Rockler Tools > Power Tools Band Saws, Blades & Accessories Biscuit Joiners & Biscuits Dovetail Jigs & Templates Drill Bits Drilling Accessories Drills, Presses/Mortising Machines Dust Collectors and Accessories INCRA Jigs and Accessories Nailers and Staplers Planers Pocket Hole and Dowel Jigs   Router Accessories Router Table Line Routers Sanders Saw Blade Accessories Saw Blades Sharpening, Grinders, & Accessories Shop Tables Table Saws & Accessories Choosing the right woodworking tools If you do not start the project by processing the wood with sharp blades, using woodworking tools adjusted to produce clean square dimensions, you will be starting off on the wrong foot. From then on, you will be stuck with problems throughout the project, the same as not getting the foundation square when you are building a house.The basis of woodworking project success is achieving the highest degree of accuracy possible. Professionals have the advantage of processing lumber starting with ultra-accurate woodworking tools. Then they will follow using properly adjusted equipment like planers and jointers to achieve precise dimensions of their project wood. The lesson is to buy the best equipment you can afford, then keep your tools equipped with high-quality blades and adjusted with as much precision as you can possibly muster. Below is a listing of the basic woodworking tools you will find in a well-equipped workshop used for woodworking. You might consider them the workshop Big Eight. Realize that if you acquire these eight tools, plus the knowledge to use them properly, your project work will improve because you will start with wood that is square, true, and correctly sized. If you do not have the equipment to process wood for your projects, buying pre-dimensioned wood is helpful, but it does not guarantee perfection. Boards can warp or shrink, depending on humidity, over time. Even if you buy processed wood because you do not have a planer, jointer, or shaper, the best bet is to find someone to reprocess that wood for you before you start your project. As you accumulate the equipment you need, the next challenge is to learn how to fine-tune it for precision. Study the manuals and, if possible, find someone who can help you learn to adjust your tools to fit the job. Table saw Often a first choice of many shop owners, motors range from 1 to 3 horsepower, though 1-1/2 hp is often adequate for home workshops. Most table saws sold are belt-drive models. Radial-arm saw A versatile alternative to the table saw, it does all cutting operations plus much more with accessories. Blades range from 8-in. to 16-in.; those with a 10-in. blade are most popular. Band saw Ideal for curved cuts, its continuous blade runs over wheels. Distance from back of throat to blade determines size, usually 10-in. to 14-in. Depth of cut can vary from 3-in. to about 8-in. Jointer Great for truing up, sizing, or smoothing, this tool is key to doing fine work. Jointer bed lengths can range from 21-in. to 76-in. Blade widths vary; those 6-in. wide are most popular. Wood Lathe A favorite tool in many workshops, the lathe is sized by the diameter of the piece that can be turned. Distances between the headstock and tailstock can vary from 36-in. to 39-in. Drill Press Besides drilling, it can be adapted for many other purposes. Size is determined by double the distance from center of chuck to the column. If it is 7-in., the drill is considered a 14-in. Surface Planer For smoothing or sizing lumber, it is sized according to knife width. A 10-in. planer will accept boards 10-in. wide. Feed rates can vary from 11 feet to over 30 feet per minute. Router, Router Table and Router bits Its vertically-mounted motor and spindle allow cutting moldings with complicated patterns. Smoothness of cut depends on bits used and spindle speed, usually 9,000 rpm. A Router table is a plus, and is useful for small wood pieces.