What’s in a Basic Woodworking Toolkit?

6 min readSep 29, 2020

As you read the list, you’ll notice we don’t mention stationary power tools. We left them out because this is a basic tool kit. You will add them as your needs and skills develop.

Equip your shop a few tools at a time. As your skills improve, so will your tool inventory. Here, we list the tools that we find indispensable in bold-face type. They’re the items you’ll find most useful and use most often. so think about purchasing them first.

Can you sidestep any processes for which you’re not well equipped? Some hardware stores will joint, rip, plane, and crosscut lumber to requested dimensions. Yet, you pay for this service, of course. In the short run it’s less expensive than buying tools you’d need to do the work yourself. In the long run, you’re better off with your own tools.

As you budget each project, figure in the cost of one new and necessary tool. You’ll spread out the cost of equipment, and you’ll be able to enjoy a new tool with each project you undertake. Bookmark this article and come back to see our recommendation for your next tool.

Finally, there are some woodworkers who make exceptional pieces with hand tools only. We love power tools, but we know that it’s possible to take more time and do things by hand.

We have included links to our recommendations for your toolkit based on reviews. We also include the prices at the time of this article. If you were to buy everything on this list it would come out to $1,353.70. If you don’t have that much to devote to your kit, don’t worry. You can always space out purchases on as as-needed basis.

Speaking of as-needed, CLICK HERE to get access to 50 FREE WoodWorking Plans and a 440 page Guide Book.

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