The First 5 Power Tools Every Woodworker Should Buy
The First 5 Power Tools You Need as a Beginner Woodworker
I’ve got 5 power tools that every beginner woodworker should buy, or borrow, or buy used. When you first get started woodworking, it can be very confusing which tools to buy and which brands to look for, especially with power tools. These 5 tools are the ones I think you should buy in order to build the types of projects you may have seen on my YouTube channel, or other woodworking channels.
The full list of tools and supplies I recommend can be found on my website - https://www.731woodworks.com/recommended-tools
Affiliate links are used on this website to help support the website. For more information, read our affiliate disclaimer. This review was not sponsored. I purchased every sander myself.
#1a – Drill/Driver – You can buy drill and driver combo kits, which is what I recommend looking for because you’ll get a better deal. With a combo kit you’ll get a charger, batteries, the drill, and the impact driver that you’ll need for woodworking.
I started with the old Ridgid Gen 5x. I bought that set in 2017, and they’re still going strong. Typically, these tools will last you a really long time regardless of the brand you choose. You may have a brand you prefer because you’re already in that brand’s battery platform, but I do recommend you get cordless tools here. It makes your life much easier. However, if you’re on a budget, you can certainly pick up a corded drill for much less than a cordless set.
I’ve used the Milwaukee, Ryobi, and Ridgid sets, and they’re all very nice. It just depends on what you like. It may even be as simple as you like Ryobi’s green color, and that’s okay. Don’t let anybody steer you in any different direction. Just pick the brand you like and go with it. You can find great deals on cordless tools at Ohio Power Tool https://shrsl.com/43wp1
One thing to consider when you’re picking out your set is the tool selection going forward. If you plan on doing this for a while, you’re going to want to pick up other cordless tools over time. Look around at the different brands and see which ones offer the type of tools you’re going to want. This way you can stay in the same battery platform and use your batteries on other tools.
#1b – Circular Saw – I think every woodworker should have a circular saw. I put this in #1b instead of #2 because of the combo kits. You can actually pick up a good combo kit that includes a circular saw, drill, driver, chargers, and batteries for a nice price. I often post tool deals on my website – https://www.731woodworks.com/tool-deals – and you can check that daily. A circular saw is a necessary tool, especially for beginners that don’t have some of the larger tools that you may upgrade to later. Picking one up in a combo kit is a classic two birds-one stone scenario.
With regard to batteries, you’ll see a wide variety of them. You’ll have 12-volt, 18v, 20v, and the one you go with is really up to you. The battery life on a 12-volt battery is much less than something like a 5 Amp hour DeWALT 20v. They really just have a bigger capacity. What most people don’t know is that an 18v is basically the same thing as a 20v. If you put a voltmeter on them you’re going to get very similar readings. When you see 5 Amp hour (5AH), or 2 Amp hour, anything like that, the higher the number means the larger the charge capacity.
Something to consider with the 12v tools is the size of the tool. A lot of times, with a 12v you’re going to get a much lighter-weight tool. If you’re looking for convenience, or less weight or bulk, then 12v may be the way to go for you. As a beginner, it really doesn’t matter which tool brand you use. Just pick the one you like and go with that. You’ll be fine with those tools for many years.
One more thing about cordless tools. If your budget allows, be sure to get the brushless line of tools versus the brushed tools. What that means is the motors are brushless, which means better power and battery life over the brushed versions. Also, you don’t have to worry about brushes wearing out since there aren’t any. You can click on this link for a full description of the difference - https://www.protoolreviews.com/brushed-vs-brushless-motors/.
#2 – Sander – You’re going to need to sand the wood, so a good sander is absolutely necessary for a beginner woodworker. There are literally dozens of options out there, so how do you know what’s best for you and your shop? I will tell you from personal experience, don’t go the cheapest route. When I first started out, I bought a Hyper Tough from Walmart. As a matter of fact, that was my first video on my channel, a Hyper Tough versus a DeWALT. You should go watch that. It’s pretty bad - https://youtu.be/cdai_HkKpyM.
The Hyper Tough wore out in just a few weeks, so I bought the DeWALT. The DeWALT lasted for years and years, and in fact, I still have it down in my cabinet. There are alot of options out there for under $100, and you can see that comparison in my other post. I think the DeWALT DWE6423 is the best sander for most beginners. Check it out here: https://amzn.to/3XbLZBx
As far as sandpaper goes, 80-grit, 120, and 220 are typically all you’ll ever use. Rarely do I go higher than 220, and for most projects I’ll only go as high as 120. I do like the 3M cubitron paper better than other sandpapers that I’ve tried, but there are other good ones out there. Sandpaper storage box I use can be found here: https://amzn.to/3qx0gMQ
#3 – Miter Saw – The #3 tool I think every beginner should buy is a miter saw. I’ve done some reviews on some budget-friendly miter saws, like the WEN. If you have a little bit more to spend, I highly recommend the DeWALT DWS779. It is a workhorse of a miter saw that will last you for years to come. It’s extremely accurate, and it’s extremely durable.
