Forever now, men had to use wood for the necessities in life such as shelter and much more. The process of molding this wood for such things has changed due to the fact that woodworking machinery is now available. The basics of shaping the wood, sawing and cutting, and drilling have remained constant, however now the ease and speed of which it is done is quite different and progressed.

There are three pieces of machinery for woodworking that are the most essential. I'll go over those now. If you had to only stock your workshop with the most important components of machinery, what would they be? Here they are and the explanation of why you need them.

First off, you need a circular or table saw. This may be a handheld as well, or just a regular table saw. The table saw gives you more flexibility since it can be angled for miter cuts and lets you use jigs for better accuracy in cutting lengthy boards. The handsaw allows you to make straight or curved cuts. As well, other materials that aren't wood, for example vinyl siding, can be cut with a saw with interchangeable blades.

Next on the list is the router with table. The router lets you make fancier cuts and more professional looking woodworking. Having a table under the router just makes the job easier. A guide fence keeps wood steady as you cut. An adjustable table lets you work in complex details with a height that gives you the most control.

Last but not least is the jigsaw. For wood projects that aren't limited to flooring and moldings, a jig saw lets you craft all kinds of tinier, more meticulous projects. You can create decorations, toys, make carved signs and detailed fireplace mantels using a jig saw.

Of course there are lots of pieces of woodworking machinery and standard tools that serious wood workers must have. Often the beginning home improvement guy begins with just the tools necessary for the first project, and continues from there with subsequent projects. There's really no need to go overboard with a bunch of tools that you won't be using after all.

A good first project to start with is to install wood molding. Crown molding is not costly, and will get you started on making miter cuts. Another starter tool that you'll need for this sort of project is a good air compressor with a hydraulic finishing nailer attached. This will help with your molding wood molding job, especially when it comes to flooring.


Some tools are just timeless, and have been used for centuries and are still just as useful today. One example of that is the chisel. You can use this tool to shape the finest of masterpieces. Buying a set will definitely be a wise purchase in your woodworking leisure pursuit.

A combination of both the old and the new will create a workshop of woodworking tools and machinery that will do you well for years and years to come.