Tool Guides | Common Woodworking

Blog Guides

10 Free Beginner Woodworking Projects

Simple projects make for a great learning opportunity. Putting the joinery you have practised into a practical project can really help you understand the need for accuracy and square stock.

Buying a Coping saw

When buying a coping saw, look for a frame which is lightweight, rigid and strong, as this will hold the blade securely and taut. Paul Sellers finds the wooden handles are more comfortable. The han...

Buying a Dovetail Saw

When buying a dovetail saw you need to ensure that it has good, resharpenable steel and has a strong back. Like tenon saws, these can be brass or steel-backed. The main difference is that the steel...

Buying a Gent's Saw

Paul recommends the 10" (25cm) with 15-17 PPI. There are many different names on the saw plate but only one chief maker. They usually come in different lengths, but the 10" is the ideal length. Al...

Buying a Panel Saw

When choosing a saw, a second hand one can last you years, if it has been well looked after. However, you should be prepared to sharpen them, as they often will arrive dull. If a saw has more than ...

Buying a Tenon Saw

Paul Sellers recommends a 12” tenon saw with 14-16 PPI. You can get brass-backed or steel-backed ones. The steel-backed saws are slightly lighter in weight, so it is down to personal preference. Ho...

Dovetail Troubleshooting- Part 1

We opened up our postbox for beginners to send in one of their first dovetail to get advice as to why it may not be the standard they had hoped for.

Dovetail Troubleshooting- Part 2

We opened up our postbox for beginners to send in one of their first dovetail to get advice as to why it may not be the standard they had hoped for.

Get Started in Woodworking for under £100 ($121)

Starting a new hobby can be expensive, however with our buying guides, Paul advises you on buying the right tools for your beginners toolbox to help you get started in woodworking.

Have Your Say!

Is there a tool you can’t quite get sharp enough? A technique you keep trying but can’t master? Are your joints not coming together as you had hoped?

How to do Woodworking Without a Workbench

Our recent survey found that over 30% of the Common Woodworking audience didn't have any kind of workbench. To many, this will be the obstacle standing between them and practical woodworking. Howev...

How to Make a Shaker Candle Box: Episode 1

Many new to woodworking find the concept of hand-cutting dovetails intimidating, and yet it is one of the most fundamental joints used in the craft. Dovetails are the joints we use for making all kinds of boxes, large and small.

How to Make a Shaker Candle Box: Episode 2

How to Make a Shaker Candle Box: Episode 3

Two things Paul has always noticed to be intimidating to woodworkers are recessed or mortised hinge setting and applying finish. Following these steps will give you the confidence and success you want.

How to Make a Wall Shelf: Episode 1

How to Make a Wall Shelf: Episode 2

How to Make a Wall Shelf: Episode 3

Launching Common Woodworking

The day has finally arrived to launch Common Woodworking! Over the last year we have been working to create content which will guide and encourage beginners to get into woodworking, regardless of t...

MAKING YOUR FIRST WORKBENCH

You're learning the basics of woodworking but what more do you need to know to make your first workbench? Below are the 6 basic skills you need to have learnt and the 12 tools you should have and f...

New Year, New Projects

As the new year approaches we have been reflecting on everything we've done these past few months.

Paul Sellers- The Lifestyle Woodworker

For those of you who don't know, Paul Sellers is one of the best known hand tool woodworkers in the world. His knowledge and experience has allowed him to become a well respected figure in the worl...

Paul’s Top Woodworking Tips: Part 1

Having worked with hand tools for over 50 years, Paul adopted many tips and tricks to help him in his everyday woodworking. In this blog post we’ve shared some of his favourites in the hope you fin...

Paul’s Top Woodworking Tips: Part 2

In this blog we are continuing to share some of Paul's favourite woodworking tips he has collected over the years. You can catch up with Part 1 here.

Paul's Top Woodworking Tips: Part 3

In this blog we are continuing to share some of Paul's favourite woodworking tips he has collected over the years. You can catch up with part 1 and part 2 here.

Reading the Grain: A Beginners Guide

If you can understand what’s going to affect the hand tool that you work the wood with, you can shorten the time spent working against the grain. In this guide you will learn all you need to know a...

How To Make a Rounded Card Scraper

This is known as a ‘curved’ or ‘round’ scraper and is mainly used for refining a bowl shape carved into wood.

Want Feedback on Your Dovetail Joinery?

