A Starter Set of Hand Tools
Which tools earn their place first, what each one is for, and how to spend a modest budget without duplication.
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Beginner Woodworking & Joinery
Hand tools, basic joints, and a safe bench to start from.
Olive Weekly collects plain-language notes for people taking up woodworking in Canada — what a first set of tools actually does, how the common joints hold together, and how to keep a small workshop safe.
Articles
Three places to begin
Each article stays close to one task. Read them in order or pick the one that matches the bench you have today.
Basic Wood Joints
The butt, dado, and dovetail explained by what they resist — and where each one belongs in simple projects.
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Safe Workshop Practices
Dust, sharp edges, and shop layout — practical habits that keep a home workshop in Canada usable and safe.
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What this site covers
Scope kept narrow on purpose
- Hand tools for cutting, paring, measuring, and clamping.
- Joints worked by hand: butt, dado, rabbet, mortise and tenon, dovetail.
- Sharpening and basic tool maintenance.
- Workshop dust, ventilation, and personal protective equipment.
- Wood movement and seasonal humidity across Canadian climates.
- Where to find Canadian safety guidance and local resources.
Contact
Send a question or correction
Notes on the articles are welcome. This form runs in the browser only and does not transmit data to a server.
Start with the bench you have
Read the hand tools guide, then work through one joint at a time. The articles are written to be read in any order.
Open the joinery article