Considering taking up carpentry or woodworking? Start with the right tools! Here’s a selection of essential woodworking hand tools for any project.
Woodworking is a fun and rewarding hobby. If you want to take up woodworking, consider enrolling in a beginners’ class first, as this will allow you to get a feel for the tools while working on basic projects. If you end up loving it and have the space to set up a workshop, start shopping for the tools of your new trade! Here are the essential woodworking hand tools for any project.
Tape Measure
Want to know the single most important tool that will save you money, time, and stress? You guessed it—it’s a tape measure! More projects are derailed by faulty measurements than you might think. Ensure you get the dimensions right the first time with an accurate tape measure. The old adage of measure twice, cut once is still a great rule of thumb to keep in mind. A large, solid, and brightly colored tape measure will come in handy with all your projects. Pick up a smaller model that you can bring to the hardware store when you need to buy more wood, too.
Claw Hammer
There’s more than one kind of hammer, but for woodworking, the one you’ll use most often is a standard claw hammer. You’ll get as much use from your claw hammer around the house as you will at your workbench. Find one that feels good in your hand and weighs roughly a pound for maximum comfort.
Accompany your hammer purchase with a good set of safety goggles or another form of eye protection. Eye protection is a good idea when using any tool, but it’s a must when using a hammer. Will you need a hammer for every project? No, but it’s still best to have one handy.
Level
Woodworking and carpentry are mostly about balance in both the physical and
metaphysical meaning of the word. Levels help you make sure your projects are on the level or, to use the technical term, in plumb. Levels come in all different shapes, sizes, and types, but you can make do with a six-inch model for most workbench projects.
Utility Knives
When people think of cutting and woodworking, they’ll often think of saws. But while saws, in all their forms, are a necessity, you’ll often find yourself cutting more things with your utility knife. From opening packages and cutting twine to slicing rubber tubing and marking wood, your utility knife will be one of your best tools. Once again, there are multiple kinds and brands available, but a standard utility knife will get you through many a job.
Workbench
When considering essential woodworking hand tools for any project, don’t forget the biggest tool that won’t fit in your hands: your workbench. Plenty of ready-to-assemble workbenches are on the market but building your own is a swift and simple first woodworking project that will pay off in the long run. And you’ll never feel a bigger connection with a bench than you will with the one you built yourself.
