11 Woodworking Tools for Beginners
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Clamps
There’s an old woodworkers’ refrain: You can never have too many clamps, and to my ears this rings true. Clamps are seldom used alone, and buying them in sets is considerably less expensive. This set of six Bessey Clamps is a great place to start, and covers most projects under 36 inches. With padded, parallel jaws these clamps provide 900 lbs. of pressure and help keep projects square.
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Japanese Handsaw
Designed to cut with a pull stroke, a Japanese hand saw is easy to use. Available in a number of configurations for different types of cuts, all boast extremely thin (thus efficient) blades. Furthermore, all of these blades are replaceable, so when the blade becomes dull or bent, a new blade is available at one-half the cost of the original saw. The Dozuki with it’s stiffening rib is perfect for cutting joinery like dovetails. The Ryoba double-edge flush-cut saw has a blade for ripping on one side and a blade for crosscuts on the other. Both affordable saws have a place in the beginner shop.
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Drill/Driver Combo
This drill/driver combo belongs in every woodworking tool kit. Think of these as support tools, not for making joinery but for screwing in drawer slides, making a quick jig or fastening a tabletop. And before the beginner splurges on a stationary drill press, a decent drill can do so many smaller drilling and hole-boring tasks.
I like a combination kit instead of a single tools because the need to predrill is common; use the drill for the holes and the driver for screwing in the fastener. Makita offers a 18V combo with tons of power, and this smaller, lightweight Bosch set is perfect for getting into tight spaces.
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