Furnishing tools for a workshop centers on two general areas. The first is to determine the type of work to be accomplished with the tools. The second is to check the budget to help decide on the quality and extent of tool buying that can be done. Most of the time when a person decides to furnish a workshop, it is more of a carpentry or woodworking shop. While this article will focus on that aspect, if a small engine repair or metal machine shop is the goal, the tools will vary quite dramatically.
Beginning with hand tools, the workshop needs at least three good hammers. One should be a carpenter-style hammer with a head that includes a claw for pulling nails and light prying. Spend a little money on this hammer because the quality of the head and handle will vary a lot. Even for amateur work, a better hammer will be easier to use.
The second hammer needs to be a lighter weight hammer for tapping pins and small nails or brads into place. This one does not have to be high quality, but you may want to get one with a ball on one end instead of claw. The ball can come in handy for some limited uses.
Make the third hammer a rubber mallet. This will be needed when you need to tap something into place that can be easily dented or damaged. You may still want to use a block of something to protect the surface, but a rubber hammer will keep a lot of mistakes from happening.
The next items will be a nice selection of screwdrivers and nut drivers. No matter how you slice it, hand powered drivers still have a relevant place in the workshop. Usually in woodworking, almost any quality of drive will do. However, as you need to replace them, it might be wise to buy better quality at that time.
Almost any clamp that you buy will be used eventually. It is hard to overstate the value of many types of clamps in various sizes to the workshop. The really large clamps probably only need to be purchased on an as-needed basis. If the work does not include large furniture or table tops, these large clamps may not be necessary.
A good flashlight is important. In fact, a larger and a smaller one may be even better. With the newer brighter flashlights, two should be enough. A flashlight that works without batteries may be a good option because if the power goes out, a working flashlight is handy. If it has dead batteries, it is useless. The kind of flashlight that you shake to charge a capacitor will give light for up to 30 minutes or so at a time.
Choosing the proper drills for your workshop would come next. This is where is can get a little tricky. Buy one drill with a cord. This will be needed on those long projects that are battery hogs. The cordless drill should be at least a 14 volt, and an 18 volt is better. Many people like to buy a second battery to keep on the charger while the first one is in service. This drill should be multi-speed and reversible.
A quick-change type of adapter is handy to keep installed in the drill so that bits can be put in and out quickly. Along with the adapter, a nice selection of driver bits is needed. It is always a good idea to have a set of metal and wood bits for doing drilling work.
A drill press can be very handy for jobs that need precise drilling. If this is not expected to be a profession shop, even a low-end drill press will be more than adequate for the dozen or two times per year it is needed.
Several types of sanders may be needed. A belt sander is great for those big jobs that need some muscle. However, smaller hand-held sanders with and without cords are better for the fine sanding jobs. A good sanding block with various types of paper will be needed for that last touch of finish work on some small projects.
Hand saws, a table saw, a radial arm saw, and a trim saw are all important needs in woodworking. A hand saw is better for small more delicate sawing. A table saw and/or a radial arm saw make quick work of larger sawing needs. The trim saw replaces a miter box and miter saw for doing finish work. Some people find use for a band saw, jig saw, and another saw or two. These are dependent upon the work being done.
A router can be useful in woodworking. It is best to get a hand held router that can be anchored under a table when needed. This type of device will let the user be able to control the placement and precision of the work.
A good work bench and saw horses are necessary for woodworking. A bench that can hold a grinder and a vice will be a blessing. To allow more mobility to the work area, 2 or 4 horses will do the job.
Every woodworking shop can benefit from a good shop vacuum cleaner. Some of the power tools can be hooked to it to keep the mess from sawdust at bay. The cleaner can be used to make short work of leftover sawdust and wood chips.
Three other larger items may be needed if the plan is to do a lot of building of small furniture, chairs, and small items. The first would be a plane. Not one that is hand pushed, but one that runs with power. This will let you change rough wood into smooth quickly and easily.
The second is a joiner. This will let you make various grooves and notches for joints when building cabinets, drawers, and other such items. The third is a lathe. A lathe lets you turn square blocks of wood into round ones for legs and ornamental pieces. These three can be somewhat pricey, so careful attention needs to given to price, quality, and need.
