The order in which should i buy my first woodworking tools is a major woodworking question , especially when you start your woodworking “journey” and you’re kind of confused .

The order to purchase your first carpentry tools and the money issue , i suppose are some factors that any carpenter outhere , has faced in his life .

If you are a more experienced woodworker , once you were a complete amateur ( we all were ) . Looking back , you may remember some mistakes you may did , with your woodworking tools purchase .

Of course i should remind you , that whatever woodworking tool you’ll buy in the future , it’ll need constantly maintenance and protection .

You should avoid the purchase of a tool , use it in your woodworking projects and then leave it , in its “luck” . All the materials in life gets old , have wear issues during time and they need maintenance .

Of course if you now entering the woodworking way of life , you are a little(!) confused about it .

The buying order of your woodworking tools , is totally attached to your first woodworking project and in general what kind of wood “jobs” you’ll make the most .

The order you should buy your first woodworking tools , is the list of tools you’ll need for your first – basic woodworking plan and then adapt to your next plans and for sure all this mentality , isn’t very complex .

The Order of your woodworking tools from total amateur to more advanced is :

1) Hand saw – axes – wedges , et.c .

Your hand saws and some green woodworking tools( hatchets , axes , a froe mallet , wedges , adzes , ) , in your cutting area , are basic columns for your woodworking starting .

If you cannot have all these and you can have only a couple , have an axe , a hatchet , maybe a splitting wedge(very cheap) , a couple of hand saws and a miter box , for precise angle cuttings.

You cannot cut – seperate wood primary , from the tree if you don’t have some axes , a hatchet to “clean it” from the branches , some bigger hand saws for the logs cutting( and later the smaller ones ) , some wedges , a maul and a splitting froe maybe , for splitting these logs .

Some of the the best axes in the markets for your tree cuttings , in HERE .

It isn’t necessary to have a chainsaw to cut entirely your tree trunk , if you cannot afford it . You can cut a big enough tree trunk with a nice and capable hand saw( a little bigger of course ) with a couple of breaks , to “catch your breath” .

If you can have a chainsaw , it’s welcomed of course , but if you cannot , no worries . The “job”can be done with a hand saw .

See some top panel saw – backsaw & more suggestions in HERE .

2) The table saw , if you want only one power tool in the cutting area .

I know that many cannot have a table saw , but if you can , the absolute “King” for your cuttings using power tools if you can afford its purchase , is the table saw and its so many uses it can give to you , no matter your level of experience .

Combining with your hand saws , you can cut whatever you like and if you cannot have any other power cutting tool , the table saw will give you the “freedom” to accomplish , many tough cuttings .

See some of my top table saw suggestions for you in HERE .

The circular saws , the miter saws , bandsaws and cutting power tools like , will come later when you’ll be more ready for them .

3) Measuring Tools .

Some rulers , tape meters some flexible and some not , some dividers , squares , are “must” in here in order to measure correct your wooden designs and proceed successfully to your marking , cutting , et.c , of your wood pieces .

The level tool should be in your tool “armory” , in order to measure straightness , in specific area and holistically .

See some basic rulers & more measuring equipment for buying in HERE .

4) Marking tools .

Some carpenter pencils , lead holders , some marking knives in order to mark your wood lengths and distances , that you have taken in the previous step , are needed and they’re very important .

Good measuring and accurate marking will lead to accurate and correct cutting of your wood . If you do any mistake in here and cut awry , there is no way to fix it .

See some pencil and lead holders to buy , in HERE .

5) Hammer & mallets .

The hammers made from metal and the mallets which are made from soft materials( silicone , rubber , et.c ) , are surely necessary for any kind of woodworking project .

The soft mallets use is very important , to adjust , re-adjust and general fix wood parts with your small hittings of your plan , in order to make it perfect .

How can you use your nice antique nails for your connections , without a metalic hammer ? You cannot .

How can you micro – adjust your planes after the sharpening , without some small hammers for the job ? You cannot .

Metalic hammers of several sizes ( a claw to extract pins ) , are extremely helpful hand tools .

Try to have a two silicone mallets , one black and one from white silicone . You eliminate the posibility to have black spots from a hit to your wooden surfaces , et.c , using the white silicone mallet .

6) Chisels .

The chisels is another serious “chapter” for a woodworker and for sure a nice set( paring , corner , et.c ) of them , will give you the slicing – shaping wood details on your wood plans , making them perfect .

