If you’ve recently started woodworking, or you’re thinking about getting into it, there’s one thing you’ll probably discover very quickly.
There are an awful lot of tools available to buy.
Spend five minutes watching woodworking videos on YouTube, browsing tool websites or looking through a woodworking catalogue and you’ll soon be convinced that you need a bigger table saw, a better router, another set of chisels and a collection of specialist jigs before you can make anything worthwhile.
And that’s before you’ve even started looking at hand tools!
The woodworking industry is full of genuinely useful equipment, but there’s also a lot of stuff that you can quite happily live without.
Some tools are designed to make a particular job quicker. Others are simply more convenient ways of doing something you can already achieve with equipment you own.
And some are purchases that look fantastic in a video but might spend most of their life gathering dust in your workshop.
So, before you spend your hard-earned money, let’s look at some woodworking tools you probably don’t need to buy, particularly when you’re starting out.
1. You Don’t Need Every Type of Hand Plane
Hand planes are a perfect example of how quickly a tool collection can grow.
Start looking at traditional hand planes and you’ll discover No. 4s, No. 5s, No. 6s, No. 7s, block planes, rebate planes, router planes, shoulder planes and plenty more.
They all have their uses, but that doesn’t mean you need one of each.
A good No. 5 jack plane is an extremely versatile tool. It can handle general preparation, remove high spots, straighten edges and take fine finishing cuts when properly sharpened and adjusted.
A small block plane is another useful addition for trimming edges, easing corners and making small adjustments.
You can build a surprisingly capable hand-tool collection around just those two planes.
Specialist planes become worthwhile when you regularly encounter a job that your existing tools struggle to handle.
For example, a router plane is excellent for refining the bottoms of grooves and recesses, but if you rarely undertake that sort of joinery, there’s little reason to rush out and buy one.
My advice: learn to use a couple of versatile planes properly before spending money on specialist versions.
If you’re unsure which plane to start with, have a look at my guides:
- How to Choose Your First Hand Plane: What You Actually Need
- The Most Common Hand Planes and What They’re Used For: A Beginner’s Guide
2. You Don’t Need an Expensive Router Table Straight Away
A router is one of the most versatile power tools in a woodworking workshop.
With the right cutter, you can round over edges, cut grooves, create rebates, produce decorative profiles and carry out a whole range of other jobs.
It’s understandable that people then start looking at router tables.
A router table can make certain operations considerably easier, particularly when you’re working with smaller components or producing repeated profiles.
But do you need to buy one immediately?
Not necessarily.
A handheld router, used with a suitable guide, straightedge or edge guide, can handle a surprising amount of work.
For many everyday jobs, there’s no need to install a router permanently in a table.
You can also make a simple router table yourself if you discover that you regularly need one. Use a proven design suitable for your router, with appropriate guarding, secure mounting and extraction.
The important thing is to understand what you want to achieve before buying additional equipment.
A router table is a useful addition, but it isn’t essential for every woodworker.
Always use suitable guards, secure workpieces and follow the router manufacturer’s instructions. Small components require suitable holding aids and support, not fingers close to the cutter.
3. You Don’t Need a Separate Machine for Every Job
One of the easiest ways to spend a fortune in woodworking is to buy a machine for every operation.
Before long, you could have a thicknesser, surface planer (often called a jointer), spindle moulder, drum sander, oscillating sander and several other machines taking up valuable workshop space.
Some of these machines are extremely useful, particularly if you’re producing furniture or working with large quantities of timber.
But if you’re working in a small workshop, it’s worth considering whether you can achieve the same result using equipment you already own.
For example:
- A circular saw with a suitable straightedge guide can break down sheet materials and cut straight edges.
- A router and straightedge can produce accurate grooves and rebates.
- A table saw with a properly designed jig can handle certain operations that might otherwise require specialist equipment.
- A thicknesser can produce parallel faces once one face of the timber has first been flattened using a suitable method.
- Hand planes can be used to refine surfaces and make small adjustments.
This isn’t about pretending that one machine can do absolutely everything.
It’s about recognising that you don’t necessarily need a dedicated machine for every operation.
Before buying another machine, ask yourself how often you’ll actually use it and whether your existing equipment can already do the job safely and accurately.
4. You Don’t Need Every Specialist Measuring Tool
Accurate measuring and marking are essential in woodworking, but you don’t need a drawer full of specialist measuring equipment to get started.
A decent tape measure, steel rule, combination square and marking pencil will cover a huge number of everyday jobs.
As your woodworking develops, you might find yourself wanting additional equipment such as:
- A marking knife.
- A digital calliper.
- A sliding bevel.
- A dedicated marking gauge.
- A longer straightedge.
- A precision engineer’s square.
All of these can be useful, but there’s no need to buy them simply because someone demonstrates them in a woodworking video.
