Manufacturing technology has come a long way over the last several decades, and power tools make things easier than ever. Whether you’re looking to start your own professional manufacturing business or just setting up a private workshop at home, here are the five power tools every wood manufacturer needs.
Circular Saw
A circular saw is probably one of the first power tools you’ll obtain as a wood manufacturer. People use them for all kinds of tasks, especially when you need to cut large pieces of timber down into smaller sizes for your project. If you end up needing to add non-wood materials to your project, your circular saw will cut through most metals, masonry, and sheet goods.
Table Saw
A table saw may seem like it’s just a circular saw mounted on a table, but there’s a lot more to this tool than you might think. Table saws are much better than circular saws at precise cuts, like rabbet joints and compound angles. When you want a seamless connection between two pieces of wood, precision is the key ingredient.
Bandsaw Tool
Like the table saw, the bandsaw is useful for making precise cuts in your projects. However, since it has a slender, vertical blade, you can make a wider variety of cuts with a bandsaw. It’s especially useful for cutting circles and irregular shapes. Pay attention to any signs that you need to replace your bandsaw tire to avoid unnecessary wear on your machine.
Electric Sander
Unless you like getting splinters, you’ll definitely want a sander in your workshop. You can use a sander to smooth down rough edges and even finish the surfaces of your projects. Without a sander, you’ll be stuck doing the finishing by hand, and that’s a lot of elbow grease.
Power Drill
Small but mighty, the power drill is another power tool every wood manufacturer needs. Not only will a power drill let you carve out pilot holes, but it can also drill screws into the wood directly—no need for a second step. Given that wood can be a very strong material, it’s best to let the power tools do the heavy lifting for you.
Power tools make wood manufacturing a lot easier and faster. When you have the right tools, the only limits are your creativity and technical skills.
