Gift Ideas for Woodworkers

As a woodworker, I can think of a million things that I need and want, but I’d imagine generating gift ideas for woodworkers would be difficult. So I am here to help you out. If you have a woodworker (or even a handyman/woman or a do-it-yourselfer) in your life, use the next gift giving occasion to treat them to a new item (or items) for their hobby. The problem with most woodworkers are that we are picky people who have brand loyalty or specific needs that may be hard to fulfill. However this list of gift ideas for woodworkers should get you through safely.

If you are a woodworker looking for DIY gift ideas to build for others, check out this blog.

A quick disclosure—I’m writing this without having a few of these items as a hint to my own wife.

Here are 6 gift ideas for woodworkers (or the DIY-er) that almost everyone would enjoy getting.

1. A high quality square/triangle

One of the most important aspects of building things is that your pieces are nice and square. The best way to make sure that happens is with a nice square or triangle that you know is accurate. One from a big box store will work for most things but a high-quality one will be extremely accurate with some added features.

For anything in this realm, get them a Woodpeckers brand item. These are extremely high quality and have nothing but a fantastic reputation.

My suggestions:

• Woodpecker Precision Triangle– this would be a great item for more of a handyman/woman but would work for that fine woodworker as well.
• Woodworking Square– This is a great crossover item for do it yourselfers and fine woodworkers.
• Saddle T-Square– This leans more towards the fine woodworker but is a great layout and marking item for anyone.
• Mini Square– This is a great tool for checking square on a saw before cutting and then checking the wood after an operation. A great stocking stuffer!

2. A high quality saw blade

A good saw blade can make a huge difference in the quality and ease of a cut. The table saw is a great place to invest in a good blade. I personally use Freud blades as they are a great bang for your buck choice. 

My suggestion:
The blade I run 90% of the time in my saw is this combination blade. It’s a great choice for most cuts! Most table saws are 10 inches so that is your best bet. 

3. A gift card to a woodworking store

This one may feel like a bit of a copout in regards to getting them a gift but let me explain why this is such a good choice. Woodworkers and do it yourselfers always have their eye on some sort of tool or gadget. But these items can be expensive and we don’t want to purchase them at that cost. But a gift card allows us to either get that item outright or put a good amount towards it! It takes a lot of pressure off the gift giver.

My suggestions:

• Rockler (link is to the store locator to see if there is one in your area)
• Woodcraft (link is to the store locator to see if there is one in your area)
• Home Depot
• Lowes

4. Something for the shop

This is a bit ambiguous because each situation is different but I’ll give some great examples later. The reason that an item for the shop specifically is such a good gift is because most of us want to put money or resources towards tools before anything else. A comfort item for the shop will be extremely low on my list of things I would buy for myself.

Here are some examples of great gifts that could make spending time in the shop that much better:

• A Heater– Most of us work out of garages or maybe barns and the winters can get cold and hard to work on things. A nice little heater will make it so much more comfortable and keep our hands working properly!
  
• A speaker/radio– I have a Google Home Mini in my shop that lets me play music and I love it. If you or your woodworker have brand loyalty, this is Amazon’s version.
  
• A Storage Solution– Working in a messy shop can be extremely frustrating and hazardous. But clutter is bound to happen if you don’t have good storage options. You could also do overhead storage or some cabinets for them to declutter and organize their space. If you think they’d prefer to build their own storage solution, check out this how-to.
  
• Lumber Rack– Another storage item that is a great inexpensive option.
  
• Light Improvements– Good light in a shop is criminally underrated. It makes it easier to see marks on the wood and it helps take away any shadows that could cause issues. If they do any photography or videography of their work, lights are one of the most important things to purchase. I use these lights and highly recommend them. They come in a pack of 6. They’re inexpensive, work great, and are easy to install.
  
• If they build cutting boards, get them a high-quality cutting board oil. I recommend Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil. This product really brings out the beauty in the wood. It’s 100% food-safe, free of toxins and synthetics, certified vegetarian, and hypoallergenic.
  
• If they build furniture, I recommend the Walrus Oil Furniture Finish as well.

5. Woodworking Classes

This is more specialized to someone who is doing woodworking specifically. Specialty stores usually offer some classes and there are guilds across the country that offer courses in woodworking. This would be a great gift for someone who is just starting out with their woodworking journey!

6. Tools

This one is much more homework for the gift giver and can be a much bigger purchase in most cases but would be a hit with whoever gets it.

If you are going to buy a tool for someone, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Brand- is this person brand loyal? Do they only have one brand in their shop? Do they only use one battery platform? You definitely need to know these things before purchasing.
• Tooling Needs- Does this person have this tool already? Is this an upgrade? Is there a different tool they don’t have that would be a better purchase?
• Space Availability- There are a lot of amazing tools out there but some of them take up more space than makes sense. If they work out of a small shop, try to minimize the size of the tool while still getting them what they need.
• Compatibility- This plays in with the brand bullet point as well but also applies to other items in the shop. If you are getting some sort of power tool, make sure it will work with their dust collection system, their power availability, and potentially even their current blades available. Going from a small job site saw to a large cabinet table saw is a dream, but you need some other equipment to match that level of tooling.

All these options are going to make the recipient so excited and the best part is, they will end up using these items to build you something in the future!

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please know that I only make recommendations for products I am currently or have previously used and feel are a worthwhile investment. I hope you find them useful. Authenticity is important to me and so is your trust.