We use chisels in a variety of wood shaping from joinery , to slicing small or bigger wood parts for general design shaping and not only and the list is endless .

If you use a chisel correct you can slice wood fibers extremely accurate and shape wood very nice .

Have if you can afford some chisels with wooden handles and some with plastic ones for your harder hammer – mallet hits.

I’ve picked some very nice chisel suggestions for you to purchase , in HERE .

7) Drill , Brace and Bits .

Drilling wood is another basic “job” for a woodworker . You may want to drill wood to make holes and shape them to “eat” wood for a specific design , or to make pre-holes for your screws and whatever else .

For sure you’ll need to have some hand drills , a brace and a nice bits set for your first steps .

Later a T – handle augers for your green wood maybe , a power drill press later and a hollow chisel mortiser or a power router , when you’ll become more experience and have some money more to spend .

See some nice and reasonable priced drill presses to buy , in HERE .

8) Hand planes .

How can you be a woodworker without having some very nice hand planes to smoothen your wooden surfaces and finish – treat wood , to make it perfect .

You know if your hand plane is good and the blade is in “top shape” you can have smoothen results , which maybe won’t need even sanding from you .

See some of my top planes suggestions i have for you , in HERE .

9) Hand tools for curved wood shaping . ( spokeshaves , drawknives , et.c . )

Slicing wooden surfaces and parts in curved designs and pattern is something you’ll “confront” in woodworking and have some very good quality spokeshaves , some drawknives , will give you this ability .

See some spokeshaves , i’ve picked for you to buy , in HERE .

Of course these tools ave very capable for flat surfaces also and having some good sets of them will make you slice – shape – treat wood in all the possible design varieties with no limitation .

Even if these hand tools seem to be a little difficult , there aren’t and after a while working with them , you’ll be quit capable .

See my top drawknife suggestions from the markets , in HERE .

10) Carving Tools .

Carving gouges and carving knives , are some hand tools for your detailed wood carving , you should have in your carpenter’s toolbox , in order to carve wood detailed and hugely precise .

I’ve chosen some nice carving gouges from the markets , see some in HERE .

In many wooden plans you’ll need to carve – slice – trim wood in a very small scale and the gouges and carving knives are the appropriate tools for the job .

Maybe to fix a small error , or make a tough design , or adjust a surface for joinery , or whatever else , for sure these tools are welcomed and very helpful .

See some of my carving knives suggestions in order to do the above , in HERE .

11) Sharpening Tools .

You hand tools for shaping – slicing – trimming – cutting tools , will need sharpening and the quality and precision of these processes , is very crucial for their longevity .

The several types of steel alloys of your hand tools will need very careful sharpening , bevel shaping , et.c , in order to make your carpentry jobs , in the highest possible level and avoid , mistakes that will cost you .

Sharpening stones ( water – oil – diamond) and a diamond plate to flatten your stones , sandpapers and a polishing strip , will be just fine for your beginning .

Later you can proceed and buy some water sharpening – grinding wheels , a bench grinder , et.c .

The full detailed post for the tools sharpening for you , in HERE .

12) Clamps , Glue – fasteners .

Some very serious assistants for you and your woodworking plans , are the several type of clamps , the wood glue , the nails , the screws and for sure , there aren’t “secondary” auxiliary tools .

Using some of the above and the many combinations you can make with them , you can hold your wood plans together for a while to do a parallel job , or you can hold them – join them together for ever .

See in HERE , my entire clarifying post for the wood fasteners .

You’ll need many types and sizes from the above wood helpers , no matter if you’re a totally amateur or you’re a totally professional carpenter .

Haven’t you see some very nice and expensive antiques , with antique nails on them for joining , et.c ? These elite wooden antique furniture is made from professional cabinet makers , who are using antique nails , screw , et.c for beauty reasons and not only .

13) Wood turning and Lathe Tools .

The wood turning and the lathe , are for more advanced woodworkers even if the wood turning isn’t so tough , as it seems .

Using a lathe , you can modify a wooden piece and give ot it a cylindical – symmetrical , shape and more .

If you cannot have a lathe it’s ok , you can supply one , later , when you’ll be more ready for it , but for sure the turning tools are serious helpers for the carpenter .

I’ve picked some lathe choices for your buying options , in HERE .

14) Winding sticks – Straightedges .

Between your woodworking steps and levels of work and certainly before your sanding and finishing , you’ll need to check your entire project for the correct flatness , for twistings , awry areas and the general icon of your wood plan .

