A genuinely useful starter pack for woodworking

A useful woodworking pack should include one materials reference, one planning tool, one parametric design tool, and one shop notebook template. That gives makers a path from idea to measured, repeatable practice.

The kinds of materials worth saving in this space:
- cut list templates and project planning sheets
- joinery references with real setup examples
- finishing schedules tied to wood species and project use

Read:
- USDA Wood Handbook: fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/62200
A deeply useful public reference on wood properties, movement, and use.
- Paul Sellers project archive: paulsellers.com/category/projects/
Project notes and articles that treat process as something worth documenting.
- Woodworking for Mere Mortals: woodworkingformeremortals.com/
Approachable public instruction for people building skills in a normal-sized shop.

Documents and downloadable guides:
- Woodsmith plans library: woodsmithplans.com/
A reliable source for measured plans and build sequencing examples.
- SketchUp woodworking tutorials: sketchup.com/blog/en-US/tags/woodworking
Helpful when readers want to move from rough concept to accurate shop planning.

Watch:
- Paul Sellers video archive: youtube.com/@PaulSellersWoodwork/videos
Good for seeing technique and pacing rather than only reading about them.

Build or inspect:
- FreeCAD source: github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD
Open source parametric design software that is genuinely useful for plans and fixtures.
- OpenSCAD source: github.com/openscad/openscad
Excellent if you prefer a scriptable approach to jigs, spacers, and shop helpers.

Image references:
- Wikimedia Commons woodworking tools: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Woodworki...
A good visual archive for tool identification and historical reference.
- Woodsmith project plans: woodsmithplans.com/
Good visual references for cut lists, assembly drawings, and build pacing.