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Whether you’re buying for an experienced woodworker or someone just starting out, these gift ideas will leave them ready to saw, drill, sand, or plane to their heart’s content. Edge Tape Machine
Choosing a gift for the woodworker in your life can be an intimidating experience, particularly if you’re not familiar with the trade. Luckily, thanks to the wide variety of tools, equipment, accessories, apparel, and organizational elements that are useful to woodworkers, these craftspeople are fairly easy to buy for. Best of all, even if you happen to get them something they already have, like a drill bit set or tape measure, it will eventually come in handy during a woodworking project down the line.
As woodworkers ourselves, we have the hands-on experience to know that the most beneficial present doesn’t always have to be an expensive power tool or piece of equipment. If they’re anything like us, they’ll still appreciate something simple and inexpensive that they use all the time like carpenter’s pencils, #2 Phillips bits, or clamps. You can never go wrong with clamps. We’ve been around woodworkers with decades of experience that would adamantly declare that you can never have enough clamps on hand.
For more specific woodworking tool round-ups, check out our top picks for the best wood carving tools, wood planers, and of course, wood clamps.
Standard pencils are fine for basic marking tasks, but the narrow tip of this Dixon model allows it to reach deeply into tight or awkward places. It also features a built-in sharpener in the handle, and the high-visibility yellow color will make it tough to misplace while you work.
When done correctly, edge-banding plywood is a great way to improve the look and styling of a piece of plywood. We used this edge-banding cutter for years in our woodshop, and were impressed with how quickly it can trim uneven edge banding. Just remember to cut with the grain of the banding to prevent tear outs.
Pull saws are perfect for creating flush, smooth cuts, and are one of the most useful hand saws to have around. The long, 15-inch handle of this Japanese pull saw allows you to maintain maximum control while operating, and the extra thin blade is designed to displace as little sawdust as possible.
This lumber storage rack would be a great gift for anyone who's tired of stacking boards against the wall where they can tip or slide over. With six, 12.5-inch deep shelves, you’ll be able to free up floor space, and easily access whither pieces you need.
Anyone with a table saw could use a push block, and this option from Micro Jig is extremely versatile. It can be easily customized to fit a range of wood pieces, and thanks to its powerful green grippers, can even be used to maneuver wood around a router table.
Pocket holes are a great way to create clean, professional-looking wood joints in furniture projects. We love Kreg jigs like this one for their easy-to-use design—they do practically all the work for you—and this kit comes with everything you need to get started.
Dropped screws and nails can be frustrating, as well as dangerous to step on later. This tool pouch features a magnetic exterior to make it easy to keep all your fastens from getting lost, and also make them easy to grab when you need them, instead of digging around in your pocket.
Power saws and sanders can create harmful dust and other irritants, which is why a proper respirator is one of the most valuable items a woodworker can have. This half-mask is constructed of soft material—unlike other rigid options—and is light enough to comfortably wear all day.
This tiny planer would be a perfect fit for a woodworker focusing on smaller, more precise projects. Its narrow width and small size make it easier to control than larger, bulkier options, and allows you to execute the accurate planing needed to produce a smooth, professional-looking finish.
These self-centering bits allow you to make perfectly centered pilot holes, which is essential if you’re installing hinges on custom cabinetry. The outer sleeve sits snugly in the center of the hinge or strike plate hole, and keeps the bit dead center as you drill your hole.
This Beavercraft wood carving kit is designed with beginners in mind, making it a great gift for a first-time whittler. Its three knives feature ergonomic handles for comfortable carving, and the soft storage roll keeps your tools—and your fingers—protected when they're not being used.
Instead of typical bench vises that can easily dent wooden workpieces, this Pony model is designed to protect your woodworking projects. Countersunk holes in the jaw faces allow you to mount wooden faceplates, so your work surfaces are never in contact with any steel edges or corners.
This set of Irwin clamps should cover your bases for a wide range of woodworking projects, and their quick-release triggers make them remarkably easy to use. The small spring clamps are especially useful when it comes to smaller wood pieces, and their pivoting jaws won’t mar your work surface.
