12 Woodworking Apps for your Shop

No matter what activity you can think of, there’s probably an app to help with it. Woodworking is no exception, and a plethora of mobile software tools are available to help the woodworking community and DIY enthusiasts with various tasks, including measuring, calculating and even leveling.

Looking for the best woodworking apps to help out in your shop? Check out the following 12 woodworking apps perfect for small business owners.

What is a Woodworking App?

What is a woodworking app? It’s a software tool designed to aid in any aspect of woodworking. What is woodworking? Woodworking is the process of making items out of wood or otherwise using wood in building and art projects. Plenty of woodworking apps are available to help with woodworking projects like cabinet making, woodturning, wood carving and carpentry. These apps for Apple and Android users feature tools to help measure, convert numbers, design project plans and even watch video tutorials.

How a Woodworking App Can Help You Run Your Business

How can a woodworking app help you run your business? Woodworking apps assist small business owners in the following ways:

• Save time – In any business, time is money. Therefore, any app or tool that saves time also helps the business.
• Boost precision – Woodworking apps not only save craftsmen time, but they help them heighten precision, ensuring that every element of their work is properly placed and aligned.
• Simplify Processes – Because many mobile apps offer all-in-one woodworking solutions, they can reduce the need for multiple woodwork tools and platforms. By relying on fewer resources, craftspeople can simplify their processes.
• Save money – Thanks to woodworking apps, small business owners can save even more resources by eliminating mistakes and getting it right the first time, which in turn saves extra time and money if you have woodworking projects to sell.

12 Best Woodworking Apps

What professional tools are available through mobile apps? What functions can be performed or aided with a woodworking app for Android or iOS devices? The following 12 mobile software tools are some of the best woodworking apps available on the market. Read on to learn what they can do.

1. WoodMaster App

WoodMaster has been called one of the best apps for iOS devices. The convenient tool with a simple interface is loaded with all the necessary tools and includes a woodworking shelf calculator, fraction calculator, decking calculator, Golden Ratio, fraction converter and much more. The WoodMaster woodworking app, which costs $7.99 in the App Store, even features a project planner form to add convenience during fieldwork.

2. The Woodshop Widget

Like WoodMaster, the Woodshop Widget features a variety of tools to assist in a professional woodworking shop. The all-in-one mobile app performs a collection of wood-related functions, including board volume calculation, shellac mixing aids, squareness testing, movement estimation, species comparison and much more. The Woodshop Widget app for iOS, which costs $3.99, understands both metric and imperial measurements, so its reference tools can be used by craftspeople around the globe.

3. Basic Angle Finder

Want to quickly find the perfect angle for your woodwork projects every time? The Basic Angle Finder app lets craftspeople use their iPhones to measure angles through both lateral and vertical movements. With the free version, users can also calibrate the gyroscope and enable a max angle indicator, and the app can be accessed from a variety of iOS devices.

4. Smart Ruler App

Measuring small objects with a normal ruler app can be a challenge, but the Smart Ruler app makes it a task simple to complete. This great woodworking app measures the length of small objects by just touching the screen. If the object can fit within the smartphone’s display, then the free Smart Ruler app can measure it. Just align the object with the screen, focus the measurement line with your finger and let your phone do the rest.

5. Measure App

Measurements for DIY projects can be made with similar apps, as well. Another app for measuring small objects is the Measure app, available in Apple’s App Store. With the measure, users can turn their iPhones and iPads into a tape measure and quickly gauge the size of real objects. With the free app, users can draw lines and get estimates of their lengths, automatically measure rectangular objects and even share measurements via email or instant message.

6. Woodworking App

Want to quickly assess how much material you need for any given woodworking plan? The free Woodworking app for Android devices calculates both material quantities and price for projects like doorframes, seats and window frames. Android apps users enjoy the simple design and user-friendly assistance with basic woodworking projects.

