My cordless drill is one of my top 10 favorite tools. It automatically goes in my travel tool bag when someone asks me to help them with a project. Cordless drills are in some ways a very simple power tool. You pull the trigger and the motor spins a drill bit. In this post I will explain in greater detail how to use a drill. I will show you what all the parts of a cordless drill are called, how to insert a drill bit and what the numbers around the mode selection collar mean.
The quick basics
If you are here for a quick reference, this section will get you going. If you want more details, keep reading down the page. Confirm the battery is charged. Simply twist the chuck sleeve counter clockwise, “lefty-loosey”, to open the chuck. Insert a drill or screwdriver bit into the keyless chuck. Then tighten the chuck sleeve around the bit by turning the chuck sleeve clockwise, “righty-tighty”, until you feel resistance or potentially a click depending on your drill.
You will not need a tool to tighten the chuck, if you can’t open or close the chuck, make sure you are turning it the proper direction. You should also confirm there is nothing inside the chuck preventing it from closing. Once your drill bit is centered in the chuck and secure, you are ready to go. Use the forward and reverse toggle to set the drill direction, then pull the variable speed trigger and get to work!
Anatomy of a Cordless Drill
How to Use a Cordless Drill
How to put a bit in the drill
First hold the drill and one hand and grip the chuck sleeve in the other. Open the keyless chuck by twisting the chuck sleeve counter clockwise “lefty-loosey”. Tighten the chuck sleeve by turning the chuck sleeve clockwise “righty-tighty”. Adjust the chuck opening until you can insert the bit into the chuck. Once inserted, tighten the chuck around the bit. Make sure that the bit stays centered. Hand tighten the chuck sleeve until you feel resistance or potentially a click depending on your drill. You should never need another tool to tighten or loosen your keyless chuck cordless drill.
What do those numbers on the drill mean?
Definitions
There are two settings you can adjust on your cordless drill. The details below are specific to my drill. Refer to your owners manual to confirm whether your drills settings are the same. These numbers all describe the amount of torque the drill will produce. The semi-technical definition of torque is a measurement of an engine or motors rotational force. Generally speaking – it describes how much “oomph” the motor has.
That’s great, what do I do with this information?
Using a drill to perform a task
Once you have selected your bit the next task is to review what job you will be performing. Generally speaking, always drill holes or drive screws perpendicular to the surface. When you start trying to drill at an angle the bits can slide putting holes in places you didn’t intend.
Whenever possible, keep your drill arm tucked close to your body. You will be able to exert more controlled force when you have your elbow close to your core compared your arm being fully extended. It truly makes a huge difference.
Drilling holes
Use the directional buttons to select whether the cordless drill will be turning forward or reverse. When drilling holes, put the drill in the forward position, squeeze the variable speed trigger and apply pressure to start a hole in the workpiece. As the drill bit goes into the part, the material being removed has to exit the hole. When drilling into thicker pieces, while the drill is still turning, back the bit out of the hole slightly to allow material to “chip” or come loose from the drill bit. Then continue pressing the drill bit into the hole. Repeat as necessary to clear material out of the hole and the drill bit until the hole reaches the desired depth.
Installing screws
Screws are the most common fastener you will install with a drill. You can insert a screw directly into your workpiece. However in many cases it’s a good idea to drill a pilot hole first. Pilot holes remove material from the part to make initial room for the screw. This can help prevent a part from splitting or cracking and is especially important when screwing into thinner pieces of wood.
To determine what size drill bit to use for a pilot hole, select the screw you will be using. Screws have threads that spiral around the center shaft of the screw. Select a drill bit that is a similar width to the screw shaft.
Insert the corresponding screw driving bit to your screw into the drill. Support your screw with one hand. Be mindful of your finger position as the threads will spin when you use the drill. Securely place the screw driving bit into the end of the screw, apply pressure perpendicular to the work surface and pull the variable speed trigger. It can take a moment for the screw threads to dig into the surface. Once the screw makes contact you can increase the drill speed and pressure if needed to drive the screw home. Make sure to maintain a straight line between the drill, the bit and the screw. If the bit slides out of alignment, or disengages from the screw, the end of the screw could be stripped. If the screw becomes too stripped you may have to use other tools to remove it.
Removing screws
To remove a screw, select a screw driving bit that fits the screw well. Insert the bit into the drill. Put the drill in reverse, place the bit in the screw, apply pressure and gently press the variable speed trigger. If the bit engages the screw and starts to back out, you can slowly increase speed. Using a slower speed reduces the chances of the bit disengaging and spinning in the end of the screw. This can strip the end of the screw. If the screw becomes too stripped you may have to use other tools to remove it.
What I look for When Buying
A good drill is probably the second most useful tool in my toolbag. I use my drill or impact driver in almost every project I do. If you believe that you will be doing projects on any kind of regular basis I would recommend spending a little extra on a drill. As I have said I use my drill a lot. Which means I want a drill with great ergonomics. The great news is that power tools are becoming increasingly compact and lighter weight. Go to a couple hardware stores, pick up the drills (try to make sure to feel the weight with a battery attached) find a couple models that fit your hand well. That you find a manageable weight. With cordless tools you are also working with batteries. To simplify your battery charging you should consider whether you like other tools using that battery system.
My drill for 10 years
When I was still living in TX the battery for my drill stopped charging. When I went to Home Depot to buy a replacement I discovered a new Ridgid battery was $100. They had on sale a significantly smaller Ridgid drill and impact driver set with two batteries for not much more. Same voltage, a fraction of the weight, twice the number of tools and batteries. I bought myself some new toys. I have used that drill and impact driver hard for years. This set from Home Depot is the closest modern equivalent to my set. (not an affiliate link)
My new drill
After a decade of heavy use my drills chuck has stopped wanting to stay tight. It’s been an excellent, ridiculously reliable tool but in the last year I start thinking about replacing it. As I mentioned above cordless tools have become much smaller, higher voltage, smaller batteries. I started picking up drills when I went to the hardware store. Ergonomics were a top deciding factor for me.
I saw that Dewalt had released an ultra compact tool line of 20V cordless tools. I was interested in the Dewalt Atomic Max XR Drill and Impact Driver set. (not an affiliate link) It came with a drill, impact driver, two batteries, charger and a storage bag. My wonderful Mom made that set my Christmas present this past year. I also ended up purchasing an oscillating tool that was part of the same line. Once I put them all through their paces I will let you know how I like them.