A combination square, for example, can handle a surprising number of measuring and marking tasks. It can check 90-degree angles, mark parallel lines and help with basic layout work.
A digital calliper is excellent when you need accurate measurements of thickness or diameter, but it isn’t something every beginner needs on day one.
Spend your money on measuring tools that solve actual problems in your workshop.
One important point: don’t confuse buying fewer tools with accepting inaccurate ones. A square that isn’t square or a damaged tape measure can create problems throughout a project. Check your measuring equipment and replace anything you can’t trust.
5. You Don’t Need a Different Clamp for Every Project
Clamps are one of those things that woodworkers seem to collect almost without noticing.
You buy a couple of F-clamps, then realise you need some longer ones. Next comes a set of quick-grip clamps, followed by pipe clamps, sash clamps and a collection of smaller specialist clamps.
Before long, you’ve got more money tied up in clamps than you originally planned!
Good clamps are incredibly useful, particularly when you’re assembling panels, building furniture or carrying out glue-ups.
But you don’t need every type of clamp available.
Start with a small selection of good-quality clamps in sizes that suit the projects you’re making.
Think about the maximum width of the panels you expect to assemble and the size of the components you regularly work with.
It’s also worth remembering that clamps aren’t always the answer to every workholding problem.
Bench dogs, stops, wedges and suitable jigs can all help hold timber securely without needing another clamp.
For example, a reliable workholding setup can make a simple bench far more useful, particularly when planing or working on smaller components.
The aim is to build a collection gradually, based on the jobs you actually undertake.
And don’t forget that clamps are not a substitute for a properly designed jig or fixture where a machine operation requires secure support.
6. You Don’t Need an Expensive Sharpening System
Keeping your chisels and plane blades sharp is essential, but you don’t need to spend a fortune on sharpening equipment.
It’s very easy to get drawn into the world of sharpening systems.
There are waterstones, oilstones, diamond plates, ceramic stones, powered sharpening machines, honing guides, leather strops and all sorts of accessories.
Some of these systems are excellent, but a beginner can achieve perfectly good results with a relatively simple setup.
A suitable sharpening stone, a basic honing guide and a little practice will take you a long way.
The most important thing is learning the process.
You need to understand how to establish a consistent bevel, refine the cutting edge and remove the burr. Once you’ve mastered those fundamentals, you can decide whether a more elaborate system would genuinely improve your workflow.
An expensive sharpening system won’t automatically make you better at sharpening.
A consistent technique will.
If you’re new to sharpening, I’ve covered the basics in How to Sharpen Chisels and Plane Irons: A Beginner’s Guide.
7. You Don’t Need a Dedicated Jig for Every Operation
Jigs are brilliant.
They can improve accuracy, make repetitive operations easier and allow you to carry out jobs that would otherwise be awkward.
But there’s a temptation to buy a specialist jig every time you encounter a new woodworking operation.
A commercial jig might save you time, but it’s worth asking whether you could make a suitable version yourself.
A simple straightedge guide, for example, can be used with a circular saw or router for a variety of jobs.
A basic shooting board can help you refine the ends of components using a hand plane.
A crosscut sled can improve repeatability on a table saw when correctly designed and used.
Many workshop jigs are relatively simple pieces of equipment that can be made from suitable sheet material and a few accurately prepared components.
Making your own jigs also gives you the opportunity to build them around the machinery and projects you actually have.
Of course, homemade doesn’t automatically mean safe or accurate. A jig needs to be properly designed, securely constructed and suitable for the operation it’s intended to perform. It must not defeat the machine’s safety arrangements; follow the manufacturer’s guidance.
But before buying another specialist accessory, consider whether a well-made workshop jig could do the same job.
8. You Don’t Need the Latest Version of Every Power Tool
This is probably one of the easiest traps to fall into.
A manufacturer releases an updated version of a tool you already own, and suddenly the older model starts looking inadequate.
The new version might have improved features, a slightly better design or a few extra adjustments.
But does that mean your existing tool is no longer capable?
Of course not.
If your current drill, router, sander or saw is working properly and producing the results you need, there’s often little reason to replace it.
There are occasions when upgrading makes complete sense.
Perhaps your existing machine lacks the capacity for the projects you’re now undertaking. Maybe it’s unreliable, difficult to adjust or simply no longer suitable for the work.
Those are genuine reasons to consider an upgrade.
But buying something because it’s new, popular or featured in somebody else’s workshop isn’t necessarily a good investment.
Before replacing a tool, ask yourself what problem the new version will actually solve.
If you can’t identify one, perhaps your money would be better spent elsewhere.
9. You Don’t Need a Full-Size Workbench to Get Started
A traditional woodworking bench looks fantastic.
A solid timber top, heavy legs, a substantial vice and a collection of bench dogs all make for an impressive workshop centrepiece.
