Best Carpentry Tools

What can I say? Born and Raised in MKE...I have a bias.  These are solid and reliable.  I just bought my second set in 15 years. A cheaper version is available with 100lbs less torque but do you really want a less powerful drill?   AH...DO YA??

 Trevor O.

Impressive cordless drill for mixing concrete, mortar, drywall mud as well as bore drilling, and hole saw cutting.

21-Piece drill bit set for general use. Cuts through wood, plastic, and metal. This is also a good travel set in durable case.

Impact sets work best with extensions and right angle attachments.  Posts to follow.

For those extra large holes with nice flat floors.  Perfect for counter-sinking bolts and washers.

Better than a piece of painters tape. These will actually stop you from plowing through your wood.

Easiest way to step up your hole size without swapping out your drill bits.  I use these mostly for metal but occasionally they do come in handy for wood work.

These bits will ensure that you're pre-drilling directly in the center of a hole.  This is vital if the steel you're trying to fasten has counter sunk holes.  An off-center pilot hole will force that flat screw to shift your plate.....GRRRRRRRR! 

This 5-piece set is perfect for sinking those flat screw heads flush.

Drill your pilot and countersink at the same time.

Or you could just make your own out of wood. Every third hole you drill.  

It is my firm belief that a pocket hole is the sexiest hole you can create in wood. If you don't want to spend the money, check out the Kreg mini jig. It makes the same sexy hole but with a smaller package.

This Cordless DeWalt router is perfect for trim cutting and round-overs.  

NOTE: This tool is compatible with FESTOOL Accessories.  See the Festool Suite.

This DeWalt router comes with fixed and plunge bases.  Don't be tempted to grab the trim rounter when you need to cut a groove. 

NOTE: This tool is compatible with FESTOOL Accessories.  See the Festool Suite.

Using any one of Festool routers with or without the guide rail (sold separately) is a breeze.  This model is compatible with 1/4" and 1/2" bits.  If you don't want to spend the money, go for the DeWalts and buy the Festool compatible accessories.  

This set is designed with both a top and bottom bearing.  As in...sweet.  Use for trimming the overhang in plywoods and MDF. Not recommended for Veneers and Laminates.

A downward spiral flush bit is best for trimming veneers and laminate.  

This 1/2" shaft is best for removing deep rabbets.

This Powertec set is compatible with DeWalt routers listed above. Make those inlays fit perfectly.

This Circle cutting guide is top of the line for precision circles.  Smaller and less expensive jigs are available but if you're planning on cutting plenty of circles over time...this is the one to get.

For use in flattening boards with a sled or cutting larger recessions in planks. This one  has a 1 1/8" diameter.  

This 2'x4' capacity sled is perfect for flattening smaller slab projects. If you want to avoid the expense, search up linear rail kits on Amazon and fashion your own custom mill.  

Unlike a lot of setup block sets out there that have pre-set depths, This one can be adjusted to your exact requirements. It is also useful for drill presses and table saws.

I'm not a fan of purchasing large sets of router bits for the simple reason that most may go unused for years.  Having said that, a smaller set like this is handy for having in the shop.

Durable, Accurate, Adjustable, and Reliable.  One of the most-used powertools in any wood shop. 

20V Cordless Jig saw.  You'll never go back to a corded jig saw.

Yes, there are a lot of DeWalt Saws on this list....there's a good reason for it.  This one is corded but DeWalt does make a good cordless option. I may have a bias but I like my circular saws to be corded.

This Worm Drive Saw gives a bit more reach, and can fit into tighter spaces. But,  because of the greater power and weight, it may be slightly more difficult to control for most beginners. This one is  corded as well. Cordless  are available.

Cut Through a wall, cut through a tree branch. This is not  a precision tool but damn is it handy.

Another tool that is not often used but is the only tool that can flush cut in some pretty tight spaces.

The biscuit/plate joiner was the king of joining tools before the Domino came along. In my opinion it still deserves a place in your shop...especially if you don't want to spend the money on Festool.

Who doesn't like the look of a square hole? Show off your joinery with this bench top mortiser from JET.  Comes with 3 chisels and has a 4 3/4" stroke.

This is definitely an investment for the professional as it's pricey.  If you're building fine furniture, and are not getting the accuracy or hold with a biscuit joiner, it may be time to upgrade.  I highly recommend it. 

There is a more expensive Dremel Kit our there but I don't think it's worth it.  This one will suffice for in the shop and on site.

This Set has an 1/8" shaft so it's compatible with your rotary tool. If  your shop is set up with air tools, get a 1/4" shaft set and use a die grinder.

There are a lot of attachments available for carving wood and this grinder has a variable speed switch for better control.

Compatible with your angle grinder for carving out all sorts of sculpted objects.  This is an expensive attachment...don't be temped by the $20 version of this tool. The  balancing and clogging of the cheaper bits will drive you nuts.

This grinder is as versatile in the wood shop as it is in the metal shop.  There are a lot of attachments available for carving wood and this grinder has a paddle switch for easy on-off. This is not variable speed, however, so while it may reduced cost and space by using for metal and wood needs, it may not be the best choice if its primary use is for wood carving.

Another pricey attachment preferred by the serious carver.

Decent set of carving discs for an affordable price...compatible with most 4-4 1/2" angle grinders/carvers.