Wood working tools can really be categorized several ways; Stationary wood working tools and hand tools is one way to categorize them or hand (non-power) and power tools as another. I prefer to use stationary tools and hand tools simply because it better describes the tool, I know right away that a tool is either held in my hand and brought to the wood or it is stationary and the wood needs to be brought to it.

Whatever tools you get it is just good sense too learn a bit about it before you make the decision to purchase it.

Determining what wood working tools are needed for a typical wood working shop really depends on what you intend to build. If you are new to wood working then it is important for you to identify exactly what it is that interests you about it. This will help you determine what you want to build and that will determine what tools you need.

Certain tools work better for certain jobs. It is important to use the right tool for the job since this will give you the best results but it is also important for your own safety. Working with tools in the wrong manner can lead to serious personal injury and shortened tool life.

Types of Wood Working Tools

Saws are often the first wood working tools that most wood workers buy but with the number of styles and applications saws can serve it is important to know which saw is best suited for the job you are trying to perform. The most common stationary saws are the table saw, band saw and miter saw. These 3 saws will perform 85% of the cuts that you make.

However, consideration needs to be given to hand held saws also. Much more versatile then stationary saws hand held saws are designed to fulfill certain tasks. Circular saws are the most common saws and are used throughout construction and wood working industry.

The jointer and thickness planer are irreplaceable in the shop. Besides using hand planes there is really no other way to true a board. The jointer is designed to make one edge and one face of a board perpendicular to one another. Then using a table saw and the thickness planer a board can be milled so all four sides are square.

Drills and drill presses will allow any wood worker to drill with precision. The variable speed adjustments provides the drill press with the versatility to handle both soft and hard materials with a wide range of bits.

A router is one tool that most wood workers can't do without. This versatile power hand tool is able to perform so many different functions that I just couldn't imagine wood working without one. A router is basically a hand held motor that rotates a cutting bit a very high speeds. Ideal for trimming, shaping, joinery and patterns the router is able to adapt to any situation.

Sanders make the tedious task or sanding much more tolerable. All sanders work by rapidly moving abrasive paper across the surface of the wood. Although most sanding jobs can be accomplished without the use of a power sander they make the job much quicker and arguably do a better job.

Most wood working tools require maintenance to perform optimally and sharpening is a key part of that maintenance. Having a good edge on hand tools and blades not only makes the tool work better but can also make it safer for you to operate.

Measuring and marking tools have advanced considerably over the last decade. Measuring tapes have improved and are now more accurate and more adaptable to awkward measuring situation. With the commercial availability of laser levels and measuring tools wood workers can measure quicker and with greater accuracy then ever before.

Jigs are a wood workers best friend. They allow wood working tools to perform above and beyond their manufactured use. In many cases they can make the operation of power tools much safer. Most jigs allow a wood worker to perform repetitive tasks much easier and quicker without compromising the results.