The Ultimate Guide to 10 Essential Tools for Intermediate Woodworkers

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Are you ready to upgrade your woodworking skills and take your workshop to the next level? In this guide, we highlight the top 10 tools every intermediate woodworker should own, helping you balance cost, performance, and safety while building your ultimate toolkit.

Updated 11/09/2024

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Are you a beginner woodworker ready to take your skills to the next level? Or maybe you’re already an intermediate woodworker justifying yet another tool purchase? (Don’t worry, we’ve all been there)

Whether you’re upgrading your existing workshop or building it out with new, high-quality tools, this guide will help you choose the right equipment without breaking the bank. We’ve curated a list of the top 10 tools every intermediate woodworker should own, striking the perfect balance between cost and performance.

1. Table Saw

The heart of any woodworking shop is the table saw. This saw is the workhorse of your shop and is one of the most versatile tools you can own. It can rip, it can cross cut, it can cut miters, it can cut bevels, and with the addition of a couple of handy jigs, it can do so much more!

A solid table saw can make your work faster, more precise, and significantly more enjoyable. There are many options in the market, but we’ve selected two that cover both ends of the price spectrum.

Dewalt Jobsite Saw

For those on a budget, the Dewalt Jobsite Saw offers impressive features for its price. It is very affordable, made well, and its rack and pinion fence is a very nice bonus feature. This is an ideal entry-level table saw for woodworkers who need versatility but aren’t ready to invest in a top-tier machine.

SawStop Table Saw

If you’re ready to invest and want to guarantee protection for your fingers, the SawStop line is a must-have. Known for its flesh-sensing technology, SawStop saws immediately stop the blade upon contact with skin, which means you won’t lose a finger. The peace of mind it provides is invaluable, especially if you have a busy shop or curious little ones around. 

For those truly stepping up their game, the SawStop Professional Cabinet Saw combines superior build quality with this revolutionary safety feature. It is cost-competitive with many other cabinet saws on the market and has many of the same great features as other brands. 

2. Crosscut Sled

A crosscut sled is one of the best upgrades you can make for your table saw. It improves safety by keeping your hands away from the blade, enhances accuracy, and makes it easier to produce repeatable cuts. Crosscut sleds are also great for holding boards at odd angles that would be difficult or unsafe to cut otherwise.

Buying the right crosscut sled can be difficult as there are not always a lot of good options with the exact features you want. And they can be pricey!

Rather than buying one, we highly recommend building your own. We offer cross-cut plans and a how-to guide to help you create a sled that fits your specific table saw and needs. Make sure to check out our video to see why we believe this is the best crosscut sled on the market, and it is well worth the time to make.

Related – How To Make A DIY Crosscut Sled For A Table Saw

3. Planer

Once you start building furniture, you’ll quickly realize that you spend a lot of time sanding or hand planing saw marks out of your pieces. A planer is a real time-saver and an invaluable tool, especially when you’re dealing with rough lumber or assembling large panels. While sanding can help with surface preparation, a planer ensures flatness and uniform thickness, which is crucial for most furniture-building projects.

With the proper sleds or process, a planer can also help you put off buying a jointer until you are ready for more advanced woodworking projects. We have built some incredible pieces and haven’t had to buy a jointer yet thanks to this old planer we inherited.

If you can, invest in a planer with a spiral cutting head. This upgrade reduces tear-out, extends the life of your blades, and puts less strain on the motor, meaning your machine will last longer. We recommend checking out WEN planers, which offer excellent quality at a fraction of the cost of other brands. 

4. Kreg Track Saw

Breaking down sheet goods can be tricky without the right equipment. While a table saw can handle large panels, it’s often cumbersome and difficult to manage larger cuts alone. That’s where a Track Saw shines. 

Its easy-to-use track system allows for long, straight cuts, making it ideal for anyone who works with plywood or MDF regularly. Kreg strikes an excellent balance between performance and affordability, offering a track saw that’s great for the intermediate woodworker looking for precision without a hefty price tag.

Using Track saw for initial breakdown

5. High-Quality Saw Blade

They say it’s the little things in life that make all the difference. This is true for woodworking when it comes to saw blades. The unfortunate reality of buying any saw on the market is that the blade they come with is usually not that great. The blade will get you by, but you’ll notice an immediate difference when you use your first good quality blade!