In our experience, you can never have enough pencils lying around, and this 24-pack of RevMark options should hold anyone over for at least a little while. The ruler printed on the handle is a nice perk, and though we prefer yellow, these are also available in pink, green, and white.
When test editor Bradley Ford selected chisels to help him build his heirloom toolbox, these were the ones he chose. They look great, in a classic sort of way, and perform very well, taking and holding a razor sharp edge.
Carefully paring parts and driving with a mallet in a chopping action are both in their wheelhouse.
Power tools like table saws, miter saws, or chainsaws can send dust and debris flying, sometimes directly at your face. These goggles will help defend against eye injuries, and thanks to their anti-fog design, increase safety even more by keeping your vision clear while you work.
Countersinking your screws allows them to sit flush with the surface of your wood piece, and creates a smooth, professional-looking finish. This set of countersink drill bits includes five different sizes, as well as a rotating depth stop to prevent any accidental damage to your workplace.
Unlike hammers with metal heads, this rubber mallet can be used on wood surfaces without risk of denting or marring delicate wood surfaces. We’ve found it to be a lifesaver when assembling furniture, allowing us to apply that extra nudge needed to slide a piece into place.
We’ve been carrying these crayons around in our tool bag for years, and consider them one of the most useful items when it comes to furniture repair and touch-ups. They’re perfect for fixing unsightly scratches and holes in wood furniture, and are more effective than you might think.
These durable DeWalt drill bits are designed to quickly and accurately create the pilot holes in your woodworking projects, and are durable enough to last a while. The pilot point tips also prevent the bit from “walking” across your work surface, and leaving frustrating scratches or gouges.
Anyone who spends time around noisy power tools like table saws, planers, or sanders will appreciate this comfortable ear plug band by 3M. You get two pairs in this set, and we especially appreciate their high-visibility orange color, which makes them easy to find when you need them.
You’ll need to make sure they already have a router, but if they do, this 10-piece bit set from Bosch would make a great present. These bits are all anyone needs to create a huge variety of edge shapes and profiles, and the wooden storage base keeps them all organized and in the same place.
This is the wood router we use in the PM shop. It’s powerful (12 amps and 2.3 horsepower) and versatile (use it freehand or adapt it pretty easily to most router tables). Plus, it comes with both ½- and ¼-inch collets to suit everything from the smallest laminate trim or straight bit to the largest you would dare run in it.
Crucially, the router is speed-adjustable (8,000 to 25,000 rpm) to suit small bits, but also to help slow the tip speed when running large-diameter ones.
The 6-inch ruler and locking slider of this combination square allows you to find and set measurements you need for frequent use, like installing drawer slides. We’ve been using this exact model for years, and it’s held up well under some pretty heavy use.
Jigsaws are essential for creating the curved cuts that are found in many woodworking projects, and can even perform circular cut outs. This corded Bosch model also features a dust blower to keep your cut line visible at all times, which increases accuracy as well as overall safety.
We’re big fans of Metabo power tools, and this compound miter saw is a great example of why. Its straightforward operation makes it a great choice for both beginners and advanced woodworkers, and the wide miter and bevel ranges make this saw versatile enough for a variety of projects.
This tabletop saw might not be as powerful as most table saws, but its reciprocating blade and easy to use design do make it more versatile. It can be used on a variety of woodworking projects, especially for tasks that require a lot of precise curves and intricate cuts.
Bulkier, heavy-duty tape measures have their place, but sometimes a compact model is just more convenient to carry around. This 12-foot Komelon tape measure is lightweight, and its slim frame makes it easy to hold in your hand, as well as slipping into your pocket while you work.
Those who frequently use their table saw, planer, or any other woodworking power tool that creates sawdust would benefit from a shop vac like this one. Its 5-gallon capacity is large enough to contain a good amount of dust, and the 1 7/8-inch hose should be compatible with most tool dust ports.
Adjustable Table Saw Fence Regardless of the type or size of your woodworking project, you’ll probably need to do some sanding at some point. This orbital sander from Bosch features an ergonomic grip on top and an easy to reach speed control, making for a comfortable and straightforward operation.