Woodworking requires many tools, depending on what you plan to accomplish. There are two types of woodworking tools: hand (or handheld) tools and power tools. Hand tools are often used for carving, whereas power tool are generally used in building bigger, professional woodwork projects like furniture-making. Tools in both categories are used for measuring, cutting, sawing, clamping, chipping and gouging. Power tools can be hand-held or table models.
Furniture Woodworking Hand Tools
Planes – these are usually found in workshops for furniture builders. Planes are versatile tools that are used for smoothing board surfaces, straightening lumber edges and creating a smooth surface to end grains. The two most common types of planes are bench and block planes.
Straight edges and Combination Squares – these tools are used by woodworkers to ensure that they measure angles accurately and create straight cuts.
Backsaws – these are ideal for joinery (joining pieces of wood together). Backsaws are perfect for cutting dovetails, box joins and tenons.
Chisels – chisels are fit for a variety of purposes, depending on the type. Chisels are generally used for chopping or paring wood.
Dowel jigs – dowel jigs help woodworkers assemble joints. They are also used as guides to bore holes for a dowel.
Clamps – these tools are used to hold the wood in place while the woodworker cuts, glues chisels the wood.
Carving Hand Tools
Chisels play a major part in carving. Each type of chisel cuts or chips the wood in a different way. The types of chisel used in carving include skew, parting, paring and straight. In carving, woodworkers usually start with big chisels to “rough out” the shape or a pattern or design then eventually move to smaller tools to finish the details.
Carving chisels – carving chisels are used for sculpting and creating intricate designs. Carving chisels come with many different edges including the V-groove, skew, parting, straight and paring.
Paring chisels – are lighter and more flexible. It has a long blade which is usually used for cleaning grooves and accessing tight spaces.
Skew chisels – skew chisels have a 60 degree angle that is used for trimming and finishing.
The V-groove – is used to make decorative grooves. It has two blades that are joined to form a V.
Rasps – rasps are akin to files. They are used to cut wood in smaller areas.
Furniture Woodworking Power Tools