Setting up your first woodworking shop

Typically a woodworking shop starts in a corner of the garage or basement with a few tools. Over time you develop new skills, add tools to take on new projects, and expand the shop as you acquire a greater interest (or obsession) with woodworking.

Tool Storage Ideas

For many beginners just getting interested woodworking as a hobby, the hardest part of the process is determining what tools and equipment you need and what you can live without. In this episode, we share our recommendations for the best tools and equipment to acquire when setting up your first woodworking shop, from a sturdy workbench to the right mix of hand and power tools.

The complete tool kit for beginners

Our recommended tool kit includes: a sturdy workbench with a woodworking vise to hold workpieces steady when cutting or shaping parts. Marking and measuring tools for laying out and cutting parts. A circular saw or tablesaw for making rip cuts (straight cuts with the grain) and cross cuts (straight cuts against the grain). A router for shaping edges and profiles and cutting joinery. A block plane to shape parts by hand or smooth rough surfaces. A jig saw or bandsaw for making curved or irregular cuts. A palm sander to smooth surfaces for finishing. And a collection of clamps to assemble your projects or hold pieces on your workbench

More resources for setting up shop

We also point you to a number of articles and videos on StartWoodworking.com and our sister site FineWoodworking.com that provide more ideas and inspiration for setting up your first workshop, including an article detailing a smart shop in a one-car garage and an article about garage shop where all the tools roll away to make room for parked cars.

You’ll also find a free article download to help you design and layout a shop space and a free project plan detailing how to build a simple plywood workbench, probably the most essential pieces of equipment you’ll add to your workshop.

Related links:
Smart Shop in a One-Car Garage
Roll-Away Workshop
Set Up Shop on a Budget
Free Plans: Build a Workbench
Free Plans: Rock Solid Plywood Workbench
A Layout Kit for Small Shops