We have created our step-by-step courses to suit beginner woodworkers, they have visuals accompanying each step along with a written description breaking down the process. However, you might find t...

Sharpening Your Hand Tools: A Beginners Guide

Learning to sharpen your tools is a useful skill to have and one which we recommend you learn early on. It will save you lots of time if you're using well sharpened tools and you will get cleaner r...

"They're just like the Aldi Chisels!"

Paul first tried out a set of chisels bought from the supermarket chain, Aldi 9 year ago. Paul was so impressed with them he bought enough sets for students to use in his woodworking school.

Tips for a Beginner Woodworker

Getting started in woodworking? These top tips for a beginner show the importance of getting into good habits right from the start of your woodworking journey.

What Level Woodworker Are You?

We recently put out a survey to find out a bit more about our sites users. We asked what level each user considered themselves and what projects they have made, if any.

What's New?

Since our launch date we have published many more free guides, exercises and courses. We really appreciate anyone who has got in touch over the last few months, your feedback has been used to help ...

Where to Start

With a new year comes new resolutions and we hope woodworking is one of yours! It can be daunting starting a new hobby, especially with all the information on the internet, it can be difficult to k...

Woodworking in Small Spaces

Paul’s studio and workshop is the size of a single car garage, this is because we did a survey a few years ago asking what space you work in. Most people came back letting us know it was a double o...

Woodworking Masterclasses or Common Woodworking?

With so much woodworking information out there, it is overwhelming for a beginner to get started. The aim of our site is to help new woodworkers learn the basics and to build skills which will enab...

Your First Woodworking Project

For someone getting started in woodworking, tools and skills may both be lacking so to get you started, we recommend starting with a project which doesn't require many tools.

Buying Guides

Buying a #80 Scraper

Paul found that, although the Faithfull #80 Scraper is similar to the Stanley, the blade was thinner and sharpened to the wrong angle. Although it turned out to be easier to sharpen, it didn't work...

Buying a Brace

A secondhand swing brace should last a lifetime if it has been well looked after. We recommend buying secondhand, as there are lots available which are not worn down. They are also much less expens...

Buying a Card Scraper

Paul recommends a Veritas scraper as the steel takes a good edge, the hardness is just right – not too brittle – and they flex well. They come in a set of 4 rectangular scrapers (listed as Veritas ...

Buying a Chisel

When buying chisels, you will usually find a set of 4 or a set of 6. The set of 4 includes the 4 most common sizes, listed below, and the set of 6 includes the two additional sizes:

Buying a Chisel Hammer

Called a chisel hammer by Paul Sellers, when being sold they can be listed as a 'nylon hammer', 'assembly hammer' or even a 'soft-faced hammer'. Paul prefers a nylon faced hammer, (31-712R Thorex N...

Buying a Combination Gauge

Buying a combination gauge is more cost effective, as it essentially combines the marking and mortise gauge into one gauge. Paul recommends the type that have pins rather than discs, as the discs t...

Buying a File

Guide updated on 18th April 2019 to recommend Bahco.

Buying a Gouge

Paul recommends the Ashley Iles No7 37mm straight gouge for use in spoon and bowl carving. He also uses and recommends Pfeil and Hirsch in similar size and sweep. However, these brands are not alwa...

Buying a Hammer

Stanley and Brades are both good makes of hammer to look out for. These are quite difficult to find at the ideal 10oz weight. If you struggle to find one, go for a 12oz instead. eBay often have goo...

Buying a Plane

Paul Sellers recommends the Bailey-pattern #4, as it usually suits the build or stature of most people. If you have a slightly smaller stature, the #3 might suit better. Paul uses the #4 and #4½ th...

Buying a Plough Plane

Paul enjoys using a secondhand Record 043 or 044 plough plane. However, they are no longer in production as new models. So far, they have been readily available via eBay. You can sometimes get a go...

Buying a Rasp

Guide updated on 18th April 2019 to recommend the Narex Rasp.

Buying a Router Plane

Paul would recommend that you make your own router plane. He says “it’s as easy to make as a dovetail box”. The videos and technical drawings are available on Woodworking Masterclasses

Buying a Sawset

Paul recommends buying a secondhand sawset as they are cheaper and rarely wear out. These are readily found on eBay and also in secondhand outlets, such as flea markets and car boot sales. When buy...

