Setting up your first shop for woodworking is tricky. You’ve got a corner of the basement or the garage set aside, but you wonder about what you need versus what you want.

There are so many machines, power tools, hand tools, and accessories that it seems daunting. And you’re skeptical, too. Everybody’s trying to sell you something. 

Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve boiled this list down to the essentials to help you find your way. But even if you’re already seasoned, we have a few recommendations for you, too.

Below are quick reviews of five top basic tools that have either done well in our tests or that we’ve owned and used for decades, turning to time and again. Scroll deeper to see full reviews of these and more buying advice of products that we know and trust.


Woodworking consists of many steps, but the first (aside from sketching a plan) is to refine raw materials to give them a straight edge and a flat face and make them the thickness, width, and length you need. From there, you can make accurate and consistently sized parts. 


Take those parts and join them into subassemblies (such as two table legs joined by one apron). Finally, join the subassemblies into a finished piece. To complete all those steps well, you’ll need these four machines. 


Use them to build your first simple work bench, sawhorses, and supports so you don’t have to work on the floor. From there, spread your woodworking wings and try your hand at furniture and built-ins.


Originally writen by popularmechanics and most pictures collected from pinterest