well have a first aid kit in your shop. Get one that has bandages for small cuts, and major
wounds. One in a solid box will keep it dust free.
Hammers
"Experts" recommend a claw hammer. Why? We are talking woodworking and quality projects. I
do not use nails in my projects.
The type of hammer I recommend is a small dead-blow hammer. These hammers make excellent general woodworking tools. A one or two pound dead blow is adequate for most jobs. You can softly tap joints into place. You don't need a sledge hammer for quality woodworking.
If you make the Mortise Jig and the Tenon Jig, you won't use any hammer.
You might want a small rubber mallet for tapping the tops of your finishing stains & poly. I've
got one. It tends not to mangle the can. This is a handy woodworking tool.
For good pricing on hammers, see the Hand Tools page.
Hand Plane - another useful general woodworking tool
You won't use a hand plane frequently when you have quality Jigs. They are nice to have to take
a little wood off after glue-up, if needed. With quality clamps, the hand plane sees infrequent
use.
If you are going to spend your money, get a good one. I have a Record #4 Bench Plane. It is very
sharp. You can fine-tune it to take a sliver. This woodworking tool will last your lifetime.
Hand Saws - nice general woodworking tools
All you need is a high-tension hacksaw. You can make your own miter box and use the hacksaw.
A high-tension hacksaw easily cuts wood with the correct blade. You can change blades easily
with a high-tension hacksaw. You can trim up screws to the exact dimension that you need.
You only need one handsaw to do a multitude of work. What could be better?
Level
I don't use a level very much either. I have an old wooden 48" level. It has leveler bubbles in all
directions. Smaller levels are not very accurate. You might find a good one on eBay. Levels are
good when hanging cabinets or tool holders.
Rasps
You use wood rasps to file board edges and remove small amounts of wood. Two rasps, one fine
and one coarse, should be all you need. I like a rasp for rounding tenons and in tight corners.
For good pricing on rasps, see the Hand Tools page.
Screwdrivers - necessary general woodworking tools
The best one I found is a Klein Tools 10-in-1. It has eight different tips in one screwdriver. You
won't need a screwdriver frequently, but they're nice to have. You can find a Klein on eBay at a
fair price. Lee Valley has a nice one also – a 15-in-1.
