Beginners Tools: General Review

This blog is the first dedicated to beginners.  It will give you a general idea about the tools required to do manual woodworking.  More detailed blogs regarding beginners tools are available here:

• Chisels
• Saws
• Planes
• Sharpening stones
• Marking and measuring

The first and more important aspect to master is sharpening.  If you do not master this then, no matter what plane, chisel or saw you buy, you will not get anywhere.

I've talked about that subject here and I also have a french video (just look, you don't need to speak french).

For saw sharpening it's here.

Planes:

Your first plane should be a no. 5.  A jack plane is  multitask.  With some practice you can do everything with it.  It's obviously better to have the proper plane for the job so your next step will be to look for a smoothing plane no. 4.  If you want to work on fairly large pieces you will need a jointer plane no. 7.

Your no. 5 can be bevel-up or bevel-down type.  Both works but you will get more out of a bevel-down plane.  I discuss this aspect here BU vs BD here.

A low angle jack (BU) with a shooting board.  Those planes excell at this task.

Marking and measuring:

For measuring and marking you need many small tools like: square, marking gauge, ruler, marking knife, pencil, measuring tape, divider, dovetail marker and a bevel gauge or false square.

Saws:

For rough cutting you will require two saws.  One for crosscutting (across the grain) and one for rip cut (with the grain). Crosscutting saws are plentifull in the secondary market but rip saws are difficult to find.  You will need a vice and triangular files for sharpening those saws. If you want new saws you will find that they are pretty expensive.

A crosscut (above) and a ripcut with 8 TPI.


For fine cuts like tenons, dovetails, etc a few back saws will be required.  You may choose inexpensive japanese saw that are thrown away when dull,


or re-sharpenable saws like those Gramercy's.  LeeValley offers more affordable back saws just like Lie-Nielsen.

Chisels:

Those are essentials tools in your workshop.  They come in at very different prices.  A beginner should start with a relatively cheap set and, as his sharpening skills get better, look for something better if that's what he wants.

Spokeshave:

That's an inexpensive tool and fun to use for curved shapes.

You will need to know how to sharpen again.

Scrapers:

Scrapers can be a rectangular piece à steel hold with your hand (card scraper) but also you can have a holder for it like a Stanley 80.  You can have an idea about sharpening that tool here.


One of my preferred tool is a Stanley 12.

Drilling:

In order to be able to drill all diameter holes required one has to have many tools and it could be fairly expensive.






I believe that those drills should be last on your purchasing list.

Now that you have a better idea of the tools required, do not forget to keep some money for a good set of sharpening stone and the wood required for building a workbench with vices and dogs.

At first this hobby looks inexpensive but large amount of money can be spent fairly easily.  There is always a better tool than the one you already have!

Normand