June 1, 2016

There is just something about woodworking that is wonderful. When I am building an item out of wood, even something as simple as a shelf or a coat rack for the wall, I am a creator, an artist, and a handyperson all rolled into one.  

Woodworking exemplifies the DIY ethic of getting it done yourself, creating your own furniture,  getting your hands dirty to create something clean and beautiful. Every time I look at something I have made for my own home, whether it be a butcher block, a cat condo, or even a child’s step stool, I feel pride and satisfaction in knowing that I made it myself.

We have a dedicated section on our website at See Jane Drill which describes all the basic tools you will need for any type of home improvement job, including woodworking.  

But here I would like to talk specifically about two power tools that will drastically improve your ability to create professional-looking, attractive items for your own home:  the router, and the jig saw.  Why these two tools?  Well, they will take your woodworking to the next level.

Jig Saw: The jig saw is the ideal tool for cutting complex shapes in any material, especially wood.  Think of it like an exacto-knife or a one-blade scissors for wood.  You can cut curves and circles and rounded edges, just to name a few things.  You can cut stenciled shapes.  It is the most artistic of the saws and for that reason, is incredible handy and helpful to have when creating wood projects.

The Black and Decker 5 amp jig saw is the jig saw brand that we use at See Jane Drill, and is the jig saw that we recommend to our readers.  It is a great value at under $50, and Black and Decker is a trusted name in power tools.

Router: Here is a tool pretty much specifically designed for woodworking.  The basic idea is that you can create a huge variety of edges in wood by shaping the edges with a router equipped with the appropriate bit for the design you want.  Router bits come in so many shapes and sizes, and the depth can also be adjusted to vary the depth of the finished groove in the wood.

The applications of a router are endless, from edges on shelves, to cabinetry to creating rabbets, which are edges made on the backs of shelves or cabinets to fit them seamlessly into plywood backing for a neat and professional-looking finish.

Here See Jane Drill recommends a router from DeWalt. This is very good tool will serve you for years to come.  

Happy Woodworking!

BY Karen DeVenaro, See Jane Drill

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