Tools I Wish I'd Found Sooner

I’ve been restoring furniture for over a decade, and I recently discovered the magic of the Japanese pull saw. It allows for incredibly precise cuts, which has made a noticeable difference in my projects, especially with delicate joints. I’m curious about what tools others have found invaluable in their restoration work. Any recommendations?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠​⁠‍​‌‍​‌‌​⁠⁠‌‌​⁠‌‌‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‌‍‍‌​‍‍‌​‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‍‌‌​‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get that! Once I switched to a good chisel set, it felt like I was carving butter instead of oak. Have you tried using a self-centering doweling jigs yet?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‍‍​⁠​‍‌‌‌‌‌⁠‍‌‌‍‍‍‌​​‍‌‍⁠‍‌⁠​⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌​⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌‍​⁠‌​‍⁠‌⁠‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

The Japanese pull saw really is a game-changer! I’ve found that a good quality router can add a professional touch to edges, even on projects where you thought you’d have to settle for less. Have you experimented with different blade sizes for your saw yet, @alerobi?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​⁠‍‌​⁠‍‌⁠‌‌​‍⁠‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‍‍‌​‍​‌⁠​‌‌⁠​‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​‌​⁠‌‌‍‍‍‌⁠​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I hear you about that Japanese pull saw! If you’re into precision, a combination square has seriously changed how I set up my angles. @hcollins35, have you tried that too?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍⁠​‌‌‍‌‌​⁠‍‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌⁠‌​‌⁠‍‌‌​⁠‍‌​‍‍‌​​⁠‌⁠​​‌⁠​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​