7. Handyman Calculator

Known as one of the most useful apps for woodworkers, the Handyman Calculator app for Android devices contains all the necessary tools to calculate and convert measurements. The free mobile app offers simple unit conversions, fractional calculators, density calculators, a deck board calculator, rebar and arc lengths and much more. The free Handyman Calculator app offers a complete construction calculator in a single mobile tool.

8. Drill Calc App

Determining the correct drill bit size can be a time-consuming challenge. Fortunately, there’s an app for that. Rather than employ a universal calculator, woodworkers can use the Drill Calc app that’s designed for that specific purpose. The iOS app, which costs $2.99 in the App Store, calculates the correct drill bit size to use for threaded holes. It bases these measurements on the bolt diameter and thread pitch and percentage in both metric and imperial sizes.

9. Ruler App

This camera tape measure app is a powerful measurement tool in a small package. Also called a photo ruler, the Ruler app uses augmented reality to measure real-world objects using a smartphone’s camera. The Ruler app, free in the Google Play Store, offers in-app purchases for extra features, but it always accurately measures objects by either taking a photo of them or capturing the image on the screen.

10. iHandy Level

Need to check how level a surface is? There’s an app for that, too. The free iHandy Level app for Android devices works like a bubble level bar or a spirit level tool in a phone, and once calibrated it’s one of the most accurate leveling tools on the market. Calibration is simple with just a few touches on the screen.

11. iHandy Carpenter App

Another great woodworking app from iHandy, the Carpenter app, available at $1.99 for both Android and iOS devices, features five professional tools, including a plumb bob, flat surface level, bubble level bar, steel protractor, and a steel ruler. All of the tools in the iHandy Carpenter app are designed to produce powerful and accurate measurements.

12. CalcKit App

Looking for a simple woodworking app to help with calculations? The CalcKit app offers a powerful array of calculators for all sorts of purposes. The mobile app for Android devices features more than 150 free calculators and converters for math, electronics, finance and even carpentry functions. Designed for simplicity, woodworkers and practically any other professional can rely on the CalcKit app’s individual tools to solve everyday problems.

What is the best woodwork app?

Woodworkers can download apps by the bushel to help with their woodwork projects. Which is the best? The best all-around woodworking app is the WoodMaster app for iOS. The app includes all the necessary tools to help craftspeople level, measure, conduct length conversions, and plenty of other tasks. The Woodmaster app even sends a PDF project planner via email during the fieldwork for added convenience, along with plenty of additional features.

What is the best woodworking design app?

An assortment of apps are available to assist with woodworking design. The best woodworking design app is Planner 5D Interior Design. The app, free in the Google Play Store, allows users to create both 2D and 3D floor plans with ease. Its pro version also features a catalog of more than 3,000 items ranging from furniture to appliances to household items. With Planner 5D, users can create detailed models of buildings’ interior and exterior design. They even can add a touch of reality with lighting, textures and shadows in their designs.

Which woodworking apps have a board foot calculator?

It’s not uncommon for woodworkers to employ a board foot calculator to help them achieve precise measurements. The WoodMaster app features a board foot calculator that not only allows users to calculate board feet but also multiply by the cost of that wood species at the local lumberyard.

Which woodwork apps have a shelf calculator?

The robust WoodMaster app also features a shelf calculator that has been called worth the app’s $7.99 in its own right. The ability to calculate the dimensions of a shelf quickly and accurately can save craftspeople countless time and headaches, which can save a small business owner money in the long run.

Which woodworking apps have conversion tools?

Which woodworking apps feature conversion tools intended for calculating measurements in varying scales? Multiples of the best woodworking apps, both for Apple and Android apps, feature conversion tools useful for woodworkers and carpenters, including:

• Handyman Calculator
• CalcKit
• WoodMaster
• iHandy Carpenter

Image: Depositphotos

This article, "12 Woodworking Apps for your Shop" was first published on Small Business Trends