3-Step Guide to Choosing the Right Drill

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You&#;ve decided it&#;s time to upgrade your drill, but what type should you choose? Do you find one packed with power that needs to be plugged in at all times, or do you want the freedom and agility of a battery-powered tool? Do you need to punch through concrete and stone, or will you be working with wood and drywall?

Whatever your needs, it&#;s important to research your options and decide what kind of drill will be best for you.

We&#;ve put together this guide to help you pick your perfect drill:

1. Consider How You&#;ll Use Your Drill

Before choosing a drill, you need to figure out what you&#;ll be using it for.

Questions to think about include:

• What kinds of surfaces will you need to drill into?
• Do you need to be able to position or hold it in a certain way (at a right angle, for example)?
• Will you need to move around a lot with it, whether that means climbing ladders or going back and forth on the ground?
• How long at a time will you need to use your drill for?

Being able to answer questions like these will help you better narrow down what you&#;re looking for in a drill.

2. Pick the Best Type of Drill

The three most popular options are:

• Drill Drivers: This is the most common type of drill, used for creating holes and driving, tightening, or loosening screws into metal, interior walls, or wood. They typically cannot, however, handle stone, masonry, or concrete.

• Hammer Drills: In addition to spinning, a hammer drill is able to move in and out in a hammer- like motion. The additional force it delivers helps it bore holes in especially strong materials like stone, concrete, or masonry. In general, it&#;s not a good idea to use a hammer drill when working with wood, as it can damage timber. You&#;ll also need to use earplugs earplugs when working with hammer drills since they&#;re very loud.

• Impact Drivers: Impact drivers are designed to do one thing really well: drive screws, bolts, and nuts into metal and wood fast. Instead of a rectangular chuck, impact drivers have hexagonal sockets (meaning you can&#;t swap drill bits out between impact drivers and hammer drills). Like hammer drills, impact drivers are noisy. That makes ear protection a must!

Another factor to take into account is the type of handle that will best suit your needs. Most drills today have T-handles to effectively distribute loads, enhance balance, prevent your hand from slipping, and make room for a battery. If you need to tackle tougher jobs and bigger screws, however, you might want to consider switching to another style (like a pistol grip).

3. Decide Whether You Want a Cordless or a Corded Drill

Cordless

Cordless drills are renowned for their versatility, as they&#;re generally easier to use and more lightweight than their corded counterparts.

When choosing a cordless drill, make sure you consider:

• Power: There are two values you&#;ll need to keep an eye out for here: voltage and torque. The general rule of thumb is that a higher voltage means a more powerful drill. Most cordless drills today are 18V, although lower (7.2V) and higher (20V) options are available.

Torque, which tells you the twisting power, is measured in newton-metres (Nm). Some drills will let you adjust the torque settings to use greater torque for stronger materials and less if you&#;re working with something delicate.

• Speed: Speed will be measured in rotations per minute (rpm). Many drills have two speeds (300rpm for drilling a hole and 800rpm for driving a screw), however finding a drill with variable speed settings (including speeds up to 1,000rpm) can give you more control.

• Batteries: One of the most popular types of battery today is Lithium-ion, which generally charges more quickly, lives longer, and is lighter than other kinds like NiCd (Nickel-Cadmium). Lithium-ion batteries also provide constant discharge until power is completely gone.

Pay attention to two things: the battery charger and the Amp hour (Ah) of the battery. Some chargers will only take 15 minutes to restore a battery to full power. Others will take three hours, a difference that can have a major impact on your productivity. Ah, another crucial metric, gives you an idea about a battery&#;s storage capacity. Again, a higher Ah value generally means a longer battery life.

Corded

Corded drills are ideal for heavy use. When it comes to finding one, there are a few factors you need to take into account. Some are the same as with cordless drills (torque and speed), but you also need to consider:

• Power: The power of a corded drill is measured in watts. Like with voltage, higher wattage means a more powerful drill.

• Special Direct System (SDS): SDS drills are engineered to hammer with increased force. This helps you tackle tougher tasks more quickly, even adding chisel bits to turn your SDS drill into a mini-jackhammer (breaking through concrete, removing tiles, and other light demolition projects).

Whatever type of drill you go with &#; whether a cordless drill driver or corded hammer drill &#; what matters is that you find the drill suited to your needs ready to help you get the job done.

Fastening House is the only Ontario service provider that specializes in providing contractors with the tools, equipment, and supplies they need where, when, and how they need it &#; including power tools from trusted suppliers like DeWalt, Bosch, Makita, and Milwaukee. Contact us today to discuss your needs!

Whether you are just learning the basics of simple maintenance or are taking on a second addition to the house, a good drill is essential.