The DeWALT is my favorite miter saw that I’ve ever owned, even above the Festool Kapex. This is because of the price, the quality of the tool, and the features you get. It’s a sliding 12” miter saw. You’ve got maximum capacity for crosscuts, as well as bevels or angels. It’s also extremely accurate. I’ve never had any accuracy issues with this saw.
Now, why would you pick a miter saw if you already have the circular saw that you purchased earlier? For one, you get repeatable accurate cuts. Whether you’re building furniture, making cutting boards, or working on any other project, you need that accuracy with every single cut. A miter saw will help you without having to set up jigs. When you start cutting miters, you want something that you can set to a 45-degree angle and make that cut over and over. You can do this on a miter saw, and it will be the exact same every single time.
Can you make those cuts on a table saw with a jig? Yes, but when you’re cutting longer boards, that’s very difficult to do on a table saw with any accuracy.
#4 – Router – I think a router is an essential woodworking tool for beginners. A router gives you a lot of options. You’ll be able to make roundovers, chamfers, and dress up the edges of those projects. A router will also allow you to make grooves, dados, dovetails, and things like that. This also allows you to make jigs and install t-track. You can also use a router to make mortise and tenons. You can also use them with templates. Your options are really endless with a router.
You can also put a router into a router table, and that will open another whole world. You can even build your own router table for your router. Should you pick a cordless router or a corded router? That’s really up to you based on what you’re going to be doing. If you’re mainly doing edge profiles, then a cordless router will work just fine. I prefer the DeWALT or the Milwaukee if I’m choosing the best one, but the Ryobi does really well also.
My pick for your first router is actually the DeWALT DW618. I have a video on it here - https://youtu.be/O2B5eEHUwXw. It includes a plunge base and a fixed base, which opens a lot of options for you. It’s also very reasonably priced for what you’re getting, which is a 2¼ horsepower router. That’s a pretty powerful router, so you’ll be able to cut dados without issue. It won’t bog down as easily as one of the cordless trim router models. It is my favorite router in the shop because of how versatile it is.
If you are looking at cordless routers and the feel in the hand matters to you, the DeWALT has the biggest circumference by far. If you don’t have big hands, it will be very uncomfortable to you. The Ryobi and Ridgid will be more comfortable for smaller hands, and the Milwaukee is in the middle ground.
What router bits you need to get started are also pretty confusing because there are so many options out there. I’ve got a video for what I suggest are the first 5 router bits every beginner needs - https://youtu.be/CVS31pmXy_U, but Whiteside also has a 4-pack of bits you can pick up. It comes with a chamfer bit, a roundover, and two different flush-trim bits. https://amzn.to/3Jfoe5N Those should be the first bits that you buy. The ones from Whiteside are about $100, which are a little pricey, but Whiteside makes some of the best router bits in the business.
#5 – Table Saw – A table saw opens up a whole new world of things you can build in your shop. You can rip boards accurately across the length of the board. You can build different jigs like a crosscut sled, a jointing sled, tapering sleds, and so on.
I put the table saw fifth because those other tools will lead up to the table saw. Now, there might be some controversy here as some people might pick a planer first.
As far as brands and models of table saws, I would steer clear of very cheap table saws. A lot of those have fences that you can’t really set to get square, especially on the jobsite saws. I’ve seen that with some Ryobi models, as well as some older Harbor Freight saws.
My pick for the best beginner table saw is a Skil table saw that would be considered a jobsite saw. It is an excellent 10” full-size table saw, and it plenty powerful to cut through anything you want. It has folding legs so you can use it standing up on the floor or on top of a bench. The fence has a 30”+ rip capacity. It’s just an all-around good saw for the price.
If space is a concern, the DeWALT jobsite saw has an 8¼” blade. It’s a good, powerful saw with a super square and accurate fence. That’s the main thing you’re looking for on a table saw, that the fence will stay square to the blade, and the blade will stay square to the miter slots. That’s the only way to get accurate results. Both the DeWALT and the Skil will do that.
I think the Delta 36-725T2 is the best table saw under $1000. Delta 36-725T2 contractor saw. I previously had the 36-725 saw. I like the SawStop because of the safety technology, but if your budget doesn’t allow that, then these other options are good as well.
BONUS – I know what it’s like starting out. You don’t really know what to build, how it’s going to work, what’s going to sell, or how to put things together. To help you out, I’m going to give you 25% off on any of our plans or plan bundles. I usually only do 20%, so you’re getting a little added bonus for being a beginner. Go to my store - https://www.731woodworks.com/store - and enter the code BEGINNERBONUS to get 25% off your order.
You can watch the full video review here - https://youtu.be/rSZeu8guVIY
