You don’t need to spend $500 on tools to build real furniture. For under $200, you can put together a starter kit that handles 90% of beginner woodworking projects — from floating shelves to bedside tables to garden planters. This is the exact shopping list: what to buy, where to buy it, and what to skip until you’ve built your first five projects.
Complete Starter Kit Shopping List
| Item | Budget Pick | Approx. AU$ Price |
|---|---|---|
| Power Tools (~$120–$140) | ||
| Cordless Drill/Driver | Ryobi R18DD3 (18V, ONE+ battery) | $79 (bare tool) or $99 with battery/charger |
| Jigsaw | Ryobi R18JS (cordless, ONE+ battery) | $69 bare / $89 with battery |
| Hand Tools (~$25–$35) | ||
| Tape Measure (8m) | Stanley Classic 8m | $12 |
| Speed Square (150mm) | Generic 150mm from Bunnings | $8 |
| Pencils (marking) | Carpenter’s pencils (pack of 6) | $4 |
| Bar Clamps (150mm) × 2 | Irwin Quick-Grip 150mm | $24 (2-pack) |
| Consumables (~$20–$30) | ||
| Sandpaper Assortment | Klingspor or Norton 80/120/180 grit (10-sheet pack each) | $12–$16 |
| Wood Screws (assorted) | Buildex 6g and 8g timber screws (box of 100) | $9–$12 |
| Wood Glue (500ml) | Selleys Aquadhere PVA or Titebond Original | $9–$12 |
| Pocket Hole Screws (optional add) | Kreg 1.5″ coarse (pack of 50) | $12 |
Total Budget Breakdown
- Power tools: ~$120–$140 (Ryobi drill + jigsaw kit, or combo deal)
- Hand tools: ~$25–$35
- Consumables: ~$20–$30
- Total: ~$165–$205 AUD
The Ryobi ONE+ platform is the key budget decision here. If you buy the drill and jigsaw as bare tools (no battery/charger), you pay less upfront — but you need one battery and charger to run both. Buying the drill as a kit (with battery + charger) then adding the jigsaw as a bare tool is the most economical approach and brings your total under $180 easily.
Power Tools: What to Buy and Why
Cordless Drill/Driver — Ryobi R18DD3
The drill is the most-used tool in any workshop. The Ryobi R18DD3 has a two-speed gearbox, 24 clutch settings, and runs on the ONE+ 18V battery system — which means any future Ryobi tool purchase (circular saw, jigsaw, sander) uses the same battery. For beginners, cordless beats corded every time. You’re not tripping over cords or hunting for power points when you want to work.
Jigsaw — Ryobi R18JS
A jigsaw handles curved cuts, plunge cuts, and any shape that a straight saw can’t manage. For beginner projects, it’s the tool that unlocks decorative shapes, cutouts, and freeform designs. The Ryobi R18JS is variable speed, accepts standard T-shank blades (get a 3-pack of wood blades), and runs on the same battery as the drill. The cordless design is a genuine advantage for a jigsaw — you can clamp your workpiece to the edge of a bench and cut without a cord dragging across the work.
Hand Tools: The Essentials
Tape Measure and Speed Square
Together, these two tools handle all your measuring and marking. The tape measure is self-explanatory. The speed square (a triangular piece of metal or aluminium) lets you draw a perfect 90-degree line across a board before cutting, check that your saw is set to 90 degrees, and use as a short straightedge for marking. Don’t skip the speed square — cutting without one produces angled ends that look wrong and assemble poorly.
Clamps
Two 150mm clamps are the minimum. They hold glued joints together while they dry, hold workpieces to your bench while you cut, and act as a third hand when you need to position something while you drive a screw. If budget allows, grab a 2-pack of 300mm clamps as well — longer clamps give you more flexibility across wider boards.
Consumables: Don’t Skip These
Sandpaper
Buy three grits: 80, 120, and 180. Start with 80 grit to remove saw marks and flatten surfaces, progress to 120 to smooth the scratches from the 80, then finish with 180 before applying any finish. Jumping straight to 180 on rough timber is one of the most common beginner mistakes — the surface feels smooth but the scratches are still there under the finish and become very visible.
Wood Glue
PVA wood glue (Selleys Aquadhere or Titebond Original) is stronger than most timber joints. A properly glued and clamped joint has more holding strength than the screws you add. Don’t skip glue — use it on every joint, let it cure for at least 30 minutes under clamp pressure before removing clamps, and wipe squeeze-out with a damp cloth before it dries.
Screws
Buildex bugle-head timber screws are the standard Australian choice. Buy a box of 6g × 30mm (for thin stock) and 8g × 50mm (general purpose). Pre-drill pilot holes to avoid splitting — a quick 2mm pilot hole before each screw takes 5 seconds and prevents a split that ruins a board.
Where to Buy in Australia
- Bunnings: Best one-stop shop. Stocks Ryobi, Stanley, Irwin, Titebond, and all consumables. Their tool prices are competitive with online for most items.
- Aldi (watch for Tool Time sales): Aldi periodically runs power tool sales with corded jigsaws, drills, and sanders for $20–$40. These are not professional quality but are acceptable for beginners who want a low-commitment entry point before upgrading.
- Kmart: Genuinely useful for basic hand tools — tape measures, pencils, rubber mallets, basic squares. Not for power tools.
- Repco / Supercheap Auto: Surprisingly good source for clamps, particularly F-clamps and bar clamps at competitive prices during sales.
- eBay: Good for branded tools (DEWALT, Makita) at discounted prices — often open-box or refurbished with full warranty. Check Tool Kit Depot and Sydney Tools for online pricing.
What to Add Next (After Your First 3 Projects)
Once you’ve built a few projects with this starter kit, the most impactful next purchases are:
- Pocket hole jig (Kreg 320, ~$89): Transforms your joinery from visible screws to clean, strong hidden joints
- Random orbital sander (Ryobi RORS1801, ~$59): Hand sanding is slow and uneven — this is a significant upgrade
- Circular saw (Ryobi R18CS, ~$89): For making long rip cuts in sheet goods that a jigsaw can’t handle cleanly
Ready to Put the Kit to Use?
Having the tools is one thing — knowing what to build with them is another. Ted’s Woodworking gives you access to over 16,000 step-by-step plans at every skill level, with cut lists, materials lists, and detailed diagrams. It’s the fastest way to turn a tool kit into finished projects you’re genuinely proud of.
