Get Started in Woodworking for $250?

When I first started looking into woodworking, I kept finding videos titled 'Get Started for $1,000!' or '$1,200 Woodworking Starter Setup.' I don’t know about you, but that feels like a lot to drop on a hobby before you've even made your first cut.

So I signed up for a beginner woodworking course from one of my favorite creators. It promised: 'All you need is a circular saw, a drill, and some sandpaper.' Sounded perfect. In the very first lesson, the instructor rips a full 8-foot sheet of plywood—lengthwise. Now, that’s a 96-inch straight cut, and if you’ve never tried it before… let’s just say it’s not beginner-friendly. He did it the right way: threw some scrap 2x4s on the floor, clamped down a straight plywood guide, and made the cut with a circular saw.

And it worked great—for him.

But here’s the problem: I didn’t have any scrap wood. Or clamps. Or a straight edge. Heck, at that point, I barely had a square. That’s when it hit me—can you really get started with just a circular saw, a drill, and some sandpaper? Sure. As long as you also buy a few other things.