Beginner Woodwork
A bench, five tools, and an understanding of how wood moves will take you further than a garage full of machines.
Guides
Getting-started woodworking guides for a small space, a modest budget, and no prior experience.
Latest articles
The Tools Worth Buying First (and What Can Wait Years)
You can build genuinely good furniture with a surprisingly short list of tools. Here's the order to buy them in and what the expensive machines actually buy you.
Wood Movement — Why Your First Project Cracked
Wood expands and contracts with humidity for as long as it exists. Ignore that and a well-made piece will tear itself apart within a year.
How to Get a Finish That Doesn't Look Homemade
Most beginner projects are let down at the last step. Good finishing is mostly patient preparation and thin coats — not an expensive product.