Power tools, hand tools, batteries and accessories: buying guides and comparisons.
The best belt and disc sander combos for small workshops For a tight workshop, the best belt and disc sander combo is usually a compact 4-by-36-inch belt and 6-inch disc model: it handles most small-shop edge and end-grain work without taking up the space or demanding the power of a Read more
Best Grinder Sanders for Shaping, Sharpening, and Smoothing For wood shaping and tool sharpening, choose a benchtop belt grinder with a 1 × 30-inch or 2 × 42-inch belt; for sanding curves or broad surfaces on a workpiece, choose a handheld angle grinder fitted with a purpose-made sanding pad. They Read more
The best angle-grinder sanding setup for wood For most woodworking, the best angle grinder sander setup is a 4-1/2-inch grinder with a compatible, rigid backing pad and 4-1/2-inch fiber sanding discs; choose a flap disc for controlled shaping, and reserve carbide carving wheels for fast stock removal by experienced users. Read more
7 Best CNC Plasma Cutting Tables for Small Shops For most small shops, the best CNC plasma cut table is a 4-by-4-foot machine with a water tray, a rigid gantry, and a torch matched to the shop’s electrical service—not simply the largest table you can fit. Choose a compact 2-by-2 Read more
Choose the spindle motor that matches your cuts—not the biggest number For most woodworkers cutting with a desktop or mid-size CNC router, a 1.5–2.2 kW spindle with a speed range around 6,000–24,000 RPM, an ER20 collet, and cooling suited to the machine’s duty cycle is a versatile starting point. Choose Read more
Choose a CNC sign-making router by sign size, material, and cutting depth For most first-time buyers making small wooden plaques and lettering, a 3018-class router is a low-cost way to learn, but a more rigid machine with at least a 600 × 900 mm work area is a better fit Read more
The short answer: buy a proven motion controller, not a bare Raspberry Pi For most woodworkers, the best raspberry pi cnc setup is a Raspberry Pi running a supported control interface such as FluidNC’s web interface or a LinuxCNC-compatible configuration, paired with a motion-control board whose firmware explicitly supports your Read more
Four-Axis CNC Machines for Woodworking: What to Compare Before Buying Choose a four axis cnc machine by matching its usable rotary diameter and length to your largest workpiece, then check whether its rotary axis indexes or turns continuously and whether your software can generate the toolpaths your projects need. Those Read more
The best CNC machine for cabinet making depends on whether you need to process full 4-by-8-foot sheets, repeat small-batch parts, or fit a capable machine into a limited shop: for regular production, compare a full-sheet industrial router such as the Biesse Rover K FT with a more compact 4-by-8-foot machine Read more
Affordable CNC Routers That Deliver Useful Cutting Capacity The best affordable CNC router for useful work is usually a rigid, supported-frame machine with enough travel for your projects—not the router with the largest advertised work area. For signs, templates, and small furniture parts, compare the machine’s actual cutting envelope, frame Read more