Upgrading my shop lighting is 100% one of those things that I wish I had done a LONG time ago. This 8 pack of 4 foot long LED T5 lights are under $70 and didn’t take me longer than 45 minutes to install. I went from having to use the flash on my phone in certain parts of my shop to having plenty of bright light in every corner. 100% worth it.

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This Router Template Guide Kit is made from solid brass and fits a lot of common router models, including models by DeWalt, Makita, Porter Cable, Bosch, Craftsman and more. Make sure to confirm it’ll work with your specific model. I have used this with my Makita RT0701C and my Craftsman Plunge Router.

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This cheap (~$25) addition to the shop has been so helpful in making me more efficient while working. It has come especially helpful in scraping dried glue off of glue ups.

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I’ve had great results with this Freud 6” Pro Dado Set. People often have to decide between a 6” or a 8” Dado Set and wonder which they should get. I have a 1.5HP Table Saw, which is a little underpowered for an 8” Dado Set, which is why I went with the 6”. If I had a larger HP Table saw, I would have opted for the 8”.

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Anything I can do to make woodworking safer, I’m up for. Everyone knows how dangerous a table saw can be, and this is like adding a third hand while using it. You must maintain constant pressure between the material and the fence on the table saw as you cut it, and this does exactly that, so that you can focus on pushing the material through the blade. This works on bandsaws and other tools as well.

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I’ve yet to own a tool where I fully trust the built in measurement’s on the tools, and the table saw and jointer’s built in angle gauge is no exception. This is a relatively cheap way to get very accurate readings on the angles of your blade on the table saw/bandsaw as well as the fence on your jointer and much more.

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Although having combination blades are convenient since you don’t have to change blades, having the correct blade for your specific cuts makes for a cleaner cut. This blade is designed to rip your piece with the grain. It is also thinner than the normal 1/8” kerf so you are removing less material which inherently puts less stress on your table saw’s motor.

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I’m sure a lot of you have a shop set up similar to mine, that is simply in your garage. In my situation, per our HOA requirements, I have to park our cars in the garage, which means all of my tools must be mobile. This Base has been excellent and is much cheaper than other brands. I highly recommend it.

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Dust Collection is a huge component of woodworking for numerous reasons. This little filtration system has done a great job for me at a fraction of the cost of comparable units. This is a great way to get into having cleaner air in your shop without breaking the bank.

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This is my old faitful. When I first started out in woodworking, I used this router to route out dozens of signs over the years, as well as routing out juice grooves in cutting boards, chamfering or rounding over edges, etc. Still using it to this day.

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I have used a Dewatl Router for years and was forced to purchase this Makita to use with my CNC machine per the brand’s recommendation. This router has been a great addition as well and has worked flawlessly with the CNC. One area I wish was upgraded is the button and housing to lock the collet is made of plastic, and mine broke on the first one. You can still operate it with the wrenches. Minus that one flaw, I like that this works with my template guide kit, where my Dewalt does not.

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A staple in the shop. I started out for a couple of years with simply a drill/driver combo which did the job for a long time. (I did strip a lot of screws though…). I didn’t know what I was missing by not having an impact driver though. It made quick work of driving screws and allowed me to have my drill set up and ready to go for predrilling. This made my workflow more efficient since I didn’t have to constantly change bits.

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This is another one of those products that improves safety while using the table saw. This gives you the ability to safely push small stock through the table saw while protecting you against kick back as well as keeping your hands away from the blade. This can also be used on a number of tools in addition to the table saw, including the bandsaw, jointer, router table, etc.

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This is another cheap accessory to add to the shop, and although it is absolutely not necessary, it is MUCH eassier to use than the standard glue bottles, AND this allows you to purchase larger quantities of glue, which saves you money in the long run.

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Necessary? No…BUT this makes glue ups so much faster, especially when batching out multiple items or large projects. It’s one of those things in the shop that if I lost it, I’d be ordering one right away.

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This was another item that I didn’t know I needed until I had one. If you already have a 5” Random Orbit Sander that uses Hook and Loop Sand Paper, then this will fit right in with your workflow. I was honestly surprised how much I used this after I purchased one.

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Since my shop is in my garage where I have to park my cars, space is at a premium. I am fortunate to have a very old Cast Iron Drill Press from my Great Grandfather’s old business. Given that, I purchased this sanding kit instead of purchasing a spindle sanding machine. This has worked great over the years. I definitely recommend if you don’t have the space for another larger footprint tool!

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If you make catch all trays, or any other small items that have recesses that need to be sanded, these little sanding discs are a must have. They simply are used in your rotary tool (such as a Dremel) and you’re off and running. This set comes with multiple grits for all of your needs.

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If you own any sanding machines (belt sander, spindle sander, disc sander, etc.) or simply want to clean off your sanding discs on your orbital sander, you should definitely get these cleaning sticks. They are cheap (around or under $10) and last a long time and extend the life of your sand paper.

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