Are Cordless Drills Worth It?

If it&#;s a cordless model, you can drill holes and drive screws with the same tool&#;and not have to worry about finding an outlet near the work to power the drill. The good news: There are hundreds of these drills on the market. The bad news: It&#;s not always clear which drills you should be considering.

What Drill To Buy

Match the Tool to the Job

With all the different models of drill/drivers on the market, it&#;s easy to buy more tool than you really need. The solution is to buy a drill based on how you will use it. It doesn&#;t make sense to pay $200 for a tool you&#;ll use only to hang pictures. Nor is it a good idea to pay $50 for a drill only to have the motor burn out after a few days of heavy work.

You don&#;t have to drive yourself crazy trying to think up all the possible jobs you&#;ll have for your new tool. Look at the three scenarios that follow below and see where you fit in. The best cordless drill for home use is likely one for light maintenance and repair. If you ever need more tool than you have, you can step up in power and options. Or rent a more powerful drill for those projects that require one.

LIGHT MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRREPAIR AND REMODELINGHEAVY-DUTY CONSTRUCTIONJOBSInstalling drapery brackets; drilling holes for drywall anchors; assembling a barbecue grill; putting new handles on cabinet doors and drawers; removing and replacing door hinges.Building a storage rack; replacing deck railings and fence pickets; drilling pilot holes and driving screws in hardwood or plywood; making furniture; hanging drywall.Drilling holes for bolts and spikes in pressure-treated wood and landscape timbers; drilling holes in masonry walls; installing decking; drilling into steel.FEATURES YOU&#;LL NEEDThese tasks are quick ones, so a tool with one battery will do. For drilling holes and driving screws, get a drill with two fixed speeds; variable speed is an option. Also, look for an adjustable clutch.Go with at least a 9.6V tool; you&#;ll need the extra power. In fact, a 12V drill fits the bill for this job list, but the added power brings extra size and weight.No question about it &#; you&#;re in the big leagues. These projects &#; especially drilling large-diameter holes and driving long screws &#; demand a high-voltage tool.NOTESFor the best combination of power, portability and price, stay in the 6 to 7.2V range. The Ryobi HP61 ($39) is a nifty 6V, two-speed model. This super-compact tool comes with a built-in level, onboard storage for two bits and a clutch. You also get four drill bits, a dozen driver bits and eight socket drivers. A comparable tool is the Black & Decker KB (7.2V, $39).For these tasks, you&#;ll want variable speed, two speed ranges, a clutch and a T-handle. Be sure to get a second battery so you don&#;t run out of power in the middle of a project. Drills in this category range from $60 to $140. Two professional-level 9.6V models that have all these features are the Hitachi FDS10DVA ($110) and Makita DWLEK ($100).Buy a minimum 12V, or better yet, a 14.4V model. Lower-priced models include the Black & Decker HP532 FireStorm (14.4V, $110), Bosch K (12V, $159) and Skil :04 (14.4V, $109). But you might want to step up a notch for a 1/2-in. chuck to handle larger bits and longer-lasting NiMH batteries. First-class choices include the Hitachi DS14DV (14.4V, $199), Porter-Cable (14.4V, $194) and Makita DWAE (14.4V, $214). And if you&#;re looking for pure power &#; with a downside of more size and weight &#; move up to the DeWalt DW995K-2 (18V, $269).

What to Look For in a Cordless Drill

1. Chuck jaws: Maximum capacity on most drills is 3/8 inches. Some 14.4 and 18V drills can handle 1/2-inch-diameter bits.
2. Clutch: More settings give you greater control of the depth screws are driven.
3. Speed-range switch: High is for drilling; low is for driving screws. Look for the widest range between them.
4. Forward/reverse switch: Should be easy to operate with your thumb and trigger finger.
5. Hand grip: Texture and contour should aid your grip; try out the grip before you buy.
6. Voltage: More voltage means more power but also added weight.
7. Battery: Two are better than one. New NiMH batteries offer some advantages.
8. Trigger: Make sure your index finger fits around it comfortably when gripping drill. Variable speed offers the greatest control.
9. Keyless chuck: Hand-turn it to open and close the chuck jaws.

Process for Buying a Cordless Drill

1. Check out drills in home centers, noting their weight and balance.
2. Try out vertical and horizontal drilling positions to see how comfortable you feel.
3. Contoured grips and rubber cushioning on some models make them very comfortable, even when you&#;re applying direct palm pressure.
4. While you&#;re at it, see how easy it is to change clutch settings and operate the keyless chuck. Home centers often discount hand tools, so be on the lookout for promotions.

