The Makers Guide

A complete set of essential dovetail joinery tools, including a Dozuki saw, marking knife, chisels, and gauges.
Luca Dal Molin | March 07, 2026
Essential Dovetail Joinery Tools for Cutting Clean Hand-Cut Dovetails

Master the fundamentals with the right dovetail joinery tools and learn how to cut clean, precise hand-cut dovetails. From marking knives to Japanese saws, discover how each tool contributes to accuracy and fit. 

A selection of woodworking mallets and hammers displayed neatly on a traditional oak workbench with chisels and a hand plane in a workshop.
Luca Dal Molin | March 05, 2026
How to Choose the Right Mallet or Hammer for Woodworking

Choosing the right woodworking hammers is about control, not force. From joiner’s mallets to brass woodworking hammers, each tool protects your chisels and improves precision. Upgrade your impact tools and safeguard the quality of your work.

A close-up photograph of a wooden workbench with a block plane, a set of chisels, a square, and a hand saw arranged on its surface.
Luca Dal Molin | February 25, 2026
Essential Hand Tools for Cabinet Making and Fine Furniture

Cabinet making tools are the foundation of precise furniture building. From layout squares to shoulder planes and router planes, each tool plays a specific role in creating accurate, refined joinery. Discover the essential system every serious cabinetmaker should master.

Essential woodworking hand tools for beginners including Japanese ryoba saw, bevel edge chisels, marking knife, combination square and joiner’s mallet
Luca Dal Molin | February 23, 2026
Buy Once, Buy Right: The 5 Hand Tools Beginners Actually Need

Buy Once, Buy Right: The 5 Hand Tools Beginners Actually Need is your minimalist guide to building a lifetime toolkit. Learn why cheap 100-piece sets fail and which five precision tools truly matter.

Selection of Luban hand planes arranged on a woodworking bench
Luca Dal Molin | February 19, 2026
Choosing the Right Hand Plane: From Smoothing to Joinery with Luban Hand Planes

Luban hand planes reward sharpness, control, and understanding of grain. This guide explains how different planes perform in real workshop conditions and how to choose the right one for precise woodworking.

Pairing chisel being struck with a wooden mallet while chopping a deep rectangular mortise.
Luca Dal Molin | February 17, 2026
Choosing the Right Chisels and Gouges for Woodworking

Woodworking chisels define the fit of every joint. Learn how to choose between bench and mortise chisels, Narex and Japanese steel, and build a core set that lasts.