Choosing a Woodworking Machine
Start with the required cut, surface or hole, then match the machine and cutter to that result.
Choose the required geometry before choosing the machine; Checklist
Choose the required geometry before choosing the machine
A machine name does not describe a finished part. First state the result: a straight edge, a curved outline, a flat face, a hole or a round profile. Then consider the workpiece dimensions, accuracy, surface quality and available tooling. The machines below remove material and belong to Separating.
This is a selection guide, not an operating procedure. Machine-specific use belongs with Machine Hazards and Housekeeping and Equipment Operating Procedure. Grain and moisture are covered in the wood-as-a-material topic; the operation selected here depends on those properties.
- Describe the surface or cut that must exist when the operation is complete.
- Identify which existing face or edge can locate the workpiece.
- Check machine capacity and whether the cutter can reach the feature.
- Decide whether the cut is final size or leaves material for another operation.
Match the cut to a suitable starting machine; Practice
Match the cut to a suitable starting machine
| Required result | Starting choice | What distinguishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Straight rip to width | Table saw | The fence locates a straight reference edge for a parallel cut. |
| Square crosscut or miter | Miter saw; table saw with crosscut sled or miter gauge | A miter is an angled cut across the width. Crosscut capacity limits the workpiece size. |
| Dado across a face | Router; table saw with compatible dado tooling | A dado is a flat-bottomed channel across the grain. Not every table saw accepts a dado set. |
| Curved outside outline | Band saw or jig saw | A band saw uses a continuous loop; a jig saw uses a short reciprocating blade. |
| Resaw into thinner boards | Band saw | The cut passes through the board's width to divide its thickness. Resaw capacity and blade selection matter. |
| Enclosed interior opening | Jig saw or scroll saw | A starter hole gives blade access without a cut from the outside edge. A scroll saw suits fine, intricate work; its blade can be threaded through the hole. |
| Flat reference face; straight square edge | Jointer | Establishes geometry before sizing. See Milling Rough Lumber Square. |
| Target thickness and parallel faces | Thickness planer | Uses an already flat reference face; it does not reliably flatten a warped board by itself. |
| Edge profile, rabbet or repeated outline | Router | Bit shape makes the profile; a template guides repeated outlines. A rabbet is a recess open along an edge. |
| Round spindle or bowl-like form | Wood lathe | The workpiece rotates around an axis while a cutting tool removes material. |
| Located hole with controlled angle and depth | Drill press | A guided spindle and depth stop support repeatability; bit type determines the hole's form. |
Read How Saws Cut Wood before choosing a saw blade. Table saws can crosscut as well as rip; jig saws and scroll saws are not band saws.
Router bits make profiles and channels; templates repeat shapes; Practice
Router bits make profiles and channels; templates repeat shapes
A router spins a router bit. Straight or spiral bits make channels and pockets; roundover and chamfer bits change an edge's profile. A bearing-guided bit or guide bushing can follow a template, which is a pattern used to reproduce an outline.
Routers may be handheld, mounted in a table or moved by a CNC machine. A shaper commonly carries profile cutters on a table-mounted spindle. Both shape wood, but their cutters and mounting systems are not interchangeable merely because the resulting profile looks similar.
Why “router bit” is more useful than “end mill” here
CNC routing can use end-mill-like spiral cutters, but routing also includes bearing-guided and shaped profile bits. “End mill” alone does not describe the tooling a beginning woodworker will encounter. Whiteside's template-bit range illustrates tooling for following patterns; its catalog also includes straight bits, flush-trim spiral bits and roundover profiles.
Spindle and faceplate turning put grain differently relative to the axis
Spindle and faceplate turning put grain differently relative to the axis
In typical spindle turning, grain runs mainly parallel to the rotation axis, as in a handle or table leg. In typical faceplate or bowl turning, grain runs mainly across the axis, as in a bowl blank. Faceplates and chucks are workholding methods; the name alone does not guarantee the grain orientation.
Turning removes material to make circular features. It does not bend the wood. Lathe Operations explains metal-lathe operations as a separate topic; wood turning has different tools and workholding practices.
Choose a drill bit for the hole's bottom, edge and diameter; Practice
Choose a drill bit for the hole's bottom, edge and diameter
| Bit | Useful result | Limit to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Twist | General holes in a range of diameters | The usual point leaves a conical bottom in a blind hole. |
| Brad-point | Accurately located holes with clean entry edges in wood | The center point projects beyond the cutting lips. |
| Forstner | Clean-sided blind recess with a largely flat bottom | Most leave a small center-point mark; “flat” does not mean perfectly featureless. |
| Spade | Economical larger holes where finish is less critical | Usually leaves a center-point recess and a rougher result. |
| Hole saw | Large through-hole by cutting around a core | Leaves a plug; it does not clear a flat-bottomed pocket. |
A drill press improves control of axis and depth; it does not make every bit suitable for every hole. Cutter geometry, workpiece support and setup still affect accuracy.