Buying a Sliding Bevel

You can certainly make do with only one sliding bevel, but in some larger projects you may be laying out several different angles throughout. In such instances, it is beneficial to set a separate s...

Buying a Spokeshave

PLEASE NOTE: We have noticed a discrepancy between different models of the Draper spokeshave we previously recommended. Therefore, we do not recommend buying the Draper at present. The Stanley belo...

Buying a Square

Paul Sellers recommends a 12" (300mm) combination square, as this should be suitable for almost all woodworking projects. He has found that, unlike the better quality combination square, the try sq...

Buying a Woodworker’s Knife

When buying a woodworker's knife you should look for a thin, strong, flat blade. Don't be put off by the disposable blade options as some of these can be sharpened and last up to 2 years. Paul reco...

Buying Diamond Stones

When buying diamond stones, Paul suggests getting a coarse stone between 120-400 grit (250 is best), a fine stone between 600-1000 (600 is best) and a super-fine between 1200-1500 (1200 is best).

Buying Saws

Consumables

Paul likes to avoid waxes with Toluene in as this can be harmful. Furniture wax can be applied as a frictionless polish on top of shellac.

General Guides

The #80 Scraper Guide

Commonly mistaken for an oversized spokeshave, the #80 scraper slices the wood in a similar way to, but not the same as, a plane. Despite the tool’s name, the scraper does not scrape as such, but c...

General Tool/ Accessories Guide

This is used alongside the pencil to remove layout lines. Pencil lines are useful to have when constructing the project and the eraser can then be used to remove them once the project has been asse...

The Card Scraper Guide

The card scraper is a plate of sheet steel which is sharpened along the full length of the long edges and relies on careful precision throughout the sharpening process. The card scraper performs mu...

The Chisel Guide

Chisels are one of the most commonly used tools in the history of woodworking. They are made up of a steel blade attached either to a wooden or plastic handle. Chisel hammers and wooden mallets are...

The Chisel Hammer Guide

Chisel hammer is the term used by Paul Sellers to describe the hammer that he recommends for use in striking the end of the chisel handle and assembling joinery. It can be made from nylon, steel or...

The Combination Gauge Guide

The combination gauge has 4 main parts: the wooden stem, the wooden stock, the setscrew and the marking pins. The stock has a lock system on it to allow it to keep the distance from the pin. This e...

The File Guide

Files have teeth which span the width of the working face on a diagonal slant. The teeth come in different sizes which affects the depth of the gullets and thereby the depth the file teeth cut into...

The Gouge Guide

A gouge is similar to a chisel in the way that it looks, as it has a handle and a metal blade. However, the gouge has a rounded blade which is mainly used for carving.

The Hammer Guide

Several types of hammers are used in woodworking, coming in different weights starting at 6oz and going up to 38oz. This guide will be focusing on the Warrington hammer as this is the one Paul Sell...

The Plane Guide

There are many different types of tools under the term plane. These tools all have a blade fixed at an angle inside a metal or wooden body; some of them include:

The Plough Plane Guide

The plough (plow USA) plane creates channel grooves by removing material from the middle of a piece of wood, leaving two outside edges. The plane has a guide or fence, which runs along the undersid...

The Rasp Guide

A rasp is similar looking to a file in terms of shape. However, their working faces are significantly different. Rasps have individually raised teeth, referred to as stitches, evenly dotted over t...

The Router Plane Guide

This page covers the ins and outs of working with a standard router plane. In order to provide a more affordable alternative, without compromising on utility and effectiveness, Paul has come up wit...

Sash Clamps

Sash clamps are used to hold together projects for an extended period of time. This is usually when gluing up, to ensure the parts don’t move while the glue dries. They can also be used for tempora...

The Saws Guide

A Note on the Term ‘Handsaw’: Technically all saws can be classed under the term ‘handsaws’, as this is a general term for all saws used by hand (not machines). However, the term ‘handsaws’ can als...

The Sawset Guide

A sawset is used to carefully and accurately bend the teeth of a saw to develop a kerf wider than the saw plate. This prevents binding as the saw passes into and through the cut. The sawset bends t...

The Sliding Bevel Guide

The sliding bevel is a layout tool which is essential for accurate and precise woodwork. It is made up of two parts, the beam and the stock, both of which can move on an axis. These can be fixed us...

The Spokeshave Guide

Spokeshaves are highly versatile woodworking tools used for shaping and smoothing wood. They work similarly to bench planes. The main difference between the two is that bench planes are generally f...