We’ve found that since most people don’t change their blades between rip cuts and cross cuts, it is worth getting the best combination blade that you can. We recommend the CMT brand for its 50-tooth Combination Blades, which are ideal for both ripping and cross-cutting. You’ll also appreciate how the addition of flat top ground teeth results in cleaner cuts in joinery without the need for chiseling ridges. CMT blades rival the best brands at a fraction of the cost, making them an affordable yet high-performance upgrade.

6. Dewalt Plunge Router

Every intermediate woodworker should own a plunge router. While trim routers are great for lighter tasks, a plunge router takes your abilities to the next level. It excels at routing pockets and intricate joinery, and its depth adjustments are much more precise and convenient than a fixed-base router.

The Dewalt Plunge Router is a fantastic option because it includes both a standard and a plunge base. For intermediate woodworkers, this flexibility is key, allowing you to handle larger bits and more complex routing tasks. We leave the standard base mounted in our router table so we can swap the router between different setups easily.  

Some essential larger router bits to consider include:

These bits will open up a range of possibilities, from joinery to clean template routing, making your projects faster and more precise.

Related – A Beginner’s Guide On How To Use A Router

7. Chisel Set

A sharp chisel is an essential tool for joinery. While you may have gotten by with budget chisels as a beginner, now’s the time to invest in quality. Cheap chisels require constant sharpening and quickly lose their edge, which can slow down your work and affect your precision.

We recommend investing in a high-quality chisel in the size you use most often. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, treat yourself to a complete set. A well-made chisel will hold its edge longer and give you more control when fine-tuning your joints.

Chisel out the Cut Sections

8. Benchtop Bandsaw

For cutting curves or irregular shapes, a benchtop bandsaw is invaluable. It’s also great for resawing, which can turn thicker boards into thinner, more manageable pieces. If you don’t have space or budget for a full-size bandsaw, a benchtop version will get the job done for most intermediate level projects.

Just remember, as with all saws, the blade is key. Get a good quality blade and replace it when it gets dull for the best results.

Related – Hubby How To – DIY Flipping Workbench

9. Belt Sander or Oscillating Spindle Sander

A benchtop belt sander or oscillating spindle sander are irreplaceable when it comes to sanding tricky parts such as small pieces or parts that have an inside curve. Parts like these are difficult to sand with an orbital sander, but a benchtop sander can make quick work of them.

We own a benchtop belt sander, but would actually recommend a spindle sander instead if you have the choice. It’s far more versatile than a traditional belt sander and helps you keep edges square while sanding, which is vital for clean, professional-looking results. 

But my hubby has also had our benchtop belt sander since he was a kid, so use what you got!

Bonus Tip: This sandpaper cleaning block makes your sandpaper cut faster and extends the life of your sanding belts and discs. Definitely pick one up and keep it close by when sanding.

10. Router Table

There are things that you can do with a router table that would be impossible for any other powered tool in your shop. Sure, you could spend an hour with a chisel to cut a pocket, or you could set up a few stop blocks and be done in minutes. 

A router table really shines when you are dealing with parts that are too small to use a regular router on safely. Instead, you can bring the piece to the tool. A router table is also the safest way to cut specialty edge joinery features. 

Just be sure to check out our post or video to learn how to prevent kickback when using a router table as safety should always be a priority when working with such powerful tools.

Bonus Tool: Buffer

Bonus tool time! This is a tool that will save you a lot of time on putting wood finish on your future projects!
If you’re working with hardwax oils like Rubio Monocoat, a buffer is a must-have tool for applying finishes efficiently and consistently. Buffing in the oil manually can be labor-intensive, but an inexpensive buffer takes the hard work out of the equation and helps you achieve a beautiful, professional finish without the sore arms.

Related – The Ultimate Wood Finish – Rubio Monocoat Review & Color Test

More DIY Projects

That wraps up our list of the top 10 tools every intermediate woodworker should consider. While some of these tools may be more of an investment, their value in terms of performance, safety, and longevity is well worth it. 

Check out more of our DIY projects articles for inspiration!


Hope you find this roundup of tools for intermediate woodworkers helpful! Let us know what your favorite tool is in the comments below!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.

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