So much has changed in my life this past year. Aside from a global pandemic that shut down most of the world, and the fact that I quit my job, and built my own business from scratch…I also started making everything I could think of at home. It may seem funny to so many but did you know that this time last year I was JUST getting started on my journey with crafting at home? I asked for a sewing machine for my birthday (I had no idea how to sew, heck I’m still a total beginner) and was beginning to realize slowly but surely just how far motivation could take me when it came to projects.
So many people feel intimidated when working with power tools and I am here to tell you that YOU CAN DO IT! It is always smart to be cautious but don’t let that hold you back.I am going to tell you my top F O U R tools that are perfect for beginners who want to make their own wooden toys. I could not live without when these tools when comes to making my projects at home. You can make just about anything with these and while they aren’t all NECESSARY, it saves you an insane amount of time and energy and will make your crafting actually enjoyable instead of torturous.
1) I have completely fallen in love with our a HAND SANDER this year. Sure, you can buy sand paper and do sanding by hand but when it comes to evening out cuts, removing bark and smoothing rough edges on toys, nothing beats an electric hand sander. They are such a friendly tool because really, you won’t get hurt using it. You won’t cut any limbs off and it is pretty self explanatory when it comes to using it. If you are making blocks, wooden tree houses, felted trees or anything with wood- these are amazing.
2) Jig saw. Y’all. You can make so much with this. Any time you see wavy or curved cuts, it is usually done with a jig or a scroll saw. I have mega plans with our jigsaw in the future to make little wooden trees and MAYBE even animals one day if I am brave. This was the handiest tool for making our waldorf tree house. Again, it isn’t that big so it doesn’t feel super dangerous using it. I know so many of us are intimidated when it comes to using tools but this is a super accessible saw and can do SO much.
3) A drill! How funny that I use the drill so much and it is rarely for screwing things together. I use it just to make holes in things! My wooden buttons, my little acorn toadstool mushroom logs…I used it to put my waldorf treehouse together…a drill is key. Having a drill and a nice set of different sized drill bits will allow you to create beads and buttons out of just about anything (perfect for fine-motor skills!) and you can build stuff with it too!
4) A circular saw. This is a great buy if you can’t invest in a miter saw but you want to do a lot of clean cuts. Honesty, it is a little intimidating to use, any saw is for me, but this one is handheld and SO safe to use that once you get over the feeling of it in your hands, you can do just about anything with it. If you are wanting to make blocks or felted trees or anything where you need to cut straight lines (and you can’t afford a miter saw) you can totally get by with this thing.
BONUS! If you are wanting to make anything with holes cut into the wood (peg doll cars, gemstone blocks, counting boards…) this forester drill bit set is SO handy to have on hand!
Did I miss anything? These are tools that I use all the time for my projects and honestly, without them, I don’t think I could do half the stuff I do. Of course you can use a handsaw and sand paper but it would take SO much more time, and with little ones running around, that is not something I have a lot of.
Also- I don’t have a fancy wood shop or tool shed or workspace. I use these tools outside when it isn’t raining and when it is raining well, I can’t use them. You don’t need a fancy space to use power tools, you just need a clear day and something to prop stuff up on. I’m almost always working on our porch and making the most of what I have!
How do you feel about power tools? What are your favorites?
Like it? Share it!
