Woodcraft Bench Tool Guides & Maths
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Every tool has a job. Know which one before you cut.

Plain-language guides to the hand tools and power tools used in small-shop woodworking — what each tool does, what it costs you in accuracy, and how to use it safely.

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New utility

Plan the cut before you buy the board.

Enter your sheet size and your parts list. The optimizer packs them, draws the layout, and tells you how much offcut you will be left holding.

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Hands-on workshop

Feel how a surface changes as you work it.

A live board you can sand, plane, saw, stain and wax. Every stroke really changes the grain, because the surface is simulated, not painted.

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Independent guideWritten for people who build, not for people who sell.
No products soldWe publish no affiliate links and take no brand endorsements.
Free workshop toolsCut planning, materials maths and finishing estimates, all in the browser.
Safety firstEvery power tool page carries its own safety notice.

Categories

Five groups, twenty-eight tools

Tools are grouped by what they do in the process, because that is how you actually reach for them. Each guide covers what the tool is for, how to set it up and what to watch out for.

Measuring & Marking

Lay out accurate parts before any cut is made.

6 toolsBrowse →

Cutting & Shaping

Saws, planes and routers that size and shape stock.

6 toolsBrowse →

Joining & Fastening

Hold parts together with joints, jigs and screws.

5 toolsBrowse →

Finishing & Protection

Smooth, colour and seal the completed piece.

6 toolsBrowse →

Workshop Safety

Protect eyes, ears and lungs on every job.

5 toolsBrowse →

Sequence

The four stages of every build

Every project, from a bench hook to a dining table, moves through the same four stages. Skipping or rushing one of them is where most problems come from.

  1. Illustration: Measure & Mark

    Step 1

    Measure & Mark

    Establish one reference face and one reference edge, then take every other dimension from those two surfaces.

  2. Illustration: Cut & Shape

    Step 2

    Cut & Shape

    Cut slightly wide and plane or sand back to the line. It is far easier to remove material than to add it.

  3. Illustration: Join & Assemble

    Step 3

    Join & Assemble

    Dry-fit everything first, check for square, then glue up with even clamping pressure and no gaps.

  4. Illustration: Finish & Protect

    Step 4

    Finish & Protect

    Sand through the grits, remove every trace of dust, then build thin coats rather than one thick one.

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Workshop utilities you can use straight away

These run entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored, and the numbers update as you type.

Illustration for Cut Optimizer

Cut Optimizer

Parts in, sheets out. See the layout before you make a single cut.

Free toolOpen →
Illustration for Board Foot Calculator

Board Foot Calculator

Board feet, weight and cost for a whole cutting list at once.

Free toolOpen →
Illustration for Finish Estimator

Finish Estimator

Volume, coat schedule and drying time for your conditions.

Free toolOpen →

Most used

Popular tool guides

All 28 tools
Tape Measure line illustration with dimension marks

Tape Measure

The first tool you reach for on any project. A 5 m locking tape with a true-zero hook covers nearly all furnitur…

Measuring Measure →
Hand Saw line illustration with dimension marks

Hand Saw

Quiet, accurate and cheap to run. A 22 in crosscut saw still finishes most furniture joints better than a power …

Cutting Cut →
Circular Saw line illustration with dimension marks

Circular Saw

Breaks down sheet goods fast. With a straightedge jig it cuts plywood to within a millimetre over a full sheet.

Cutting Cut →
Combination Square line illustration with dimension marks

Combination Square

A square, a straightedge, a depth gauge and a level in one. Accurate 90° and 45° references set the standard for…

Measuring Measure →
Hand Plane line illustration with dimension marks

Hand Plane

Turns a rough board into a surface no sander can match. A No. 4 smoothing plane is the single most useful plane …

Cutting Cut →
Chisel Set line illustration with dimension marks

Chisel Set

Four chisels from 6 to 25 mm cover chopping, paring and cleaning up every joint in the book.

Cutting Cut →
Router line illustration with dimension marks

Router

Cuts profiles, grooves, rabbets and roundovers. With a template it reproduces a shape as many times as you need.

Cutting Cut →
Jigsaw line illustration with dimension marks

Jigsaw

Cuts curves, circles and sink cut-outs. The only saw that can start a cut in the middle of a panel.

Cutting Cut →
Marking Gauge line illustration with dimension marks

Marking Gauge

The tool that puts a knife line exactly parallel to a face. Better than a pencil for joinery because the knife s…

Measuring Measure →

Calculators

Workshop maths without the guesswork

All calculators

Miter & Bevel Calculator

Work out the exact saw settings for any corner angle or polygon, including compound mitres.

Free toolCalculate →

Screw & Pilot Hole Calculator

Get the pilot, clearance and countersink diameters right so the screw holds without splitting the wood.

Free toolCalculate →

Project Time Estimator

Plan a realistic schedule by breaking a build into measuring, cutting, assembly and finishing hours.

Free toolCalculate →

Reading

From the blog

All articles
Illustration for How to Start Woodworking: A Beginner's Guide
Beginner 11 min read

How to Start Woodworking: A Beginner's Guide

The tools you actually need first, how to pick a first project that will succeed, and the safety habits to build before you touch a machine.

M. AldridgeRead →
Illustration for How to Read a Tape Measure Accurately
Measuring 7 min read

How to Read a Tape Measure Accurately

Fractions, the sliding hook, and the three mistakes that quietly add three millimetres to every cut you make.

R. OkaforRead →
Illustration for Hand Saw vs. Circular Saw: What to Choose
Cutting 9 min read

Hand Saw vs. Circular Saw: What to Choose

Speed, kerf width, edge quality and safety — an honest comparison for the cuts you actually make in a home shop.

M. AldridgeRead →

Hands-on

Sand, plane, saw and stain a board in your browser

The workshop bench simulates a real wood surface. Sanding flattens the grain, planing lifts shavings, sawing cuts a kerf and stain soaks into the pores — so you can feel the sequence before you commit to a board.

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