But a full-size workbench isn’t essential for everyone.
If you’re working in a garage or small shed, dedicating a large amount of floor space to a permanent bench might not be practical.
There are alternatives.
A suitable folding workbench, a sturdy portable workstation or a well-supported work surface can provide a perfectly useful place to carry out many woodworking jobs.
You can also make better use of an existing flat, stable surface by adding suitable workholding arrangements.
The important thing isn’t how large or impressive your bench looks. It’s whether you can hold your work securely and carry out the operations you need to perform.
If you’re considering your first workshop setup, have a read of Do You Really Need a Full-Size Workbench?
10. You Don’t Need to Buy Every Dust Extraction Accessory
Dust extraction is important, and it’s certainly not something I’d recommend ignoring.
However, you don’t need to buy every hose, connector, separator and accessory available before you can start controlling dust effectively.
The best approach is to build a system around the machines you actually use.
A suitable dust extractor may be enough for some smaller tools, while machines that produce large volumes of chips require equipment designed for those demands. An ordinary workshop vacuum is not automatically suitable for hazardous fine wood dust.
You also need to consider filtration and the fine dust that can remain airborne after machining and sanding.
Rather than buying a collection of accessories that might not be compatible, identify your machines, their extraction requirements and the connections you actually need.
Add accessories as needed, but have effective dust control in place before using each tool.
The important distinction is that saving money on unnecessary accessories shouldn’t mean compromising on effective dust control or respiratory protection.
If you’re unsure where to start, my article Dust Extraction for a Small Workshop: What Do You Actually Need? explains the different options in more detail.
11. You Don’t Need to Buy Specialist Tools for Jobs You’ll Rarely Do
This is a slightly different point, but it’s worth mentioning.
There are plenty of woodworking tools that are genuinely useful but might only be needed for a particular type of project.
A biscuit jointer, Domino joiner, specialist dovetail jig, mortising machine or dedicated edge-banding tool can all have a place in the right workshop.
But if you only need to use one of these tools occasionally, buying one might not make financial sense.
Consider the alternatives:
- Could you use a traditional hand-tool method?
- Could an existing machine carry out the operation?
- Could you make a suitable jig?
- Could you borrow the tool?
- Could you hire one for a particular project?
- Would paying someone else to carry out that operation be more economical?
There’s nothing wrong with owning specialist equipment. But it should earn its place in your workshop.
A tool that gets used once every two years might be better borrowed or hired than permanently stored on a shelf.
12. What Should You Spend Your Money On Instead?
So, if you don’t need to buy every specialist tool, where should you concentrate your money?
I’d focus on the things that genuinely improve the quality, safety and reliability of your woodworking.
Good measuring equipment
Accurate measuring and marking tools are used on almost every project. A reliable square and tape measure are worth having.
Sharp cutting tools
A good selection of chisels and properly maintained plane blades will serve you well for years.
Reliable workholding
You need a safe, stable way to hold timber while cutting, planing, drilling and assembling.
Suitable dust extraction and protection
Controlling wood dust is important, particularly in smaller enclosed workshops. Invest in suitable extraction, filtration and respiratory protection for the work you’re doing.
Good lighting
Being able to see your work clearly makes measuring, marking, cutting and finishing easier.
Quality timber and materials
Don’t spend your entire budget on machinery and then leave yourself with nothing to buy the material for your projects!
Sometimes the best investment is simply having better materials to work with.
13. A Simple Rule Before Buying Another Tool
Before you purchase anything new, ask yourself five questions:
- What job will this tool actually do?
- Can I already do that job with something I own?
- How often will I realistically use it?
- Will it improve the accuracy, safety or efficiency of my work?
- Is buying it better value than borrowing, hiring or making a suitable alternative?
If you can answer those questions confidently, you have a much better chance of making a sensible purchase.
And if the answer to most of them is that you simply fancy owning it, there’s nothing wrong with that either!
Woodworking is supposed to be enjoyable, and sometimes buying a new tool is part of the fun.
Just don’t convince yourself that you need it to get started.
Final Thoughts: Buy Tools Because You Need Them, Not Because You Can
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting woodworking is trying to build the perfect workshop before you’ve made anything.
You see somebody else’s setup and assume you need the same machines, jigs and accessories.
But their workshop has developed around their projects, their experience and the way they work.
Yours should do the same.
Start with a sensible collection of versatile tools. Learn how to use them properly. Make a few projects and pay attention to the jobs that you find difficult or frustrating.
Then, when you identify a genuine need, look for the tool that solves that problem.
You might eventually end up with a workshop full of specialist equipment. There’s nothing wrong with that.
But remember, the tools are there to help you make things.
You don’t need the biggest tool collection to be a good woodworker. You need to know how to get the best out of the tools you already own.