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12 Unique Woodworking Tools You Didn’t Know You Needed

Updated: August 7, 2023
In this article, you can learn about unique clamps to jigs that only experienced woodworkers use. While some of the top woodworking tools may be expensive, many are budget friendly and for any skill level.
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12 Unique Woodworking Tools You Didn’t Know You Needed

After twenty years of collecting tools, I still find unique woodworking tools I didn’t know I needed.

But when I bought them realized I should have had them all along.

To help your woodworking projects out, below is a collection of:

  • Advanced pencils to make easy tasks … easy
  • Lighting solutions that install in seconds
  • Saws that make heavy jobs more accessible and more accurate
  • …and many more unique woodworking tools

#1. Japanese Pull Saw: Make Precise Cuts and Dovetails

Suizan Pull Saw

See on Amazon: Suizan Japanese Saw 

While track and circular saws gather the most attention, a simple Japanese saw is a unique woodworking tool most woodworkers don’t own.

And many have yet to hear of it.

Why is this worth adding to your toolbox? Well, it makes flush-cutting any dowels or tenons, cleaning up glue overflows, and even making handmade dovetails possible.

#2. PARALLEL CLAMPS: ULTIMATE PRECISION WOOD CLAMP

Bessey Parall

See on Amazon: Bessey Parallel Clamp 

If you are new or even experienced in woodworking, odds are you haven’t fully explored parallel clamps.

Perhaps it’s because these are more expensive clamps than others. But, once you find the precision and non-marring jaws, these will be hard clamps to put down.

#3. A PENCIL THAT WORKS: SWANSON ALWAYS SHARP PENCIL

Swanson Pencils

See on Amazon: Swanson Woodworkers Pencil 

One of the most frustrating issues with woodworking is breaking pencil leads on wood grain. 

Fortunately, Swanson has solved this with an incredibly durable pencil that will leave a visible line and avoid the constant frustration of broken leads.

#4. STOP FIGHTING GLUE: FASTCAP GLU-BOT

Glu-bot

See on Amazon: FastCap Glu-Bot 

At some point, anyone glued up a few dozen projects has had to stop everything and fight the tip of a glue bottle. And as a reason, the innovative team at FastCap invented no-spill glue bottles.

This makes these easy-to-use Glu-Bots a unique woodworking tool to add to your bench.

#5. ULTIMATE TABLE SAW PUSH BLOCK: GRR-RIPPER

GRR-RIPPER

See on Amazon: GRR-RIPPER Push Block 

With over ten amputations daily on table saws, there’s ample reason to be careful.

That is probably why the GRR-RIPPER is a popular push-block that protects against kickbacks and helps to keep your hands away from the blade (you, of course, are responsible for all safety).

Best of all? This is a Made in the USA jig.

#6. ASSEMBLY ASSIST: CAN-DO CLAMP

Can-Do Clamp

See on Amazon: Can-Do Corner Clamp 

Connecting wood at a perfect 90-degree angle can be frustrating. But with this simple jig, you’ll be able to quickly hold anything from picture frames to cabinet sides.

#7. ONE JIG SET FOR EVERYTHING: KREG JIG AND CLAMP SET

Kreg Jig Set

See on Amazon: Kreg Jig Set 

While you can assemble furniture and cabinets without jigs, you’re better off investing in a complete set (once) and having:

#8. COMPACT ROUTER TABLE: BOSCH RA1141

Compact Router Table

See on Amazon: Bosch Router Table 

A router by itself is a must-have for woodworking. But, it has limitations when it comes to making trim, building cabinet doors, cutting dados, and, well, you get the picture, making a router table an essential upgrade to your workshop to tackle more diverse projects.

All without buying a new power tool if you own a router. And, at an entry price that works for most woodworkers, compact benchtop router tables are easy to fit into a budget.

#9. SAFETY FIRST: FULL FACE MASK

Full face safety mask and respirator

See on Amazon: PT-101 Full Face Respirator 

Woodworking isn’t just dangerous when it comes to saws that can cut or nail guns that pierce. A safety mask is always required to protect from flying knots to other projectiles when using woodworking tools.

And, what most don’t realize, is small micron of dust hangs in the air for 30 minutes or longer AFTER you’ve shut down your tools.

Not to mention toxic finishes that you’ll need to protect your body from inhaling.

This makes a woodworking safety mask like this 2-in-1 an all-day wearable that will protect you no matter the task.

#10. THIRD HAND: PONY WOODWORKING VISE

Pony wood vise

See on Amazon: Pony 27091 Wood Vise 

Your first thought of a woodworking vise is a sizeable clumsy tool that takes up space ON your workbench.

Well, the great news is there are woodworkers’ vises built for woodworkers that hide a vise on the SIDE of your bench. And the metal jaws found on all wood vices are designed to be layered on top of a wood of your choice to avoid marring your project.

#11. TABLE SAW ALTERNATIVE: MAKITA PLUNGE SAW

Makita Plunge Saw

See on Amazon: Makita Cordless Track Saw 

When it comes to cutting up large sheets of plywood, a lot of woodworkers face three problems:

  • Getting the plywood home from the lumber yard
  • Lifting a 75-pound sheet of plywood onto a 50-pound table saw
  • And then cutting a perfectly straight line

Fortunately, the woodworking world has advanced to saws like this Makita cordless track saw. Its plunge-cut design can cut your project to size, transport it, and skip the table saw.

#12. LIGHT UP YOUR SHOP: 9000 LUMEN POWER

9000 Lumen Power Light

See on Amazon: LZHOME Light 

I’ve done a few projects in garage lighting, thinking they were perfect. Only to take them inside and see the flaws I missed while sanding or finishing because of poor visibility. Instead of playing around with portable lights, I upgraded my ceiling lights to high-powered (low energy) LED lights that eliminated dark areas of the shop.

Summary

In woodworking, dozens of tools are designed to make the job easier. Have a tool you’ve found that should be on the list? Drop a comment below and share.

  • About the Author
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Eric Trion
( Woodworker )

Eric has been a professional woodworker for over thirty years and has worked in small cabinet shops making everything from kitchen cabinets to hand-made furniture. Now working from a home woodworking shop Eric is sharing his passion for woodworking, tool advice and how-to knowledge from his Minnesota-based woodshop.

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Disclaimer: DIY projects can be dangerous, hire a professional (link to Home Advisor) if unsure.