The Square Guide

The set square is used to ensure the accuracy of layout lines and cuts made with other tools. It must always be accurate because otherwise subsequent work will result in lower levels of quality.

The Swing Brace Guide

A traditional woodworking brace is used to bore holes from ¼” in diameter and up, in increments of 1/16” to 1 ½”, which are often too big for a hand drill. They can create cleaner work than power t...

The Woodworker's Knife Guide

The woodworker’s knife has a thin steel blade attached to a handle. Sometimes the steel blade is retractable or folds. These can also be known as scoring, striking, marking or layout knives. They g...

How-to Guides

How To Choose Wood

We have listed the common characteristics of each wood group to help you choose wood. Although the following applies to the majority of hardwoods and softwoods, there are some exceptions.

How to Apply Shellac

In this guide Paul will show you how to apply shellac to your project. This can be adapted depending on the project and the coverage you want to achieve.

How to Make a Dovetail Template

Note: This guide will show you how to make the handy, reusable template which will help in dovetail layout to save time and ensure accuracy. Once you have made one, test it out by using our free Do...

How to Make a Rag-in-a-Can Oiler

Note: Some oils spontaneously combust. See Paul's blog post here. Do not use these in the rag-in-a-can-oiler.

How to Make a Sharpening Stones Holder

In this guide, Paul shows you how to make a sharpening stones holder which can be clamped in the vise for ease of use.

How To Make a Strop

For this, you will need:

How to Choose a Wood Finish

Before finishing, sand your project or section with 240 grit sandpaper. This gives the surface texture (also known as ‘tooth’) and gives the finish something to cling to. If your wood is oily (like...

Sharpening Guides

Saw Files

Saw files can also be known as triangular files or three-square files. They often have single cut teeth across the full width of each facet of the file and can come in many different variations inc...

Setting Up and Sharpening a Combination Gauge

To see a video on centring the gauge, click here.

Setting Up a Hammer

Note: This guide is on both chisel hammers and warrington hammers.

Setting Up Rasps and Files

A rasp and file cannot generally be sharpened and do not need setting up. However, you can prolong their life by taking good care of them. Most of the time the sawdust which builds up in between th...

Setting Up a Sliding Bevel

Some sliding bevels have a rounded loop at the end of the beam. Where the straight edges join the rounded edge there is often a pointed edge, which can sometimes get in the way of marking out. Paul...

Setting Up a Square

To check if your square is accurate, you can use a piece of paper or card stock as, due to their manufacturing techniques, they are very accurately square. Put your square on the long side of the p...

Setting Up and Sharpening a Woodworker's Knife

Note: Be careful when sharpening as the tools will become very sharp. Always face the blade away from you when sharpening.

Setting Up and Sharpening a #80 Scraper

Whilst working on a flat surface, turn the adjusters to loosen the retaining bar and load the blade into the holder. The 45 degree angle should be facing the back. Pinch the bar and blade against t...

Setting up and Sharpening a Swing Brace and Bit

If you have purchased your brace secondhand, ensure all the parts move freely without friction. If not, you can oil these parts to ease up the friction. There is usually an oil hole where the neck ...

Sharpening a Card Scraper

Draw the file along the 2 long edges by pushing the file away from you. Small steel spirals should appear from the edges as a result of the filing.

Setting Up and Sharpening a Chisel

Note: Be careful when sharpening as the tools will become very sharp. Always face the blade away from you when sharpening.

Sharpening a Gouge

Note: This is the sharpening process of an out-cannel gouge.

Setting Up and Sharpening a Plane

Note: Be careful when sharpening as the tools will become very sharp. Always face the blade away from you when sharpening.

Sharpening a Plough Plane

When buying second hand, the plough plane may be sticky with grease or rusty. This can be cleaned using a wire brush and abrasive paper. Your plough plane may also arrive in multiple parts. Start b...

Sharpening a Router Plane

Setting Up and Sharpening a Saw

This applies to all saws, except the coping saw, which does not need sharpening as it comes with replacement blades. To see how to insert the blades, click here.

Setting Up and Sharpening a Spokeshave

Note: Be careful when sharpening as the tools will become very sharp. Always face the blade away from you when sharpening.

Sharpening Tools and Accessories

Note: These methods work best for tools with a cutting edge, to read about saw files, click here.