Welcome to woodworking for mere mortals. I'm Steve and it's my mission to teach
you how to build cool stuff out of wood without a huge space or a bazillion
dollars. Over time every woodworker will develop their own sense of what tools
they believe are essential but when you're just starting out, knowing what
you really need can seem overwhelming. On YouTube you'll see lots and lots of
people with shops the size of aircraft hangars, equipped with a mind-boggling
array of expensive tools. These days the $100,000 workshop is not uncommon. Don't
worry. Take a deep breath, we got this. Woodworking can still be an affordable
hobby and I want to help you get started. I also want to point out the niche of
woodworkers who find it very satisfying and rewarding to build with hand tools
only. It's challenging, but if going full Neanderthal is a root you might be
interested in exploring, search for hand tool woodworking on YouTube for some
great resources for getting started. My show and this list is focused on
woodworking using affordable modern power tools to get you up and building
stuff right away with a very short learning curve. For all these tools I
have separate videos showing you how to use them. Be sure to check out my basic
series. There's a link in the description finally this list will not cover items
that need to be restocked such as glue and sandpaper. Or essential accessories
such as clamps, squares, measuring tape, etc.
I'll only be talking about the most essential power tools you need to start
building stuff right away. Waiting for the plane to fly over. And don't forget
to download my free guide to setting up a woodworking shop for under $1000 at my
to list com this guide contains links to actual brand-new tools I recommend as
well as those essential accessories and as always check Craigslist garage sales
estate sales and flea markets for second hand tools sometimes you can pick up
tools that are actually better than new ones for half the price I want to lead
off with the miter saw because I think it's the best tool you can start with to
get you building amazing things fast in fact I think it's such a great way to
start woodworking the first three projects in my week
woodworker course use only a miter saw jigsaw and a circular saw even after you
start working with a table saw you'll probably still keep using a miter saw
for all kinds of tasks because it's such a quick and simple way to make cross
cuts and of course miter cuts it's also a great tool to have for all kinds of
home repairs and other DIY projects try to find a 10-inch compound miter saw I
don't see any advantage to spending more on a sliding saw or a 12-inch miter saw
especially if you own a table saw a circular saw is probably the most common
saw used on construction sites as well as homeowners working on their DIY
projects but it also has a strong place in the woodworking shop aside from its
more expensive cousin the track saw a circular saw is the best tool for
breaking down large bulky sheet goods like plywood it's lightweight and
portable and simple to use and adjust get a seven and a quarter inch circular
saw if you have a little extra budget you might want to spring for a
battery-powered version a jig saw is really one of the most versatile and
most affordable tools you can own hey once you start woodworking it won't be
long before you're going to want to cut some curves while it's possible to kind
of sort of cut curves with a circular saw I know there's always that one guy
who likes to point this out it's not very practical as for stationary tools a
bandsaw would be a method for cutting curbs but it has its limitations for one
you can't cut a hole with a bandsaw plus if you have a very large board you might
not be able to fit it on the table and maneuver it so I don't consider a
bandsaw an essential power tool for new woodworkers. jig saw can make all your
curved cuts at a fraction of the price. The more and more woodworking I do the
more I use my jigsaw and the less I use my bandsaw. Get a variable-speed jigsaw
that accepts t shank blades. You can pick up a new corded saw for under 30 bucks.
ok ask any woodworker what the most essential tool in their shop is and
they'll say the CNC machine. No wait. The table saw! And well, I agree. Sure you can
make amazing projects without the table saw, but how
one opens up a world of possibilities and allows you to make things you never
thought possible. Probably the two biggest advantages to a table saw are
workflow and precision. You can make cross cuts like you can with a miter saw
but now you can make rip cuts cuts along the length of a board and resaw cuts
along the edge of a board, allowing you to dimension wood to almost any size
that you need. Plus you can trick out your table saw with all kinds of shop
made jigs and fixtures to perform specific tasks and refine your
woodworking. Honestly I don't recommend woodworking without a table saw. I think
the main thing to look for when purchasing a table saw is to get one
that has a decent rip fence. Or by an aftermarket rip fence and also make sure
that this saw has standard 3/4 by 3/8 inch deep miter slots not those t slots
that are on some of the cheaper saws. You can get by with a drill alone, but trust
me on this one once you get an impact driver you're
gonna wonder why you waited. So I'm lumping these two tools together because
they're often sold in pairs and I recommend buying them that way so that
the batteries can easily be swapped out. You'll need a drill for well drilling
holes. You'll actually be surprised how often you need to drill holes in
woodworking and you can use a drill to drive screws but an impact driver is so
much better. In addition to twisting like a drill it also taps in the same
direction that it drives the screw in. It makes sense to buy both tools at the
same time because they use the same battery system. If you can, get a third
battery so you always have one charged and ready to swap out. Also be sure to
buy a drill bit and Driver kit that comes with drill bits and drivers for
all types of screw heads. So much of woodworking involves sanding. If you
don't really do a good job smoothing out your projects, any imperfections are
going to be frustratingly visible when you apply a finish. There are all kinds
of specialty in benchtop sanders that will speed up the process but a random
orbit sander is the most versatile and most affordable way to get the job done.
A random orbit sander spins but it also has a random oscillating motion to prevent
circular scratch marks. there are some things you won't be able to sand with a
random orbit sander such as the inside of curves or really tight corners and
some times the height of the sander prevents it from getting into tight
spaces but in general you'll be able to sand about ninety percent of what you
want with a random orbit sander. The rest you can use hand sandpaper. I think it's
better to get a corded sander rather than a battery-powered one just because
some sanding sessions can last a long time and being able to plug it into the
wall will save you any downtime. Make sure you get one that accepts the eight
hole hook and loop sanding discs not the adhesive back discs. Hey I hope you found
this list helpful! Be sure to check out my basic series four Quick Start guides
to using all of these tools, and don't forget to download my free guide to
setting up a shop for under a thousand dollars at my tool list.com. Thanks for
watching everybody.