Cordless drills are an invaluable tool for DIY projects and home repair. When I worked for a hardware store I used a cordless drill for building work benches to assembling display grills. Cordless drills are similar to corded drills; however they work with a rechargeable battery instead of a power cord. Cordless drills can do everything from drilling metal, plastic, wood and even have the ability to power a screw into the toughest material. This article is going to take a look at 10 tips for using a cordless drill safely!
1. Instruction manual
Whether you are an experienced craftsman or have never used a drill before you should always read the manual to lean how to safely use the machine.
2. Keep the battery charged and always have a back up
When using a cordless drill you will want to keep the battery fully charged to ensure a healthy and strong motor. Since the batteries do not last for more than a few hours it is always good to have a battery backup to stay productive longer.
3. Bits
There is a drill bit for every job whether you are drilling metal or wood but you should never use a drill that is not designed for the material you are drilling. You have the risk of the bit fracturing and hurting you; drill bits are relatively inexpensive so invest in a good drill bit set.
4. Hand placement
When drilling you can use two hands or one hand depending on what you feel comfortable with. If you are using one hand you should keep the other one away from the bit to avoid injury.
5. Speed
Most cordless drills have at least two speeds in which they can be set at; different materials require a faster speed in order to get through cleanly. The best way to find out what speed you need is start out low then increase it as needed.
6. Screw
Before adjusting the speed on the drill when using screwing a screw into a board you should apply pressure with your second hand to the back of the drill to ensure that it goes in smoothly and cleanly.
7. Reverse switch
Cordless drills have a reverse switch for easily getting out screws that has already been put in. You can strip the screw or even damage the project you are working on if you use the wrong setting by accident.
8. Water
Just because it is a cordless drill it can still be damaged by water and you can also get injured if the drill if used near water.
9. Bring the drill into the store when buying a new bit
When I worked at a hardware store I always advised customers to bring their drill in order to pick the best bit for the job. Some bits don’t fit into some drills, although they mostly fit some don’t. Most stores allow you to open the drill bit packages to make sure it fits your drill.
10. Safety glasses
Cordless drills are relatively safe; however accidents do happen. I recommend using safety glasses any time you use the cordless drill so that the bit does not break and blind you or a piece of the material you are drilling does not fracture and cause eye damage.
Sources:
Personal experience
