Any machine, motorized or non-motorized, that is designed to cut, alter, or otherwise fashion wood can be considered one of the many woodworking machines available to carpenters and hobbyists.The two basic categories of woodworking machines are handheld power tools and stationary machines; handheld power tools are smaller and portable, and a user can pick them up to use them. Stationary machines usually require a user to move the piece of wood rather than the machines themselves, and they tend to be much larger and heavier than other types of tools.
Drills and saws are common handheld woodworking machines. A circular saw, for example, features a round blade that rotates at high speeds to form straight cuts along the length of a board. The circular saw is motorized, and it may feature a cord and plug that can be connected to a wall outlet, or it may have a rechargeable battery that makes the unit even more portable and functional. Battery-operated saws tend to be less powerful, however, and as the battery drains, the consistency of the motor’s speed can fluctuate. Handheld drills feature a quickly rotating drill bit useful for drilling holes in wood. These, too, can feature a cord or batteries.
A few examples of stationary woodworking machines include drill presses, table saws, and CNC routers. Drill presses create holes in a piece of wood, but they have an advantage over handheld drills: the accuracy of the cut is much greater with a drill press, and the same precision cut can be made over and over again on several pieces of wood without having to re-measure. Table saws function much like a circular saw, except the blade is mounted beneath a tabletop. The top of the blade protrudes through the tabletop, and a piece of wood can be moved along the table to make the cut. This ensures an even, straight cut along the length of a long piece of wood.
Computer numeric control (CNC) woodworking machines feature a computer that can be programmed to make a specific cut or series of cuts. A CNC router is one such machine. A rotating bit can be programmed to move along a trolley and arm system over a piece of wood, and it can be dropped onto the wood at various locations to drill holes, finish edges, or otherwise make cuts. Other CNC machines exist as well to serve various functions.