5 Tools Under $30 Every Woodworker Needs
I want to show you five tools under $30 that I think every woodworker should have. These tools are perfect for woodworkers on a budget!
Number one on the list is every woodworker's favorite item, a clamp. But not just any clamp. This clamp has a very specific purpose because it has that thick rubber band attached to help it hold on edge-banding while the glue dries.
These are nice and strong with plenty of holding power for edge banding. One thing to note on the construction of them, it is a metal spring inside, and the outside is a nice durable plastic.
Another great thing is these clamps have self-adjusting jaws. So even if you go really wide and have to clamp something, they will adjust and fit parallel. You can get four of these for less than $30.
Next on the list is the FastCap Track Rack. These are very convenient to have if you have a track saw or tracks for your router. These are specifically made to fit the tracks of most track saws. It'll fit the WEN, Festool, Kreg, or Makita tracks.
I mounted my track racks on the garage door (look closely and you’ll see them). However, they come with mounting hardware to attach to most walls as well. They also include hardware that allows you to mount the tracks vertically, instead of horizontally.
If you have a track saw, you know how valuable these can be in your shop to store those tracks out of the way and get them off of the shelf!
One of my favorite new tools I've got in the shop recently is a Benchmark double square, not just the six-inch, but also the four-inch version. Both of these are under $30, it just depends on what size you want. A double square is extremely useful in the woodshop because you can use them to square either way. You can also use them to set the depths of router bits and saw blades. Double squares can also use to draw straight, square lines, and that's one thing it has to be is square.
In my mind, the Woodpeckers brand of squares is the gold standard as far as accuracy goes. So I always compare everything in the shop to the Woodpeckers tools. As you can see in the picture above, they're both perfectly square. It's not something to sneeze at because a lot of these lesser expensive type squares like this aren’t square.
One thing I like about this Benchmark double square is on one side of the blade there are sixty-fourths of an inch. There's also thirty seconds of an inch on the opposite edge of the blade. If you flip it over, you get the standard eighths and 16ths, which most of us use.
One of the best things you can have in the shop is an accurate rule. You'll use it all the time and they're not that expensive especially this Incra rule. This rule is made in the USA and it's made out of stainless steel. It's not going to rust and it will last a very long time. The markings go down to thirty seconds. It also has 16th markings all the way across. You’ll also notice that the blade of the rule has holes all the way down it. The holes allow you to put your pencil in there and make accurate marks.
One thing I do wish is if it was marked with the same measurements on the backside as well. Truthfully, I was a little bit worried about how thin the rule is. It is very thin. I've had it for several weeks now and I've used it quite a bit and it's held up well. The markings are holding up. I actually like how thin it is because you can get your pencil right next to it and you're making the mark exactly where you need it.
We started this list with clamps and we have to end it with clamps
I'm a fan of Bessey clamps. I love their parallel clamps, but when it comes to F-style clamps, I have found no others better than Jorgenson. That's really saying something because these are extremely affordable and they're just plain awesome. The Jorgenson brand, not only is it a sweet color orange, but it has a very nice grip on the handle. The older I get the harder it is to grip things, especially when you're putting on things like cauls or you just need that extra clamping pressure. This really helps because the bigger diameter gives you a little bit more torque.
The quality of this handle is actually nicer than even the much more expensive Bessey parallel clamp handles.
If you want to see a full video breakdown of each of the tools we just talked about, check out the video below.
Thanks for reading the blog. If you made it this far, you get a big ole virtual fist bump! 👊🏻 Comment below and let me know what your favorite tool is under $30!