Woodshop Stocking Stuffers: Blades, Bits and Shop Consumables

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What makes a good woodshop stocking stuffer

A good stuffer is small, flat enough to mail and something the person uses up. That points at consumables: cutters that dull, abrasives that clog and blades that wear. Woodworkers rarely run out of tools, but they often run out of the one belt or bit they need on a Saturday afternoon.

The trap is size. A bandsaw blade that is one size off will not fit the saw. A sanding belt in the wrong width will not track on a belt sander. A bit with the wrong shank will not seat in a collet. The solution is simple: read a size off the machine, the old part or the manual before buying, and write it on the gift tag so the person can swap it if you got it wrong.

If you are shopping for a family member who owns machines, gifts for woodworkers who already own the big machines goes deeper on the larger items. For someone who is just starting, see gifts for a woodworker building a first small shop.

Bits: drill press and router

Drill press bits are the safest stuffer category because bit diameter is stamped or printed on the bit. Forstner bits for clean flat-bottom holes and brad-point bits for accurate through holes in wood are both popular. A single useful size, or a small assortment, is better than a large boxed set whose middle sizes never get used. Our guide to Forstner bit sets explains how sets are built and what shank styles to watch, and the site's page on brad-point bits covers the basics.

Router bits are trickier. They come with different shank sizes, and the bit shank has to match the router's collet. Read the router or router table manual for which shank sizes the collet accepts before buying. Also check that the router table or lift opening suits larger bits. A single profile or straight bit that you know they use is a better pick than a mixed set. The router bits page shows the common types.

Abrasives: belts, discs and sleeves

Sanding belts are sized by width and length, usually printed on the inside of the belt or listed in the sander's manual. A bench belt sander, an edge sander and a wide-belt sander all use different sizes, so match each belt to its machine. See sanding belts for grit basics. Packs with a few grits give a person choices without committing to one.

Sanding discs need diameter and a backing style that suits the disc sander or random-orbit sander. A disc meant to stick on with an adhesive backing will not work on a sander with a hook-and-loop pad, and vice versa. Check the pad before you buy. The page on sanding discs shows the main types.

Drill press drum sanding sleeves fit specific drum diameters. If the person has a drum kit, read the size off the drum. If not, best drill press drum sanding kits may suggest a fuller gift.

Blades: bandsaw, scroll saw and more

Bandsaw blades are sized by exact length, plus width and tooth style. The length is found in the manual or on the old blade's packaging. Different blade widths suit different tasks, so a gift of a general blade is safer than a specialty one. A blade that is too long or short will not mount. Read best bandsaw blades for resawing if the person resaws, and look at the band saw blades page for the basic types.

Scroll saw blades come in pin-end and plain-end styles, and each scroll saw takes one or the other, sometimes with an adapter. Check the saw. A pack of the right style is a classic stuffer for anyone who cuts fretwork or inlay. See scroll saw blades.

Table saw blades cost more than a typical stuffer, but a quality blade fits in a sock if you want it to. Match diameter and arbor size, and check the saw maker's notes about blades, especially on saws with a brake or sensing system. The page on table saw blades and the best dado blade sets guide cover this in more depth.

Shop consumables, and changing parts safely

Some stuffers work in any shop. Paste wax for tables and fences, a good marking knife, a carpenter's pencil, painter's tape, a box of shop towels and a supply of ear plugs are all used up and replaced. None needs a machine model. They are also the easiest stuffers to get right.

Keep a note of what you gave, or what the person already has. A shop that is stocked with spare blades and bits is a shop that spends less time hunting for a part. The page on machine blade and cutter inventory shows how to keep that list, which doubles as a gift guide for the next holiday.

Add a note about changing parts safely

A blade, bit or belt is only useful once it is installed, and installing it is when hands are closest to the cutter. OSHA's page on controlling hazardous energy says the unexpected startup of machinery during servicing can cause serious injury, including cutting and amputation. For a hobby shop the practical rule is plain: unplug the machine before you change a blade, bit, belt or disc, and keep the plug where you can see it.

That makes a short note on the gift tag a good idea. Write "unplug first" and name the manual page if you know it. If the part is a cutter with a specific direction of rotation or a depth setting, the manual covers it. A stuffer that helps someone finish a project is better than one that sits in a drawer, but a stuffer that gets installed carelessly is worse than none.

It also helps to leave space for the old part. Many woodworkers keep a worn blade or belt in the drawer as a size reference. If you can ask what that is, buy the same size and note it on the receipt so a replacement is easy next year.

Measure first: a quick matching table

When the answer is not in hand, a gift card to a supplier they use is not a cop-out. It is the same gift without the risk of a wrong size.

Frequently asked questions

What are good woodworking stocking stuffers?

Drill bits, sanding belts and discs, saw blades and shop consumables such as wax and pencils. Choose items that match a printed size on the machine.

How do I pick the right router bit as a gift?

Check which shank sizes the router collet accepts in the manual, and choose a single profile the person already uses rather than a mixed set.

What do I need to know to buy a bandsaw blade?

The blade length, which is in the saw manual or on the old blade packaging, plus a suitable width and tooth style for the work.

Are sanding belts and discs universal?

No. Belts are sized by width and length, and discs by diameter and backing style, so match each to the specific sander.

Is a saw blade a good stocking stuffer?

It can be if you match diameter and arbor size and check the saw manual for any blade limits. A gift card is a safer choice when you cannot check.

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