Awesome Wood Miniature

Miniature wood and dolls house furniture require some specialized hand tools. These tools are used for projects from basic through to advanced skill levels. You don't need all these miniature tools at once. Look at the projects which accompany the information on each tool, and decide which tools you will need, adding tools to your collection as you develop or expand your miniature wood skills.

Razor Saw and Miter Box to Make Straight and Angled Cuts in Wood
Fine toothed razor or gentleman's saws and a miter box which will work with them are the backbones of most woodwork in miniature. The razor saw can be used for straight cuts, veneers, and some joins. Make sure your razor saw has a deep enough blade to fit into your chosen miter box. Used with a block of wood to limit length, the miter box combined with a razor saw can cut several pieces of wood to the same length, useful for making things like miniature table legs!

Miniature Drills
Miniature drills, in the form of either "pin vices" or "push drills" also known as "Archimedes drills" like the one in the photo, are very useful for both wood and metal miniatures.

Choosing Files for Metal and Woodwork
Miniature files, often available from rock shops, jewelry suppliers, or specialist hobby suppliers are useful for making even curves and recesses on small pieces of wood.

Craft and Carving Knives
Craft Knives or Knife holders that also accept scalpel blades are another staple of the woodworker's bench.

Gluing Jigs and Clamps
Many miniaturists use magnetic gluing jigs to hold things square while gluing sets. Others use quick release bar clamps (see the section on tools which save frustration), or sometimes corner clamps depending on the size and shape of the miniature. If you don't have clamps, you can use weighted boxes or small grocery boxes, like rectangular salt or baking soda boxes until you get to the stage where you want proper clamps or jigs. Of some miniatures, you can also use scraps of wood held against the miniature with carefully placed rubber bands.