Your plan should be perfect and straight in all of its dimensions and in the 3D scale .

If you find something that’s needs correctiosn , you should do it , before your sanding and finishing steps , using your planes , a straightedge and your winding sticks .

If you want to get some of my favorite winding sticks and straightedges , go in HERE .

15) Sanding tools .

After your all the previous woodworking actions using not all , but the exact appropriate wood tools , you’ll reach the point of sanding of your project , in order to finish it .

As your first steps , you don’t need to have an orbital sander , belts , et.c. and other power and more expensive tools . These power tools , you can buy – supply them , later .

You can do the sanding job , with raps , files , scrapepr cards , sandpapers and other abrasives .

For your primary more rough wood shaping – prepare for sanding tools , the raps are very nice hand tools and i’ve picked some very classical items for you to supply in HERE .

After the rasp – job of you , some nice and sharp files can shape wood more elite and detailed , using some files from you in order to proceed to your scaper cards , the sandpapers ,et.c .

I have some good bying file suggestions for your wood smoothing , in HERE .

Finallly the sandpapers , the other abrasives , the scraper cards are the last sanding actions from you before the finishing of your wood plan .

Some of the best sandpapers , abrasives , scraper cards in the markets are in HERE .

That’s it , you’re ready to go to your wood finishing and finish – protect your beloved plan .

16) Finishing tools – products .

That’s it , you ready to finish , protect your wood project and enjoy it for many years and decades . You can use a wide range of finishing – protecting gear , according to your needs and “apetite” .

For sure you’ll need some wood fillers , before your finishing and some of the best to buy , are HERE .

After your grain fillers , the wax sticks , et.c , you’ll need to choose between the many produsts , you want to use , to finish your wood .

My suggestion for your indoor wood plans , is to use products with the less possible chemicals , because you’ll breath them continuously .

I’ve picked some of the best natural finishing oils , waxes , shellac , et.c to buy , in HERE .

For your outdoor wood projects , you can use products with chemicals with more freedom , as oil based paints – water based paints – dyes , – lacquer , et.c.

I have some dyes – paint – varnishes , et.c . suggestions for you to supply in HERE .

17) Entire Range of Power Tools & accessories .

In this area , you can have and supply one , two , more , or all the entire range of the woodworking power tools , depending of the level of the professionalism you want to have .

If you want to be a totally professional carpenter , you should have , all the power tools and their accessories in my opinion . You should have the best possible quality of them , in order to have the fewer realibity problems and top quality , results .

I’ve written a post with all the power tool mentality , a totally professional carpenter should have in my opinion and you can read it in HERE .

If you aren’t a totally professional woodworker , you can begin having some power tools for starters and then proceed to more , during time .

Again in here , i suggest you to have the best possible power tools , you can . You’ll get the profit of this approach , over time .

18) Auxiliary tools .

The auxiliary tools and products , are needed from anyone who wants to act with woodworking , no matter if he’s an amateur or a professional .

Screwdrivers , tapes of several types , a small screw gun and a larger maybe , pliers , several types of solvents , many clothes and bandages for sweeping , plastic wires for temporary connecting and other auxiliary tools which you can find to every warehouse , are carpenter helpers , also .

19) Safety equipment – Dust collector .

If you’re an amateur woodworker , you may don’t want or need to have a dust collector and you don’t want to spend money to this .

If you cannot have a dust collector , you must have the best possible face mask and official air filters , you can buy , in order to protect your respiratory system and health .

Is woodworking toxic ? HERE is the answer .

You must have the best possible face mask , even if you have a dust collector . Never neglect you health safety measures .

Face mask , gloves , eyeglasses , ear protection and your 100% focus to your safety is a law .

See in HERE , my complete safety mentality for woodworking and why .

My first seat , was like this and i love it so much .

Your first wood plans will be simple and primary wood plans , so the order of your woodworking tools should be the same simple and primary . The order of your wood tools , should be based in the logic of your first wood projects you’ll make .

My personal woodworking tools purchases , followed the same approach and mentality .

Your first (and mine) wood creation won’t be i suppose a professional highly sculptured wooden library or a medieval type , wooden chair . Mine didn’t also .

Your first creations will be the basic and the “common” projects , we all have made in our beginning .

I leave it last but for sure not least . Never forget your safety measures and the safety equipment . Never forget that , yes in the woodworking activity – way of life , dangers exist and you need to get some necessary safety equipment .

Work with wood and “spoil” yourself with tons of happiness .