Hand Tools to Build Furniture

I've read through the comments. I found others say, brace and bits, bevel guage, spokeshave, files, and sash-saw. But nobody picked up on a panel gauge or a shooting board.

Pencil lines are okay for machines, but when you dimension a board by hand, the knife line is very important. For those that don't know, surface your large reference face. Then square an edge to the face. Your panel gauge will mark a line parallel to the square edge. You can scrub close to the line if there is a lot to remove, or you can plane to the line. Plane the second large face, cut the two ends then shoot them square to the first squared edge (plane the ends into square on a board that holds a 90 angle). You probably know this, but I suspect somebody new will read and think, "what's a panel gauge and a shooting board?"

One of the best starter guides

First time seeing your channel. Gotta be honest. This reminds me alot of how I work at my shop. (Wicked woodworks) in VT.

I like the fact that you start the list with sharpening stones which I too find to be the most important aspect of hand tool woodworking. There is little joy in working with dull tools, right? I'm a beginner and actually started learning how to use hand tools on a concrete bench in the nearby park. When I found a small room to continue learning, the next essential to me was the workbench vice... now that's essential and a game changer. Best wishes!

I, too, found the Nobex mitre saw to be not that useful in furniture work. Hardly used it.
Now, the coffee mug.......Can't do without it ;-)

Just found your channel. I'm so thankful that I have found another hand tool woodworker. Being only 16, I'm on a tight budget so power tools are out of the equation. We need more great information on hand tools like this video. Keep up the amazing work.

I really liked your straight forward video! I really love a compass for my hand tool woodworking.

Thanks for all the infos. I hate nosie and sawdust too.

Definitely get a Japanese pull saw, I got a set of guyukucho saws and immediately threw out my western saws, they give a neater cut, more accurate, less effort required to cut stuff super sharp, they make things like dovetails beyond easy with no gaps, well worth the money, they're not too expensive either you can pick a set of 3 different types up for less than that number 5 plane you have

My name is Darrell, and I’m a toolaholic. 🤪

Hand woodworking tools, buy one, now you want Two, now you want THree, but now of a higher quality mid price, not good enough you say. I want next gen new fangled dangle, super dooper high end tool, not just for the feel or quality of work but (bragging rights). Now you have it made you say, but wait there's more. mmm Old antique tools, wow is that what it cost, got to have one, no two, no just one more :-) Soon you look at your work shop and its not a work shop but a museum. Now you are at the point of no return. You thought I have it made, yess, yesss, yessss. Sad to say you have entered the twilight zone. A friend gives you a hand plane to shape into something useful, so you restore it. Now you are truly fucked. YOU GET ANOTHER you restore it, then another tool like a union drill press pokes its head into your life, its 80 years old and you bring it back to life, out lay $180.00 You sell it for $500 or do you !. Fear not a small hobby, but fear where it takes you ha ha ha. I kid you not. cheers.

The only vital thing I feel you forgot was a way to drill holes 😁 and a plough plane........ man I would be LOST without a plough!! There are other ways to cut grooves, but nothin beats a plough, it's my favourite tool and the most enjoyable to use...... I love to get groovy 😂🤣🤷‍♂️ mine is an old Marples MA44 (same as the Record 044)
I've heard good things about iGaging combo squares, not used them myself as I prefer a square that is non-adjustable (I use PEC solid machinists squares)...... to my mind if a square is adjustable then there is the potential for wear on the moving parts which will in time make it un-square 😁 but the Igaging is supposed to be a good unit at a fraction of the price of a Starrett.
I have been using Japanese saws for the last 3 years. They are deadly accurate, leave the finest smoothest kerf you will ever see and are extremely easy to start. But they are hard to control (hard to turn if you go off line) and are mostly designed for fine work and the pitch is reflected in that..... and you gotta be VERY carefull in hard dense woods, it's easy to break teeth if you put even the slightest pressure into it. With the fine pitch on them the work goes slowly in hard stuff and can get frustrating. You will get the most enjoyment from a Japanese saw in thinner woods.
Again, a good video which I enjoyed watching 😁 you're actually the first channel I've ever subscribed to 🤙

First tier tools you missed that I use all the time: brace, egg beater drill, bits, screw drivers, countersink, nail sets, hammer. (I'll note here that I use my brace, and egg beater drills, but I use my cordless drill more often.)
Second tier tools to add: smoothing plane, tenon saw, dividers, framing square, spoke shave, files & rasps, shoulder plane.
Because sharpening stones get dished over time, and it's nearly impossible to sharpen well with curved stones, get a large, extra course, diamond coated steel "stone".

Then there are loads of tools, and appliances that you can make: sharpening strop, bench hook, shooting boards, panel gauge, saw horses, saw bench.
And the most essential tool of all is a good work bench.

Skipped right over tool one… coffee

U got some big stones bro! :)

Has your opinion changed on the usefulness of certain tools since making this video? For example the coping saw and jointer plane, which are getting some use in a few of your recent videos.

For Japanese saws the Ryoba really does come in handy sometimes. The Dozuki everyone praises for dovetails is to big and weird for me. It’s got a tiny tiny kerf but at 22ppi it takes forever to cut anything. I sent it back. So I would say grab Ryoba and hang it back there, you WILL have times you’ll reach for it over another saw. All the others… pass.

