A woodworker is only as good as his tools. In a world with enough woodworking tools to fill entire big-box stores, it’s important to know what you should buy (and what to avoid) so you can produce the best pieces possible and save money. Our tool reviews are different. Rather than use pseudo-science, we use the tools in the shop (we’re all experienced woodworkers), and report back how they perform. So whether you are in the market for a new set of chisels or a powerful table saw, we’ve got the best tools covered.
Tool: Mortise Chisels Shop Now Manufacturer: Blue Spruce Toolworks MSRP: $109.99+ Walloping on a chisel to chop a mortise is a big ask. It’s no wonder that the “pig sticker” mortise chisels of [...]
Tool: Scale Miter Gauge Shop Now Manufacturer: SawStop MSRP: $249 One of the universal truths of life is that the miter gauge that comes with any saw is dang-near worthless. Oh sure, it’s [...]
Tool: Quick-Release Pock-It Hole Clamp Shop Now Manufacturer: Rockler MSRP: $25.99 Pocket hole joints are quick and easy to make. For some applications, such as face frames, they’re perfect. But [...]
Tool: Mortise Chisels Shop Now Manufacturer: Veritas MSRP: $76.50+ The Veritas (Lee Valley) mortise chisels are awesome in every sense of the word. They’re big, heavy and can plow through a [...]
Tool: CPM Magnacut Blades Shop Now Manufacturer: Lake Erie Tool Works MSRP: $46.99+ As a hand tool junkie, I look at a few things when deciding if a tool is up to snuff. One of those is the [...]
Tool: HP-6FX Multiplane Shop Now Manufacturer: Bridge City Tool Works MSRP: $789 If you’ve ever taken a look at Bridge City Tools, you’ll know that they have a history of having [...]
Tool: Big Eye Rip Fence Shop Now Manufacturer: Harvey Woodworking MSRP: $1249+ There are times when there is a product released that I think really met the mark. One of those is the Harvey Big [...]
Tool: Optima Chisel Plane Shop Now Manufacturer: Blue Spruce Toolworks MSRP: $119.99 It goes without saying that a chisel is a staple in almost any shop. However, there are some operations where [...]
Tool: P2 Laser Shop Now Manufacturer: xTool MSRP: $4999 If you spend any amount of time flipping through woodworking content online or on YouTube, you’ve probably been introduced to lasers, and [...]
Tool: Helical Cutter Head Shop Now Manufacturer: WGM ToolWorks MSRP: $340 (varies) In the last issue, you may have seen a photo of my helical cutter head for the large, vintage jointer that I’m [...]
Tool: Leather Shoulder Pads Shop Now Manufacturer: Leather by Dragonfly MSRP: $85+ Over a year ago, I received my Leather By Dragonfly apron. It’s been one of the best additions to my shop and my [...]