Tools Used in Wood Working

Wood working is the art of making usable and functional items from wood. It includes cabinet making, carpentry, and wood carving.

If you’re just starting out in wood working, the first thing you need is a few essential tools. Here are five that you should be sure to have in your shop.

Planer

Planers are a type of woodworking tool that removes layers of wood from the surface of a piece of lumber. They are typically used to make boards of a uniform thickness and for flat surface work.

They are powered and have a flatbed that the board rides on as it moves under and against the cutting head. The sharp blades on the cutting head remove the layers of wood as the board rides along.

A planer is a great tool to have in your shop for preparing lumber and making sure that it’s squared up. It also helps to prepare reclaimed lumber by shaving off excess grooves or protrusions that might prevent it from functioning properly.

Drill Press

A drill press is a great tool for woodworking because it helps to make accurate holes. It’s also safer than a hand drill because the bit is always aligned perpendicular to the work.

It can be used to bore big holes in wood for dowel joints, cut angled holes, and more. But it’s important to pick the right model for your woodworking needs.

The best drill presses for woodworking have a powerful motor. Some even have mechanical variable speed adjustment for ease. Other features include a laser guide and work light to ensure accuracy.

Combination Square

A combination square is one of the most essential precision measuring instruments in the shop, and a good quality model will last a lifetime. These handy tools are more than just try squares, and can be used as depth gauges, marking gauges, miter squares and even a straightedge.

Combination squares feature a rigid steel rule, usually twelve inches long (though some are up to twenty-four inches), with a headpiece that slides along the rule’s length. A knurled nut and set screw fix the headpiece to the rule at any point along its length.

Mill Files

Files are handy tools that smooth out small bits of material from a workpiece. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit the needs of different types of work.

They’re a key tool for smoothing out wood surfaces, as well as sharpening metal tools. The teeth on a file can be either single-cut (run in one direction) or double-cut, with a crisscrossing pattern to remove more wood per pass.

Files are sold in various grades, depending on the degree of cutting aggression they provide. The four basic grades include smooth, second cut, bastard, and coarse.

Rotary Cutter

Whether you sew, craft or enjoy finish work, a rotary cutter can be your best friend. They are available in different sizes and shapes to suit your needs and they have many features that make them ideal for a specific job.

They also come with a handy blade changing mechanism which is simple to use and makes it less likely that you will end up with a ragged cut.

You should change your blade regularly to avoid a ragged cut and always use a rotary cutter with a cutting mat. This will ensure that you don’t damage your table, carpet or surface on which you are resting.

Hand Files

Generally the first tool used in wood working, hand files shape and smooth a wide range of materials. They are also a great deburring tool and can be used as a substitute for sharpening tools with blades.

Files are classified according to length, section / shape and cut (tooth shape). Most commonly files are rectangular in cross-section, but there is a wide variety of shapes available.

Typically there are three grades of coarseness, bastard (coarse), second-cut or medium-smooth and smooth (fine). Coarse files have larger teeth that remove more material per stroke, while smooth files have smaller, frequently spaced teeth.