Woodworking classes gift idea, Hand planing

Best Gifts for Woodworkers | Beginning Woodworker Gift Ideas

What’s the best gift to give the woodworker in YOUR life?

Woodworkers are a special breed. And if you’re looking for a gift or present for one in your house they probably fall into one of 3 categories:

  1. Wannabee Woodworkers – if you find your loved one bathed in the glow of the internet at 2am… and they’re looking at woodworking tools and woodworking projects but haven’t started any yet. This is them.
  2. Beginning Woodworkers – These are folks that have started down the addictive path of woodworking. They have actually done a project or two or 10 and have started collecting real woodworking tools.
  3. Advanced Woodworkers – home furniture makers, wood carvers, wood turning pros. This group typically already has a well equipped shop.. so it’s a little tougher to find the best gifts.

The best gifts for woodworkers depends, of course, on where they are in these 3 stages.  But here are some ideas that might work for beginners and up.

Best Gifts for Woodworkers

Let’s talk about Beginners and Wannabees. This could be the easiest group to buy for. You want to encourage their interest, and they have almost nothing to get them started.

The best gift for woodworkers in this category is usually woodworking tools or education:

Beginning Woodworking Classes

Believe it or not, there are beginning woodworking classes in many different cities around the country. Our Florida School of Woodwork in Tampa, Florida is the most well-known, has a great staff of instructors and offers week long, weekend and evening beginning woodworking classes.

Here’s one of the students talking about a furniture piece she made in class – would this be an amazing gift for your woodworker?

 

Also, we don’t just offer general beginning woodworking classes. Here are a few more that might interest a Wannabee AND a beginning woodworker:

[if you’re unclear about what woodworking actually IS, check this article on Wikipedia]

Best Gifts for Woodworkers | Beginning Woodworker Gift Ideas

There are many more courses available here and at woodworking schools around the country.

If you don’t know which one is right for your woodworker – get them a GIFT CARD and let them decide!

Woodworking Power Tools – Gifts for Woodworkers

In spite of the romance of using hand tools as a woodworker, even most beginning woodworkers will be interested in using power tools to create their masterpiece.

Some good choices for starter woodworkers are:

  • Table Saw – 10” (take a look at the Sawstop brand) or larger compound miter saws like the Dewalt are most useful
  • Band Saw – These are probably the most useful tools to have in the shop.
  • Table top Bench planer and/or 6″ – 8″ Jointer
  • Dust Collection system (its not a sexy power tool but really vital to both personal health and equipment function) Look for something like these – GOOD   BETTER     with a trash bag system, HEPA filter, mobile base.
  • Random orbital sander 5″ or 6″

Woodworking Hand Tools – Gifts for Woodworkers

If you are looking for a very economical gift then some good quality hand tools make great gifts for woodworkers too.

For example, you can get some great quality chisels for and sets for under $35.  Woodcraft and Lee Valley are great places to shop for those.

Here are 5 must have woodworking hand tools:

  1. Chisels – best to make it a set of high quality chisels in a variety of sizes (some good brand names are Woodriver by Woodcraft or,  Narex by Lee Valley )
  2. Block Plane (like this one from Woodcraft)
  3. Japanese saw or Western style handsaw
  4. Marking Knife or Gauge
  5. Combination Square – a 6″ Starrett is a fabulous gift

It’s very important that you get GOOD QUALITY hand tools!

So as you can tell, the best gift for woodworkers is different depending on your budget, location and the skill level of your friend or family member. But education is ALWAYS a good choice! Tools and doodads will wear out, but the skills learned will stay with them forever.

Visit us at https://schoolofwoodwork.com to shop classes and more.

1 Comment

  1. Thanks a lot for another great information. This website has been my gateway to information 🙂

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