From crafting custom furniture to building decorative items, woodworking allows you to transform raw materials into functional and beautiful pieces. However, setting up a successful woodworking shop requires more than just creativity and passion. The right tools and equipment are essential to turn your ideas into reality efficiently and safely. Here is how I did things and continue to do things when it comes to expanding our tool range at Common Wood.

Understanding Your Business Needs
Before investing in tools, take a step back and assess the scope of your business. Will you focus on custom furniture, cabinetry, small decorative items, or a combination? Understanding your niche will help you prioritise the tools you need.
I started Common Wood with a terrible hand me down sander, a borrowed mitre saw and a Makita router (that I still have to this day).
Basically how I see things in business is you only buy what you absolutely need for a job. I have always made sure I actually had the money to buy the bit of kit that I needed. Trying to make sure we grow within our means has always been very important.
Invest in quality tools they will pay you back in the long run. I have never once thoughts about the cost of a quality tool once it is in the workshop and up and running. Good tools make you more money. They are more accurate and more efficient. Don’t get me wrong I’ve had a million Ozito tools but I have upgraded pretty much every entry level tool over time when I could afford it.

Essential Power Tools
Power tools are the backbone of any woodworking shop. Here are some must-haves:
Table Saw/Panel Saw: The cornerstone of any shop, a table saw or panel saw is versatile for making precise cuts.
Mitre Saw: We mainly use our mitre saw these days for docking long lengths of timber down to what we need but they are very handy for angles cuts. Any precise cuts will be done on our panel saw.
Thicknesser: A thicknesser ensures consistent thickness across your wood pieces, crucial for creating smooth surfaces. They can also be very useful when creating tapers when paired with a jog.
Jointer: A jointer is basically the reverse of a thicknesses. This is the very first step in getting flat & square timber.
Drill Press: Great for drilling straight holes.
Router: Routers are one of the most versatile tools in your arsenal. They can be used for all sorts of things when attached to a jig of your creation. Cut circles, ovals or squares. The use for a router only ends where your imagination does.
Band Saw: Great for cutting curves, jigs and all sorts of different things
Orbital Sander: Our orbital sanders run all day every day. Paired with some hand finishing they’re the best option when trying to get a perfect finish.
Hand Tools
While power tools offer speed, hand tools provide precision and finesse.

Chisels: A set of sharp chisels is essential for detail work and joinery.
Hand Planes: Useful for smoothing surfaces and fine-tuning wood pieces.
Clamps: A variety of clamps ensures your workpieces stay secure during assembly.
Measuring Tools: Invest in high-quality tape measures, squares, and marking gauges for accurate measurements.
Mallets and Hammers: These are indispensable for driving chisels and assembling pieces.
Dust Collection System
You will find good dust extraction makes your life a lot easier. Less cleaning up at the end of the day and you will be able to work through pieces faster when it comes to sanding. Pretty much all of our machines are hooked up to dust extraction systems be that a vacuum or a stand alone extractor.
Workbenches
A sturdy workbench is the centrepiece of your shop. First day in your new workspace. Map out where you want things to go and build yourself your new workbench. Although we have certainly outgrown our garage workshop I still have my first workbench. Gets used every day. We use melamine tops so that they are easily changed over once they get covered in glue and crap. Make sure you build your workbench for what you need.

Finishing Tools and Supplies
Once you have got some tools up and running you’ll need to be able to finish the timber. Head out and grab a bunch of different finishes. Experiment with them. You’ll find that you like one more than an other. We use Fiddes Hardware oil for all of our dining tables and cabinetry and a 2 pac Polyurethane for any bathroom/wet area pieces.
Safety Equipment
Wear PPE. Wear it. You will thank me later. Get yourself a set of decent bluetooth earmuffs, some comfy safety shoes and some decent eye protection. There is nothing worse than getting a workshop injury when it could have easily been avoided. Grab yourself a first aid kit. You never know when your freshly sharpened new chisel might slip and bash a hole in your finger… then you end up in hospital for two days… speaking from experience.
Tooling up for a woodworking business is an investment in your craft and future success. By carefully selecting the right tools, prioritising safety, and planning for growth, you can set the foundation for a thriving enterprise. With the right setup, you’ll be well-equipped to turn your woodworking passion into a profitable business.
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