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Woodworking tool guides

Twenty-eight tool guides across five categories. Filter by category, by the stage of the build the tool belongs to, or search by name and function.

Measuring & Marking Cutting & Shaping Joining & Fastening Finishing & Protection Workshop Safety

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

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

Cutting Cut →

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

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

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

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

Cutting Cut →

Router

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

Cutting Cut →

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

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

Measuring Measure →

Dowel Jig

Centres dowel holes consistently in the edge and face of a board. Cheap, strong and invisible when done well.

Joining Join →

Pocket-Hole Jig

Drills an angled pilot hole so a screw pulls two parts tight without a visible head. The fastest way to build ca…

Joining Join →

Sliding Bevel

A transferable angle. Set it from an existing corner or a drawing, then carry that angle to the saw.

Measuring Measure →

Clamp Set

Nobody ever regretted having more clamps. A mixed set of bar, F-style and spring clamps handles every glue-up.

Joining Join →

Digital Caliper

Reads inside, outside, depth and step to 0.01 mm. The go-to when checking stock thickness and screw shanks.

Measuring Measure →

Biscuit Joiner

Cuts a shallow, accurate slot for a compressed beech biscuit. Excellent for aligning edge joints and strengtheni…

Joining Join →

Random Orbital Sander

Removes material quickly without leaving swirl marks, provided you let the machine do the work.

Finishing Finish →

Wood Stain

Adds colour without hiding the grain. Penetrating oil-based stain gives the deepest, most controlled tone.

Finishing Finish →

Polyurethane Finish

A tough, water- and alcohol-resistant film that stands up to daily use on tables and worktops.

Finishing Finish →

Screw Assortment

A workbox of the sizes that actually get used, from #6 cabinet screws to long structural #10s.

Joining Join →

Center Finder

Locates the centre of round stock in two strokes — essential for lathe work, dowels and turned legs.

Measuring Measure →

Sanding Block

For everything a power sander is too aggressive for: edges, mouldings, small parts and between coats.

Finishing Finish →

Safety Glasses

The one piece of kit that goes on before anything else is plugged in. Impact-rated lenses with side coverage.

Workshop Safety Maintain →

Hearing Protection

A router runs at about 95 dB. Damage is permanent and cumulative, which is why earmuffs live next to the machine…

Workshop Safety Maintain →

Tack Cloth

The step everyone skips and then blames on the finish. Lifts the last of the dust before the first coat goes on.

Finishing Finish →

Dust Mask

Sanding dust and MDF fibres are the real long-term hazard in a home shop — far more so than a one-off cut.

Workshop Safety Maintain →

Wax Applicator

Applies paste wax evenly without lint. The last step on turned work, jigs and machine tables.

Finishing Finish →

Push Stick

Keeps fingers a safe distance from a blade. The cheapest safety tool in the shop and the one most often improvis…

Workshop Safety Maintain →

First Aid Kit

Chisel cuts and splinters happen. Having a proper kit on the wall means the small injuries stay small.

Workshop Safety Maintain →

How these guides are written

Each guide describes what the tool does, the specification points that actually affect your work, and the safety considerations specific to that tool. Where a power tool is involved, the page carries a safety notice. We do not recommend brands or sell tools.