MicroJig Grr-Ripper
The MicroJig Grr-Ripper has an awesome reputation for making it easier to cut thin pieces of wood on a table saw without putting your fingers at risk. This tool is easy-to-use and adds another layer of protection to keep her digits safe.
Sarah Listi at Tool Girl’s Garage loves hers. “I have a major love affair with the GRR-RIPPER from @microjig! I may have a @sawstopsaws table saw, but extra safety measures are always a plus. Usually I have more self control and photograph a tool before I use it, this time around, I just couldn’t wait! I’ve this a few times on my Router Table too, and I love how well it works there too.”
Face Mask
Pretty much any time mom is working with power tools, there’s gonna be dust — but that won’t stop her from doing what she does. Treating her with a RZ Mask is a great way to show your support for both her craft and her health.
Even DIY Huntress uses one of these masks: “Shoutout to @rz_mask for surprising me with this killer mask for my baby sized face! Doesn't hurt that it matches all of my tools either!”
Straight Edge
Makers gonna make, no matter what it takes. And sometimes that means using a makeshift straight edge. You don’t need to break the bank on a state-of-the-art track saw — the Bora WTX Clamp Edge gets you the same results at a fraction of the price.
She’s the Carpenter uses it when she breaks down plywood to build furniture: “I’ve shown the @bora_tool clamp before in my stories but I had to show it off as it saved me today as I cut away at tons of plywood for an entertainment center. So easy. Makes me shake my head when I think of how I used to try other methods before I bought this.”
Pneumatic Nailer
If your lady runs her own small business selling DIY furniture or décor, a pneumatic nailer is an awesome tool that can help her work faster — giving her the chance to take on more orders and spend more time with family.
Brandi at Eternal Harvest Décor can’t get enough of hers. “#tooltuesday I have to feature this @dewalttough pneumatic nailer every few weeks! I have a top five tool list and this one is on it! It’s been one of the best tools I’ve ever purchased (and they aren’t sponsoring me). I just love it. It is pretty tough and the battery lasts a long time. I don’t have to wait for any warm up it’s just ready to go at all times. If you’ve been thinking about getting one, do it!”
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Listening to music is a key part of the creative process for many people — and if the DIY mom in your life is one of them, ISOtunes Audio Headphones will make the perfect gift. These noise-cancelling headphones are also great because they’re Bluetooth — no cord to get caught in power tools.
This review from Amazon couldn’t be more relevant: “I purchased the ISOtunes for my woodshop and could not be more pleased with their performance. They greatly reduce the decibel level of my loud machines and allow me to listen to music and not miss important text messages or calls.”
Clamps
Project assembly requires the right tools — and few tools are as important here as clamps! Bora parallel clamps are highly rated and come in a variety of lengths to accommodate glue-ups of all sizes.
Abby at Rustic Lumber Works gets good use out of hers building industrial rustic coffee tables and end tables.
Jig Saw
Maybe she’s just getting started in woodworking, or maybe there’s just not enough space in the workshop — either way, a jig saw is a great tool to help her bring her unique visions to life! Jig saws from trusted brands like DeWalt are great because they’ll hold up to anything she throws at them.
Jenny of Sacred Cinder will vouch for her jig saw any day: “If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know the jigsaw is my favorite tool. {I realize it’s not a popular tool} All of my cutouts are done with it, and we get along. People tell me all the time, ‘girl, get a scroll saw!’ Okay sure. I’d love one. But, I have no space and my jigsaw works for the time being. I do my best with what I have and make the most of it. So, don’t ever let someone tell you should have a better tool for a job. If it works for you, then rock it! Everyone’s space and budget is different. I’m a huge advocate for ‘making the most out of what you have’. There’s no rules with making, just do it!”
Tool Belt
Woodworkers often joke about losing a tool they just had in their hand — because it’s true! Save your lady from lost tools and time with a tool belt like this one from Custom Leathercraft.
This Amazon review from Victoria F. is brief but emphatic: “Perfect for when you need just a small amount of tools, but also need them handy! DIYer and Home Renos — YOU NEED THIS!”
Mobile Base
If the garage or shed is her main workspace, she probably doesn’t have much room for machines like a lathe or table saw. A mobile base like the Bora PM-1100 means she can store machines out of the way when she’s not using them, so it opens up space for her to do other work.
Eternal Harvest Décor works out of her garage and loves that her jointer is mobile. “My #tooltuesday goes to this @bora_tool mobile base! I love this thing and I want like 20 more sets lol. It’s made it easy for me to move this 200lbs jointer around my shop!! That’s sayin’ something.”
Moisture Meter
Whether she’s just starting out on her woodworking journey or been at it for a couple years, a Moisture Meter is a great tool to help her find higher quality wood. Small but mighty, this tool will definitely get a lot of use!
Glam Farmhouse uses hers all the time to make sure her lumber is dry enough not to warp over time. “When picking wood, I try to pick board under 15% and then let them dry to around 7% before building to avoid warping over time. I feel like recently all the boards Home Depot has are around 30% #ugh I was able to find enough for what I need. But this thing is a life saver. When I first started building I wasn’t educated on moisture content. Def something I would recommend educating yourself on if you’re a new builder!”
Router
A router is a great tool the DIY mom in your life can use to create more intricate and unique projects. A little handheld router like the Ryobi one Sweet Aloha Designs uses here will make it much easier for her to bring her visions to life.
“This was my first time using a trim router. Let me just say, I love this fella! It's one of my most used smaller power tools.”
Lumber Rack
Many women running their own DIY and woodworking businesses operate out of a small shed or garage, where there’s minimal storage space at best. Make her life easier with a wall-mounted 6-Level or 4-Level Lumber Storage Rack to open up floor space and hold hundreds of pounds of wood.
Jess at Crow Creek Designs can seriously vouch for the sturdiness of these racks! “Sometimes my shop seems huge, but in fact it is just under 900 sq. ft. I've been using these for a long time; I actually have 4 of then holding slabs in various drying stages so it really helps free up shop space. Bonus was they held up like nothing happened when we had that 7.2 earthquake with its perpetual aftershocks (still going months out...) So anyways — a good rack is hard to find, and these installed crazy easy just like Sunday morning.”
Orbital Sander
Pretty much every project needs sanding, so your girl will get lots of mileage out of a quality sander like this one from Bosch.
Sarah Listi at Tool Girl’s Garage certainly gets good use of hers: “When I have serious sanding to do, I bring out the big guns. The Bosch 1250DEVS is nothing short of a boss in the shop. Yes, it’s corded but I love the power. I have a thing for sanders and this is definitely at the top of my list!”
Angle Duplicator
Mitering can be one of the hardest things to learn to do well when you start off in woodworking. The MiteriX Angle Duplicator makes it much faster and easier to miter corners, which helps your DIY lady produce more projects at a higher quality.
This Amazon review from Isabel makes a great case: “I am always doing small projects around the house. We are about to replace all of our baseboards and install crown moulding. I live in a new construction home where the craftsmanship is not what it was years ago. Not every corner is 90 degrees, or squared, or level. This little piece of magic allows me to quickly take an angle measurement and transfer it to my miter saw and cut away with upmost confidence. Just finished my first room and all my corners are tight and joined perfectly. It made a difficult job much easier.”
Branding Iron
When she’s finished with a project, she’ll want to put her name or logo on it. She worked hard and deserves to let people know what she created. A branding iron is the perfect way to help her show off her prowess in the shop.
Sacred Cinder loves using her branding iron on everything she makes. “Now this is what I call a smoke show! Do you have a branding iron? Mine is from my friends at @makersmark_branding, they make some amazing brands!”
