We all are familiar to the power drill. Power drill in one of the blessings of modern electric appliances. A few years ago, we could not think without hammering to make a hole or screw something. But now take a power drill and all done!!!!!
Different companies produce different types of power drills. Mainly, there are two types of a power drill, one is cordless and another is corded.
Cordless power drill has a removable battery pack which is located at the base. You need to charge the battery. In the battery charging station, there is a LED indicator that indicates that the battery is full(green light) or low(red light). Cordless power drill is available in different voltage sizes, like 12v,14v and 18 v.
Corded power drill has a cord and the entire time you are using the drill you need to plug the cord into the wall. So your moving place is limited. But corded drill provides more power and it works better.Also, there is no fear of battery limit.
Know the Figure of a Power Drill:
My suggestion is that before you start drilling or screw driving, familiarize yourself with parts, functions and safety alerts of your power drill.
In the front part of a power drill, there is a Torque adjustment collar. You can adjust the Torque in the lowest and highest setting. I would suggest starting with a low to medium torque setting.
In front of the torque, there is a big round part called Chuck which holds the bit. Most of the household drills have keyless Chucks; means you can hand tighten it. Some other drills require the use of a Key to tighten the chuck. The key is usually located on the drill top or in the handle.
On the side of the body, there is a forward/reverse button. Almost all power drill have this button which allows you to toggle the direction of the rotating bit between ‘forward’ or ‘reverse’.
Near the forward/reverse button, there is a trigger button like a Gun. Most of the power drill has two speed options but sometimes it has three options.
Before drilling you should remember:
A power drill is looking simple and easy to use but it can be dangerous if it operated improperly. Always pay attention to the electrical power source to prevent fire and electric shock.
- Remember to put on eye protection. (always)
- Always charge the battery pack(if cordless)
- Check the forward/reverse control before starting.
- Drill to a speed that suits the drill material.
- Set the drill on high energy and low steam if you want to drive screws.
- Adjust the clutch.
- In rainy or snowy weather, don’t operate a drill.
How to start drilling?
At first, point the place where you want to drill. Hold the drill with both hands and steadily pressurize to the body base. Then decide how much depth you want and drill a small hole then gradually create a large hole. To get accuracy, drill a small pilot hole before driving it.
When you are ready to adjust the clutch setting depending on the density of the place you want to drill. If you know the specific depth you need its a good idea to place a strip of electrical tape around the bit at that depth. This is how the tape will prevent drilling too deep.
If the drill bit gets clogged then pull the bit out by reverse gear and clean the clog out with a screwdriver or nail. Then drill again. I have a tip for you that will speed up your drilling that is when you drill to try to be confident. It will make the task easy for you and will save time and make you more confident.
Choosing the Drill Bit
Depend on the surface you need to drill, there are different size of bits. This drill bits comes with a variety of Phillips screwdriver or regular screwdriver and often has regular head attachments.
When you buy a power drill it includes a starter pack of a drill bit. Depending on the hole you need to do, there are many more types of bit you can purchase at your local hardware store.
You can use the same type of drill in metal and wood but if you use masonry bits you can drill anything easily.
Most common types of drill bits are-
- General purpose twist bit,
- Spur point (used to drill Wood),
- Masonry (used to drill stone, brick and concrete),
- Spade bit (use to make a large hole in wood),
- Philips screwdriver attachment,
- Hole Saw (use in wood or plastic)
Steps to follow to change the bit:
Always remember that before drilling you should measure the depth of the hole because you can make the hole bigger but you can’t make it smaller ever. If you are not sure which size of the drill bit you should use, it’s better to start from the small bit. Or hold the drill bit in front of the screw to find the correct drill bit size. The bit should be hiding the body of the screw.
To get accuracy, drill a small pilot hole before driving it. When you are ready to adjust the clutch setting depending on the density of the place you want to drill. Follow these steps to change the bit:
- Take the drill and loosen the upper tip of the chunk.
- Select the bit or tool that you want to use.
- Insert the bit into the top of the drill and tighten the tip of the chunk.
- Then check the bit is tightened properly or not.
- Start drill again.
Maintenance of a Power Drill:
Like any other machine if you maintain the power drill well then it will last longer. Use clean cloths to remove dirt, dust, oil or grease from the drill.Keep it away from children and commercial solvents. Try to store the fully charged batteries at room temperature.
I think drilling is an art. There are hundreds of uses for a drill and most of them are harder. How you hold the drill make a huge difference in work. So keep practicing.
If you think I missed some points you can suggest in the comment box.