If you have progressed beyond making simple home repairs, and you would like to make your own custom furniture, then you will need to add some new tools to your woodshop. It takes more than a hammer, a hand saw, and some vices to make really nice, showroom quality furniture. Some of the items are really basic, and you can pick them up in your local home improvement store. Others are a bit more complicated, and you should look for them online at a special retailer.
Hand Planers
A set of small hand planers is a good item to have on hand because they will allow you to shave off small sections of wood. A large planer won't let you be as precise. You will be able to plane off a large 2x4, but when you want to trim off a small amount of wood, these little hand planers are much more effective. You can find them at most home improvement stores.
Set of Wood Chisels
Wood chisels are essential for creating decorative inlay designs, cutting lap joints, dove tail joints, dado joints, and mortise joints. You need to have multiple chisels because you will have the ability to make tiny joints for things such as chair spindles, as well as larger cuts for table legs. Make sure you get a chisel set that is designed for wood and not masonry. Masonry chisels are very strong, but you won't get as many small, precise chisels that are useful with scrollwork, design, and joint cuts.
Laser Cutting Machine
When you are making furniture, you will often get blueprints from online magazines, woodworking books, or even come up your own plans on your computer using drafting software. One of the best ways to expedite the cuts on large pieces of wood is to use a laser cutting machine. You can input the cut measurements into the system, and the machine will make the cuts for you. This eliminates the chance that you over cut and end up with wood you can't use. Using the laser cutting machine will ensure every cut is perfect. This not only speeds up the process, but it also saves you money. When you are making furniture for your home, you are often going to be using pricey wood (cedar, cherry, walnut), not just plain pine. Mistakes cutting pricey wood can be very costly, so a laser cutting machine is a cost saver. These machines are specialty products, so you should look online or ask specialists like those at Advanced Innovative Manufacturing, Inc. about choosing the right cutter.
