Every woodworker will have a different approach to the craft and will develop a preference for some tools as he or she gets more experienced. For instance, I prefer to work with a folding rule instead of a tape measure. Some will prefer western saws over Japanese ones, and so on…

Layout tools

Good joinery starts with precise measurements and clean layout lines. Sharp pencils, a birch folding rule, a trusty combination square like the Starrett 6″ model and a wheel marking gauge are absolute essentials in my workshop. I also use a tape measure when I’m dealing with large stock and when measuring boards at the lumberyard.

If you want to go a step further, I’d advise to replace the pencil with a marking knife when you want that extra precision and add a 3″ engineers square to check your tools against. I find the 3″ square quite useful to layout tenons on small pieces and whenever the 6″ one feels too cumbersome for the task.

To complete the kit you should add a bevel gauge so you can layout some angles and a 12″ combination square. This can be used to layout larger pieces and the ruler alone can be used as a small straight edge.

Next installment: Saws