Cordless Drill Features

Power

For cordless drills, power is measured in battery voltage. Higher voltage means more torque-spinning strength to overcome resistance. Over the last decade, top-end voltage has increased from 9.6 to 18V, but the range of models include 6, 7.2, 9.6, 12, 14.4 and 18V. Today&#;s higher-voltage drills have enough power to bore big holes in framing lumber and flooring. That&#;s impressive muscle. But the trade-off for power is weight. A typical 9.6V drill weighs 3 1/2 lbs., while an 18V model weighs up to 10 lbs.

With competitive price and timely delivery, KSQ Technology sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

Handles

THE HANDLE on a cordless drill is either a pistol grip or T-handle. The T-handle is most comfortable for general drilling and driving screws. | Courtesy of Sears Craftsman

Before cordless drill/drivers arrived, most drills had pistol grips, where the handle is behind the motor like the handle of a gun. But most of today&#;s cordless models are equipped with a T-handle.

The handle base flares to prevent hand slippage and accommodate a battery. Because the battery is centered under the weight and bulk of the motor, a T-handle provides better overall balance, particularly in heavier drills.

Also, T-handle drills can often get into tighter spaces because your hand is out of the way in the center of the drill. But for heavy-duty drilling and driving large screws, a pistol grip does let you apply pressure higher up &#; almost directly behind the bit &#; allowing you to put more force on the work.

Clutch

An adjustable clutch is what separates electric drills from cordless drill/drivers. Located just behind the chuck, the clutch disengages the drive shaft of the drill, making a clicking sound, when a preset level of resistance is reached.

The result is that the motor is still turning, but the screwdriver bit isn&#;t. Why does a drill need a clutch? It gives you control so you don&#;t strip a screw or overdrive it once it&#;s snug. It also helps protect the motor when a lot of resistance is met in driving a screw or tightening a bolt.

The number of separate clutch settings varies depending on the drill; better drills have at least 24 settings. With that many clutch settings, you can really fine-tune the power a drill delivers. Settings with the lowest numbers are for small screws, higher numbers are for larger screws. Most clutches also have a drill setting, which allows the motor to drive the bit at full power.

Speed

The least expensive drills run at a single speed, but most have two fixed speeds: 300 rpm and 800 rpm. A slide switch or trigger lets you select high or low speed. These drills are ideal for most light-duty operations. The low speed is for driving screws, the high speed for drilling holes.

For more refined carpentry and repair tasks, choose a drill that has the same two-speed switch and a trigger with variable speed control that lets you vary the speed from 0 rpm to the top of each range. And if you do more hole drilling than screwdriving, look for more speed &#; 1,000 rpm or higher &#; at the top end.

Batteries and Chargers

Nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries represent the latest breakthrough in batteries. They&#;re smaller and run longer than standard nickel-cadmium (Nicad) batteries. NiMH batteries also pose less of a hazard when it comes to disposal than Nicads because they don&#;t contain any cadmium, which is highly toxic.

Makita, Bosch, Hitachi and DeWalt offer NiMH batteries, and other manufacturers will soon produce these power cells too. All cordless drills come with a battery charger, with recharge times ranging from 15 minutes to three hours. But faster isn&#;t necessarily better.

A contractor might depend on fast recharges, but slower recharging isn&#;t usually a concern at home, especially if you have two batteries. What&#;s more, there are drawbacks to fast charging. A quick recharge can damage a battery by generating excessive heat, unless it&#;s a specially designed unit.

If you want a speedy recharge, go with a tool from Makita, Hitachi or Panasonic, whose &#;smart&#; chargers are equipped with temperature sensors and feedback circuitry that protect batteries. These units provide a charge in as little as nine minutes without battery damage.

Where to Find It

Black & Decker U.S. Powertools
701 E. Joppa Road
Towson, MD
www.blackanddecker.com
800-762.

Craftsman Tools
www.sears.com/craftsman (See your local Sears store)
800-390-

Hitachi Power Tools USA
Steve Reynolds Blvd.
Norcross, GA
www.hitachi.com
800-829-

Makita U.S.A.
Northam St.
La Mirada, CA -
800-462-

Panasonic Power Tool Division
1 Panasonic Way #4A-3
Secaucus, NJ
800-338-

Porter-Cable Corp.
Hwy. 45 N, Box
Jackson, TN
800-487-

Ryobi America Corp.
Pearman Dairy Rd.
Anderson, SC
www.ryobi.com
800-525-

S-B Power Tool
W. Peterson Ave.
Chicago, IL
www.skiltools.com
877-754-

Acme Tools
https://www.acmetools.com/

Woodworker&#;s Supply
Alameda Pl. NE
Albuquerque, NM
800-645-
https://woodworker.com/

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