While many woods can be used for carving, there are some clear favorites, including aspen, basswood, butternut, black walnut, and oak.[23] Because it has almost no grain and is notably soft, Basswood is particularly popular with beginner carvers. It is used in many lower-cost instruments like guitars and electric basses.[23] Aspen is similarly soft, although slightly harder, and readily available and inexpensive.[23] Butternut has a deeper hue than basswood and aspen and has a nice grain that is easy to carve, and thus friendly for beginners. It is also suitable for furniture.[23] While more expensive than basswood, aspen, and butternut, black walnut is a popular choice for its rich color and grain.[23] Lastly, oak is a strong, sturdy, and versatile wood for carving with a defined grain. It is also a popular wood for furniture making.[23]
Tools
[edit]
Each area of woodworking requires a different variation of tools. Power tools and hand tools are both used for woodworking. Many modern woodworkers choose to use power tools in their trade for the added ease and to save time. However, many woodworkers still choose to use only hand tools for several reasons such as tradition, the experience and the added character to the work, while some choose to use only hand tools simply for their own enjoyment.
Hand tools
[edit]
Hand tools are classified as tools that receive power only from the hands that are holding them. Edged hand woodworking tools need to be sharpened which is done using the sharpening jig and sharpening stone. A more novel method involves the use of sandpaper.[24] The more common modern hand tools are:
| Clamps |
 Woodworking clamps. Top left two are f-style clamps. On the right is a quick-grip Irwin clamp. In the bottom middle is a spring clamp. |
Clamps are used to hold a workpiece while being worked. Clamps vary in all shapes and sizes from small c-clamps to very large bar or strap clamps.[25] A vise is a form of clamp, temporarily or permanently mounted as required. A woodworking vise is a vise specialized to the needs of a woodworker; numerous types have evolved. |
|---|---|---|
| Chisels |
 Five woodworking wood chisels |
Chisels are tools with a long blade, a cutting edge, and a handle. Used for cutting and shaping wood or other materials.[25] |
| Claw hammer |
 A common hammer, the claw hammer, used in woodworking and other activities |
The claw hammer, which can hammer, pry, and pull nails, is the most common hammer used in woodworking.[25] |
| Hand plane |
 Two woodworking hand planes |
A hand plane is used to surface aspects of a workpiece. |
| Square |
 A try square. A common style of square in woodworking usually used for 90 degree angles |
The square is used to mark angles on any workpiece. An adjustable square also includes a ruler. A speed square can mark 90 and 45-degree fixed angles and any angle between 0 and 90 degrees using its long axis.[25] |
| Tape measure |
 Tape measure |
A tape measure is a retractable or flexible ruler that has measurement increments as small as 1/32″ or 1 millimetre. |
| Handsaw |
 Three old handsaws |
A handsaw, according to Cambridge University, “a saw that is operated by hand rather than using electricity or a motor.”[26] |
| Files & Rasps |
 Top two are files. The bottom (orange-handled) tool is a rasp. |
Both files and rasps are used to grind down wood material either to make the surface flat, rounded, concaved, or many other shapes. Rasps make deeper cuts while files make smaller and less harsh cuts on the wood. The difference between the two is mainly their teeth size.[27] |
Power tools
[edit]
Power tools are tools that are powered by an external energy such as a battery, motor, or a power cable connected to a wall outlet. The more common power tools are:[25]
| Drill |
_drill.jpg) Cordless electric power drill. |
The drill is a tool used to drill a hole or to insert a screw into a workpiece.[25] |
|---|---|---|
| Palm sander |
 Two palm sanders. Left sander is an orbital palm sander. The sander on the right is a mouse sander. Which uses vibration instead of orbital motions. |
A palm sander is a small powered sander that uses either a vibration or orbital motion to move a piece of sand paper upon the workpiece making very fine modifications in smoothing your product.[25] |
| Compound miter saw |
 Electric compound miter saw. |
A compound miter saw, also known as a chop saw is a stationary saw used for making precise cuts across the grain path of a board. These cuts can be at any chosen angle that the particular saw is capable of.[25] |
| Table saw |
 Electric plug-in tablesaw for woodworking. |
A table saw is intended to make long precise cuts along the grain pattern of the board known as rip cuts. Most table saws offer the option of a beveled rip cut.[25] |
| Thickness planer | A thickness planer is used to smooth the surface of a board and make it the exact thickness across the entire board.[25] | |
| Jointer |
.jpg) Powermatic jointer for woodworking. |
A jointer is used to produce a flat surface along a board’s length and to create a square (or 90°) edge between two adjoining surfaces.[25] |
| Band saw |
 Plug-in band saw. |
A band saw[25] is used to make both irregularly shaped cuts and cuts through material thicker than a table saw can manage. It is much more robust[28] than the jigsaw or more delicate scroll saw, also regularly used in woodworking. |
| Drill press |
.jpg) Older drill press. Floor mounted drill press. |
A drill press is an important tool used in woodworking. It is similar to a hand drill, but is a table/floor mounted machine that uses a shaft with a spring loaded handle to lower the drill bit into the wood or material. A hand drill is used by many woodworkers, but a drill press is even more accurate and powerful.[29] |
| Drum sander | A drum sander is a machine that uses a wide rotating sandpaper drum to sand down a piece of wood as it rolls through the tool. Similar to a planer in how it operates; but instead of blades, a drum sander uses sandpaper.[30] |
