How to Use a Cordless Drill
If you're been reading my blog for a while you know how I feel about my cordless drill. Yes, I really do love it.
Here's my right hand man. I can't think of a project that I have completed that I haven't used my drill.
A cordless drill is an essential tool for any homeowner. If you don't have one, stop reading this and go buy one! Seriously, they are that important to the DIYer!
Cordless drills can range in price from $30 to $200. The Ryobi 12 volt Lithium Ion cordless drill I use costs $79. The drill came with two batteries, a charger, a fabric case, the drill and a screwdriver bit. That should be the bare minimum that any cordless drill kit includes.
You may be curious what the volts mean. In short, the volts equals the power of the drill. The higher the voltage the stronger the drill. In all honesty, I think I need to upgrade to an 18 volt drill this year. The 12 volt has been good for 90% of the projects I complete. But, I want the 18 volt to help me drill and drive screws through harder wood.
If you are in the market for a new drill, I highly recommend a lithium-ion Ryobi drill battery. Lithium-ion is the newest in battery technology. It lasts much longer than a traditional battery. And, they don't lose power as the battery runs low. It will just stop when the battery runs out.
Most drills have a speed adjustment. I rarely take mine off the high setting. But, if you are just starting out, using it on the lower setting may give you more control. Some drills have an adjustable torque setting. This is a nice feature and really helps when you need to switch from drilling through soft wood to a harder surface.
There is a button on each side that is used to change the drill rotation direction. Clockwise to drill and drive screws. Counter-clockwise to remove screws and bolts.
The chuck is the part of the drill that accepts your bits. Keyless chucks are pretty much the norm right now unless you have an older drill. Back in the day, drills came with a key to loosen the chuck. If you lost the key you were out of luck. Thank goodness for innovation!
Besides the obvious uses for a cordless drill (hole drilling, driving screws and bolts), I also use my drill to mix paint!
I bought this paint mixer attachment and use it all the time to mix new colors or just to mix paint that has separated. There is also an attachment for your drill that will dig holes in the ground when planting bulbs. I tried this attachment, but I couldn't keep the chuck tight enough on the attachment to bore through our southern red clay.
If you don't own a cordless drill, I implore you to add this DIY essential to your holiday wishlist!
(I was not paid or compensated to write this post. This is my honest opinion and true feelings about my cordless drill!)