FAQ: Power Tools in Your Silhouette or Cricut Business

About a year ago, I wrote a post about buying wood to use in your Silhouette Cameo or Cricut small business. Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what power tools you need when working with wood in your Silhouette Cameo or Cricut business. So, let’s head to my garage and I’ll show you some helpful tools.

I Own Dewalt Brand Tools

Several brands make and sell power tools. I’m a fan of Dewalt tools because they are affordable, readily available, and parts are available if something breaks. Dewalt is not the cheapest brand, and they aren’t the most expensive either. Honestly, I’ve made hundreds of wood projects both with and without my Silhouette and Cricut and they have always worked well. I also love that most of my Dewalt tools operate on a rechargeable battery and come with carrying/storage cases.

Common Power Tools for Your Silhouette Cameo or Cricut Business

Miter Saw

A miter saw sits on top of your workbench and is great for cutting wood. It’s easy to use – you simply pull down the top of the saw which lowers the blade and cuts the wood. Use a miter saw for small cuts. My miter saw is ancient, but a workhorse! Click here to buy a miter saw.

Circular Saw

A circular saw allows you to make longer cuts that aren’t possible on a miter saw. A circular saw takes more practice to get the hang of, because you have to have a steady hand to get a straight cut. Like I mentioned above, my circular saw is battery operated. If you can’t afford both a miter saw and a circular saw, a circular saw can do the work or both, you’ll just need a little practice to get straight cuts. Click here to see circular saws.

Drill

You’ll need a drill (and drill bits) to make holes, attach hardware to your finished signs, and to attach pieces of wood together. Click here to shop drills.

Sander

If you use your Silhouette Cameo or Cricut Explore to make stencils for your wood projects, a sander is a must have. After you’ve cut your wood, you’ll want to sand down the wood so that stencils will easily adhere. Click here to buy a sander.

Sandpaper

When choosing sandpaper for your sander, be sure to pick up several grits (this refers to the size of the particles on the sandpaper). You’ll start with the lowest number grit to remove the most, then progress to the finest grit for finishing. Click here to shop sandpaper.

Planer

While I don’t regularly use a planer, many Silhouette Cameo and Cricut crafters do. A planer cuts the surafece of the wood into different thicknesses. I buy wood that it already the thickness I need, but if you’d like to look into planers, here’s a link to shop.

Remember, always use safety goggles when working with wood and power tools. Need help shopping for wood? See this post. Having trouble with bleeding stencils? Read the fix here.

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