Sun Child japanese dovetail saw is really nice. Give it a try.

Hi Frank, I'm a tool junky such as yourself, how do you find the woodriver planes, I'm toying between a wood River or Clifton jack plane

Just shows how little you need. I just need a router plane now.

Do you have any recommendations of books about traditional woodworking benches? Id like to read up on them, thanks

Thanks for sharing your experience 👍🏻🇪🇬

Hey Frank, i have same luban planer 5 1.2 but i am not happy oem blade quickly geting dull. I wanna purchase veritas one but i was not sure which is better so What kind blade you use from veritas?

Re: saws…in one of your video building a workbench, you used a frame saw to make cuts on mortise and tenons. If a diy saw, please do a video on the build. Thanks✌🏻

Liking your videos and I've been watching them now... actually one note I've taken is that you seem to use a block quite a bit at least on your recent videos. For chamfering and I think on the shooting board as well - is that a low-angle one?
I've got old Stanley planes, 4, 5 & 7, 300/1000 combo diamond stone, strop, couple Narex basic chisels, Ryoba saw, and now a table saw and a bad jointer/planer combo. + Misc stuff.
I'd like to get a saw or two but it'd just get so expensive... Does a crosscut carcass saw + ripcut tenon saw make sense to you, or just a ripcut carcass saw? Haven't learned about sharpening saws yet.

I'd add any type of workholding. (Pre-workbench) My suggestion would be a traditional hand screw clamp & two pipeclamps.
The workbench & knot free wood just makes everything so much more pleasant.

Thx dude !!

I think I would put bevel gauge and a compass/dividers set in the basic list but it may not really be considered a beginner tools I guess.

This is a great video and everyone that want to start woodworking should see that!!! I wish I had seen that when I first started 5 years ago, I had to figure almost the same set on my own and thus wasted some money on tools I hardly ever used.

As items that need not cost a lot, nor take up much space, I’d add a couple of measuring tools. So things like very small try squares, for example. I have a couple made of brass, about two inches long, for inside measurement of boxes or the like, very useful. Shinwa make good 90 & 45 squares, rules & angle finders all of which I find useful. These & my old Marple's try square are what I use most. Lastly I have a stainless steel 2 foot roof framing square for larger items, but never a roof.

Thank you for all of your awesome work and videos. I see your planes are Woodcraft. Are your chisels Woodcraft as well?

Maybe a couple of clamps , great video, thank you for that mider saw tip

Hi Frank, can you provide links to your chisels and regular saws, not the backsaws (I can tell those are veritas)? Are your chisels Narex or Woodcraft?

You sir are a true operator. Love the channel and it’s driving me forward to woodworking mayhem/glory. Are your planes from Woodriver or Lee-Nielsen? Thanks !

Please, what are the tools i should have as a carpenter?.
I'm a beginner

Japanese saws are nice, different technique needed. A little more forgiving to those new to hand saws. The pull strokes does allow for thinner blades, resulting in a thinner kerf. Usually hardened so not so easy to resharpen. I find traditional western style work holding is not conducive to pull saw use, but it can still be done.

I like both western and Japanese style saws, they have their pros and cons. Having both can certainly bring flexibility, so long as you adapt your technique for the saw.

Your hand tool work should be an inspiration for beginners and amateurs alike. I've been using the best of the best of western saws for over 50 years. I now own 12 Japanese saws and use some of them on a daily basis. When I'm reducing an antique Chippendale or Shaker antique piece I find the Japanese saws offer more flexibility than the western saws and especially, give a much smoother cut. I'm in the process now of reproducing a Chippendale secretary for a client that has 6 small drawers in it that have 1/4" drawer sides. The smooth fine cut of a Japanese saw is making it a breeze to cut the dovetails in them. Thank you for your outstanding hand tool videos.

Good advice and I use pretty much only those tools myself except my no 5 is a 5 1/2so not really any different however you did miss out drilling I use a brace and an egg beater

what brand are your larger crosscut and rip saws?

Good information, Frank.. I use moist of what you have there, and can't argue with anything that you've said, given the quality of the jobs that you do. It's always good to have access to some machines to reduce the time, and in my case give me some accuracy that I wouldn't otherwise have. There will always be a place for a goodly content of hand tool use in all that I do.

You can never have to many hand tools, even if they sit on a shelf for awhile till you finally pull them down and start to use them. For me buying LN I'm always able to recoup most of my money and sometimes make a profit.

Japanese pull saws are great

Great starter set ! I prefer a wooden jack with heavy camber to the metal #5 for fast stock removal. Much lighter and so much fun to use !

Is the bench and vice not considered a tool?

Genuine question, I'm wondering if you can just do your work on the floor, resting your workpiece on some other stock, and stepping on it.

Spokeshave. Get one.

Bench hooks and shooting board

Japanese saws are okay, but I think they are more of a specific flush trim application saw. I find them really awkward when trying to do these very long pull strokes. Unless you are 5'2" with everything above you, a properly sharpened western saw is the way to go. I think people are used to using cheap (if you can even call these things saw) western saws that just don't cut, never mind starting the cut (hardest part) accurately. Add a bit of bad biomechanics, the western saw really has an undeserved bad rap.

What chisels are those please. At first I thought they were Ashley lies but now I am not sure