Woodwork design ideas and info on using the right workbench and other woodworking tools and supplies

Fine woodworking is a joy for people that enjoy DIY, choosing quality woodworking tools helps a lot. For example if you are making wood doors you will require a top workbench and other supplies to perfect your woodcraft. It is also a good idea to use a planner which saves on intricate measuring and possible errors.

Skilled woodworking comes with practice. Once you are set up with the right supplies and a good planner, you will find that your woodcraft improves very quickly. the main problem most potential DIY enthusiasts have is that they use poor equipment, no planning, and even the wrong wood for the job.

If you are a beginner start with simple projects. Starting with something too difficult will crush your confidence, so keep it simple initially.

If you are about to start woodworking, use this checklist for your initial supplies:

• Measuring Tape
• Quality workbench
• Square
• Wood pencils
• Various types of sand paper
• Chisels in different sizes
• Good hammers and mallets
• A good quality versatile drill
• Wood glue, screws and nails
• Clamps (if not included with the workbench)
• Wood planer

Try not to buy unneeded woodworking tools as it will cause clutter and confusion. Stick with the basics above at first and then add to your woodworking supplies when needed. If you have a good family run DIY hardware store you will always get good advice, bigger home improvement stores might offer some cheaper options but they are also more likely to be filled with poor quality tools. Local DIY hardware stores are a dying breed but paying the little extra it costs supports a quality local business that will be all to happy to discuss different supplies in depth.

Buying good quality woodworking supplies is a must as you want them to last forever. I've tied buying cheaply and nine times out of ten it ends up costing more as they need replacing quicker or simply don't do the job they are supposed to do. If using a garage as a workshop, make sure the place is secure with a good lock. It is a good idea to hang tools on the wall and draw around them, this keeps everything organized and easy access. 

If you are using plans to carry out woodwork (highly recommended, especially for beginners), you will find that you can get every piece of timber tailor made at your local merchant. For a great value pack of over 14,000 plans click here. If you are not using plans exclusively you will need a set of saws. Don't skimp on saws as good ones will save you a lot of effort, electric wood saws are recommended for heavy use.