Three complete, ready-to-shop tool setups. Start with a beginner kit under $750, step up to an intermediate shop under $1,500, or build the full pro shop at $4,000 and up. Every tool is a real, current pick with a price and a link.
The companion workbook
by Sam Whitaker
Plan a garage or basement shop on paper before you buy the first machine: layout, electrical, dust collection, air, heating and lighting worksheets, plus a tool buying order and maintenance logs. The formulas are the same ones behind the calculators on this site.
Paperback on Amazon →A printable one-page checklist of every starter tool below, with budget tiers, so you can take it to the store or shop it online. Enter your email and we will send you straight to the download.
A workshop is not one purchase, it is a stack of tools that have to work together: a bench to work on, a drill to drive fasteners, a saw or two to make cuts, a sander to finish, clamps to hold the work, a way to measure and mark, dust control to keep the air clean, and safety gear so you can do it all again tomorrow. Each setup below keeps those pieces in balance for a given budget so nothing is the weak link. Click any tool to view it on Amazon. Prices change often, so treat the totals as a planning snapshot.
A first kit for a corner of the garage. Enough tool to build shelves, furniture, and small projects without overspending on any one item. Everything here is corded or single-battery and easy to learn on.
Buy first: the drill, circular saw, tape, square, and safety gear (about $190 total). That combination builds shelves and simple furniture on day one. Skip for now: a table saw and dust collector; the shop vac handles cleanup at this stage. Keep our pilot hole chart and sandpaper grit chart handy for those first builds, and use the workshop cost calculator to plan the rest.
Folds flat to store, with built-in clamps to hold work. A solid first bench for tight spaces.
The workhorse you will reach for every project. Comes with two batteries, charger, and bag.
Breaks down sheet goods and makes straight cuts in lumber. The most-used saw in a starter shop.
Fast, accurate crosscuts and angles for trim and framing. Lightweight and budget-friendly.
Smooths surfaces without swirl marks. The built-in dust box keeps the bench clean.
You can never have too many. Hold glue-ups and steady stock while you work.
Self-locking blade and fraction marks make layout faster and less error-prone.
Checks 45 and 90 degrees, marks lines, and sets blade depth. A layout essential.
Doubles as dust pickup for your saw and sander and general shop cleanup.
Keep a pair at every station. Anti-fog lenses stay clear while you work.
Saws and sanders are loud. Foldable, comfortable hearing protection you will actually wear.
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A dedicated shop for someone building regularly. Stationary saws for repeatable cuts, a combo kit for cordless flexibility, real dust collection, and tighter measuring tools.
Buy first: the table saw and dust collector as a pair; the saw unlocks repeatable rips and the collector keeps the air workable (size it with the dust collection calculator). Skip for now: the sliding miter saw if you already own a working chop saw; upgrade it after the saw and dust are handled. Match blades to your cuts with the saw blade guide.
A permanent 2,500 lb bench with storage built in, so tools have a home and the top stays clear.
Adds an impact driver for driving long screws and lags without stripping. Two tools, two batteries.
A step up in power and accuracy for breaking down sheets and rough lumber.
Slides to crosscut wider boards and bevels both directions. A big jump in capacity over a chop saw.
The heart of a woodworking shop: repeatable rip cuts and a fence you can trust.
Variable speed and a hook-and-loop pad for faster, cleaner finishing on bigger projects.
Heavier-duty F-clamps with 600 lb load limit for stronger glue-ups and assemblies.
Fast square marks and a saw guide for circular-saw crosscuts. A shop standard.
Reads to a thousandth of an inch for joinery, hardware, and stock thickness.
Pulls chips straight off the table saw and miter saw so the shop stays breathable. Use our dust collection calculator to confirm CFM.
A real half-mask for sanding and finishing dust, far better than a disposable paper mask.
Low-profile muffs that stay out of the way when you are leaning into a cut.
Prices update on Amazon and change often. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
A no-compromise shop for daily, demanding work. Brushless cordless, a track saw and a serious table saw, a 12" slider, two-stage dust control, and commercial-grade safety gear.
Buy first: the table saw plus the HEPA extractor, then the track saw; that trio covers sheet goods and solid stock with clean air from day one (check machine airflow against the dust collector CFM chart). Skip for now: the 12" slider if a 10" saw already covers your trim widths, and add clamps as projects demand rather than all at once. Adding air tools later? Size the compressor with the air tool CFM chart.
A rolling bench and full tool chest in one, with a locking system and a hardwood top.
Brushless motors run cooler and longer per charge. The everyday cordless pair for a pro.
Furniture-grade straight cuts in sheet goods without a full panel saw. Replaces a lot of table-saw ripping.
The benchmark portable saw: huge rip capacity, a rack-and-pinion fence, and a rolling stand.
Wide crosscut capacity and an LED shadow line for dead-on cuts. A shop you keep for decades.
The kit version with a carry bag for a sander that lives on the bench every day.
Flat-jaw parallel clamps keep panels square under heavy clamping pressure.
Long bars for big glue-ups and a framing kit so clamps double as an assembly table.
Roll-around collection for the stationary tools, with a 1-micron bag for finer dust.
HEPA extraction for the track saw and sander, with automatic start when a tool runs.
Precise stock and joinery measurements you can trust to the thousandth.
Both sizes for marking and guiding cuts on small parts and full sheets.
Low-profile P100 protection for all-day fine-dust work without fogging glasses.
Comfortable enough to wear through a full day of stationary tool work.
Prices update on Amazon and change often. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
