Woodworkers are a decidedly fickle bunch. Each member of the community has his or her favorite brand, tools, and methods, and no two are exactly alike. Their pickiness can make shopping for gifts for woodworkers intimidating, but don’t despair: There are some universally appreciated products available that any artisan will enjoy.
Whether it’s a woodworking gift idea for dad, or simply presents for anyone who loves spending time in their woodshop, there’s a gift or two that will fit the bill. And we’re here to help you find them.
17 gifts for woodworkers
Woodworkers go through a lot of pencils, and many like to stash a few at each workstation. But, only top-quality pencils will do, and Ticonderoga fits the bill. These #2 pencils come pre-sharpened (though probably not sharp enough for veteran woodworkers), and they’re made from premium wood sourced from responsibly-managed forests.
It’s important that woodworkers have very sharp pencils on hand, but tips tend to break or dull over the course of the project. Rather than let accuracy fade, a shop-rugged pencil sharpener is a thoughtful woodworking gift idea. This X-Acto sharpener features metal construction and mounts to a wall, meaning it can hold up to the rigors of shop life while also being safely up and out of the way. It features dual helical cutters to create sharp, accurate points worthy of a woodshop.
These General Tools Stair Gauges act as guides for a variety of purposes, and they’re worth their weight in gold to woodworkers. They can clamp them to framing squares, combination squares, circular saw bases, and a variety of other tools to provide consistent, repeatable markings and cuts. And, since they’re high-quality brass, they’re more likely to get lost than ever wear out.
Woodworkers like to get into the zone, but that can be hard to do if their ears are ringing from loud power tools. Give them the gift of music and hearing protection with the 3M WorkTunes Connect ear muffs. They can connect these headphones to their smartphone and listen to their favorite streaming app for music or podcasts while simultaneously protecting themselves from dangerous decibel levels produced by power tools.
Workshop eye injuries, no matter how minor, are never fun for a woodworker. The problem is that eye protection is never nearby when they need it. But, with the Kleenguard 25679 Nemesis safety glasses, not only are they safety rated, but they also come with a handy lanyard for wearing around the neck. This keeps them nearby and convenient, meaning your favorite woodworker is more likely to wear them.
Woodworkers who don’t already own tool aprons definitely wish they do, making this one of the best gifts for woodworkers out there. This apron features heavy-duty waxed canvas to resist moisture, punctures, slashes, and other common workshop issues. Plus, it keeps sawdust out of shirt pockets and ensures that adhesives, paints, and caulks aren’t getting on clothing. The tool pockets keep small tools like chisels, punches, pencils, and other items organized, while the thick shoulder straps distribute the weight comfortably.
Like all craftspeople, woodworkers collect a lot of hardware, bits, bobs, and doohickeys, and keeping all that stuff organized is a lot of work. The Akro-Mils storage bin gives the gift of organization, allowing woodworkers to fill the individual bins as they see fit. It also hangs on the wall, saving precious workbench space.
After separating each nail, screw, biscuit, dowel, and hinge by category and size, they can remove the bins and bring them right to the workstation for easy access.
From squaring up a mortise to pairing down a dowel to a point, there are a ton of uses for chisels, making them excellent general carpentry gifts for anyone who loves working with wood. The Stanley Sweetheart set features eight sizes, and each has a hornbeam wood handle and high-carbon chrome steel blade. They also come with a leather chisel roll, keeping them in great shape.
If there is one tool that all avid woodworkers take seriously, it’s the hand plane, and they make great presents for woodworkers. This smoothing plane from Stanley features a thick, one-piece base and frog, and a planing iron made from A2 steel for edge retention. The handle is cherrywood, giving it a comfortable feel and plenty of control while removing milling and saw marks from the face of a board.
Chisels and planes need to be sharp to be effective and safe, so why not give your favorite woodworker what they need to keep them on point? The Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone features two stones: a 1,000-grit side for reshaping the blade and a 6,000-grit side for bringing it back to razor-sharp. It also comes with a non-slip bamboo base.
- Cheap
- Squeezes out glue in any orientation
- Tips can clog easily if not capped
Whether it’s a woodworking gift for dad or simply a present for a friend with a workshop, the FastCap Glu-Bot will show them you care. This glue bottle features a two-chamber design that allows the user to pinpoint glue application but also sucks the glue back inside when the user is done. There will be fewer drips, less clean-up, and less frustration—those are wins for any woodworker or carpenter.
If you want to empower a woodworker next time they head to the sawmill, give them a moisture meter like the MMD4E from General Tools. This digital moisture meter will provide a reading indicating how much moisture a board is retaining, allowing the woodworker to choose whether the price is worth the amount of time it will take to dry.
This one device can save them money and increase the accuracy of their projects, as their projects are less likely to split, separate, warp, or crack from drying.
Most woodworkers have a combination square, as these tools are incredibly helpful, and often a necessity. However, many might not own a 6-inch combination square like the Irwin Tools 6-Inch combination square. This model is small enough to fit in a tool apron for wearing around the shop but packs the same features as larger squares: Adjustable rule, built-in scoring pin, a level, and 90 and 45-degree angles.
Your woodworker or carpenter will be able to mark window reveals, trace alignment lines, and much more without wielding a large, full-size combination square.
Tape measures are great on a construction site, but there’s a big difference between the tolerances in a building and those involved in woodworking. This set of four steel rulers offers the type of accuracy skilled woodworkers crave, with etched markings down to 1/64 of an inch. The four sizes include 6, 8, 12, and 14 inches, allowing these discerning craftspeople the flexibility and variety they need to mark hinge, fastener, and mortise locations on almost any surface.
“I have enough clamps,” said no woodworker ever. Clamps are a basic assembly tool that every shop needs, making them an easy woodworking gift to pick out. This set of eight clamps features four quick clamps, two ratcheting squeeze clamps, and two basic squeeze clamps. While these eight clamps won’t solve every woodworker’s clamping needs, they’re sure to make an excellent addition to their shop.
For more than a decade, Japanese Ryoba pull saws have been all the rage, and that’s for good reason: They’re easier to use and more accurate than traditional handsaws. They also make great gifts for wood workers. This model from Rockler is top-notch, featuring two sides: a fine side with smaller teeth for finish work, and a coarse side with larger teeth for rough work. This saw cuts on the pull stroke and produces a very thin kerf, reducing friction between the blade and the workpiece and allowing straighter, more exact cuts.
For a unique woodworking gift, give your favorite woodworker or carpenter the gift of comfort. This infrared heater attaches directly to the top of a propane tank and will heat the objects in front of it, including tools and workpieces. It helps keep woodworkers’ from freezing during the cold months while also allowing them to focus on the job at hand, rather than blowing into their hands to retain feeling.