For successful woodworking projects, these are the essential hand tools that are cordless and battery-free.
It is undeniable that power tools have facilitated work in the shop. However, the art of woodworking predates electric tools, so there remain crucial hand tools that woodworkers of all skill levels must have.
Hand tools are important for paying attention to small details in a project. They are necessary for tasks like accurate measurements and creating precise joints. Although the following list is not exhaustive, these woodworking tools are essential for all woodworking projects.
1. Workbench
A workbench with a flat work surface is essential for woodworking, although it is not technically considered a tool. It is even more beneficial if it has two vises, such as the 58-inch Nordic Plus workbench offered by Northern Tool.
A hardwood top is the best choice for a workbench that can handle heavy work, such as cutting mortises, tenons, and other wood joinery. The top can be clamped with planks for this purpose. Additionally, the flat top serves as a reference surface for gluing, while sturdy legs ensure a comfortable working height. It is also worth noting that it is possible to construct a workbench within a span of two hours.
2. Square
Available in various variations, woodworkers who are experienced usually possess squares of different sizes for various tasks as cabinets, table legs, and doors require square joints.
When thinking step by step, the combination square, Japanese square, and try square with a metal edge are all great options. In case of necessity, a carpenter’s square, also known as a framing square, can be used.
3. Ruler or tape measure
No matter if you reside in the United States and utilize inches and feet or reside in any other country and use metric units, you require a measuring instrument. Our preferred choice has always been a compact tape measure, available in either a 12 or 16-foot length. These options are more lightweight and better suited for woodworking tasks compared to a 25-foot tape, which is more commonly used for constructing residential structures.
If you don’t have a square with measurements marked out, you can easily carry a six-inch metal rule or wooden folding ruler in your pocket or apron.
4. Marking knife
Clean, accurate layout lines hold utmost significance and surpass the effectiveness of pencil lines in the context of woodworking joints such as dovetails. Unlike pencil graphite which tends to linger on the surface, a physical mark is left behind by the use of a knife blade.
5. Sliding bevel
The sliding bevel, also known as a bevel gauge, is a tool that can mark angles on your workpiece, similar to its sibling, the square. It consists of a metal edge with a long slot that securely fits into a handle made of either wood or metal. This versatile tool is ideal for precisely laying out dovetails or gently splaying (turning outward) table legs. To secure the edge to the handle, a wing nut or a knurled thumb screw with a lower profile is used.
The sliding bevel can also be used to discover angles that are not known. Start by sliding the adjustable metal edge into the corner being examined, then secure it in place with the thumb screw. Lastly, take it to a protractor to determine the precise angle.
5. Marking gauge
When it comes to measuring and marking the same dimension, it can be difficult. However, this essential task can be simplified using a marking gauge. A marking gauge is made up of a ruler, a locking stop, and a marking edge. To use it, you need to set the ruler to the correct dimension and then secure the stop in place by tightening the knurled thumbscrew. As you roll the wheel, it creates a clean mark without getting caught on the wood grain.
When the wheel becomes dull, sharpening is not necessary as it can be replaced.
6. Hand saw
There are various types of American style handsaws that cut on the push stroke. Panel saws, which come in rip and cross cut variations, are utilized for rough wood cutting. For more precise woodworking tasks such as cutting joinery and miters, back saws, like the one shown in the picture, are recommended due to their stiff blade with a rib on the top.
Japanese handsaws are favored due to their user-friendly nature. They come in various lengths and configurations, and possess thinner blades compared to American-style saws, enabling them to cut while pulling.
7. Hand planes
When it comes to flattening or straightening a board, nothing can compare to the effectiveness of a hand plane. Hand planes are available in different widths and lengths that serve different purposes. In the United States, the Stanley style is the standard, ranging from the smallest #2 which is seven inches in length to the largest #8 which measures 24 inches in length.
When it comes to flattening large boards, larger and heavier planes are usually employed. However, smaller planes like the #5 Jack Plane are less physically demanding and are quite suitable for flattening smaller boards.
Wood handle, metal plane body with flat bottom, chip breaker, and blade are the characteristics of adjustable Stanley-style bench planes. For smaller tasks such as chamfering, block planes are more suitable. Wooden bodies are found in European planes, while Japanese planes have low profile hardwood bodies, and both are pulled over the wood.
8. Ripping handsaws
Handsaws are the primary woodworking tool that every woodworker possesses. Among the various kinds of handsaws, the most commonly used by woodworkers is the ripping handsaw. It measures approximately 26 inches in length and has 5 teeth-shaped blades per inch. The ripping handsaw is also referred to as a tooth saw due to its alternating left and right bending sides.
The wood can be cut parallel to the direction of its grain.
When precision cuts are needed, using a ripping handsaw is a straightforward and uncomplicated process. It is an affordable tool that yields impressive outcomes. Crucially, ripping handsaws offer versatility and aid beginners in acquiring the skills to make desired cuts and shape wooden pieces.
First and foremost, the blades of the ripping handsaw are positioned in a balanced manner. Secondly, it is important to securely grip the wood when using a ripping handsaw in order to prevent any movement of the wood while cutting. Lastly, here are a few beneficial features of the ripping handsaw.
- Able to cut preciously with the wood grain.
- Can make clean cuts with push strokes along the wood grain.
Due to its multifunctional capabilities, as a beginner woodworking hand tool, you strongly endorse using handsaws for ripping.
9. Crosscut handsaws
A rip-cut handsaw, also referred to as a crosscut handsaw, is crucial for cutting across the wood grain. The blades of this handsaw have teeth that are shaped in a way that they are positioned backward with bevel edges. To achieve a clean and precise cut, both push and pull strokes are utilized when using a crosscut handsaw. If your intention is to cut a wood log in a perpendicular manner to its wood grain, then a crosscut handsaw is the ideal tool to use.
When you are new to woodworking, there are times when you need to cut with the wood grain or cut across it. To cut with the wood grain, you require a ripping handsaw, while cutting across the wood grain necessitates a crosscut handsaw. Therefore, it is evident that various woodcutting techniques require different equipment.
Below are a few helpful functions that can be carried out using a crosscut handsaw.
- Able to make a clean and accurate cut across the wood grain.
- Can make cuts with both push and pull strokes.
The performances of crosscut handsaws are improved by breasted blade edges and taper ground, making them easy to sharpen.
10. Combination handsaws
The combination handsaw is designed to be a versatile tool that can perform both crosscuts and rips. This means that by using a combination handsaw, you can effectively accomplish the tasks typically done by both a ripping handsaw and a crosscut handsaw. The flexibility and thinness of the blade, combined with its rigid back, allow the combination handsaw to be highly efficient in handling various tasks.
