If you were a professional contractor who used various types of drills on a
daily basis throughout the course of your job, you would probably already know
what type of drill you need for a specific job. But, what about the person who
does not work with drills every day. This person probably knows that a certain
job or task requires the use of a drill, but may not be certain about what type
of drill is needed. Choosing the right drill can be a daunting task and it's
really no surprise with all the types of drills to choose from. You have:
- basic drills
- VSR drills
- drill/drivers
- hammer drills
- impact drivers/wrenches
- rotary hammer drills
- right angle drills
- spade handle drills
Many years ago, when the first hand held power drills came around, there wasn't
many choices outside of brand names when it came to selecting a power drill.
Basically, the drills were all corded, all had keyed chucks, and rotated in only
one direction and at one speed. So, the choice was not too difficult. Just pick
a brand you like.
Things certainly have changed over the years. There are enough options available
today to make a person's head spin. There are even more variations and
innovations in the works as I write this. While the scope of this article will
not be able to cover every type of power drill in existence, we are going to try
to cover most of the bases. My goal in writing this article is to help those who
might be having difficulty deciding which type of drill they need, so let's get
started.
The basic corded drill
This is the most basic of hand held power drills. It is a simple electric drill
with one speed and one direction. It is mainly good for drilling holes in wood,
metal, plastic, and soft metals. It is not the ideal choice of drill to use for
applications such as driving screws. Since the speed is not variable and the
drill only operates at a higher RPM, you would likely either strip the screw head
or snap the head off the screw if you tried. You will not likely find many of
these around today as their uses are rather limited.
The VSR drill
VSR stands for "variable speed reversible". These drills come in both corded and
cordless versions as will most all the drills we discuss from here on out. The
drill speed is varied by the amount of pressure applied to the trigger. The
farther the trigger is pulled, the higher the RPM will be. There is also a
switch, usually near the trigger which reverses the operation of the drill. As
you can imagine, these have distinct advantages over the basic corded drill. In
addition to being able to perform all the functions of the basic corded drill,
they also have a better suited although still limited ability to drive screws,
and small lag bolts. Since the speed is variable, you have the ability to drill
into harder material without overheating the bit.
One disadvantage to this type of drill is that trying to maintain a certain RPM
with the trigger can be very tricky. It takes a certain knack and some getting
used to in order to be able to drive screws consistently without stripping the
heads, driving the screw too deep, or snapping off the screw head. The
reversible feature allows you to remove screws, drive reverse threaded screws,
and back out of stock when your drill bit gets stuck or jammed.
The VSR drill/driver
The VSR drill/driver has all the capabilities of a standard VSR drill with the
added bonus of a lower rpm/higher torque setting. Another feature generally
found on these drills is an adjustable clutch.
These are probably the most common types of everyday use cordless drills you will
find on the market today. The big advantage with the low rpm/high torque setting
is that now you can drive screws and lag bolts at the low rpm needed without
having to try to hold the trigger in a certain position. The adjustable clutch
will keep you from driving the screw to deep, stripping the screw head, or
breaking off the screw head. The clutch will also prevent reaction torque which
happens when a bit jams or a screw bottoms out and the drill tries to twist in
the opposite direction. In addition you also get higher torque at the low rpm
setting that you miss out on when using a standard VSR drill and higher torque
means more screw driving power. These drills generally have a slide switch that
you use to switch between the 2 settings. In the high RPM setting, the drill
functions exactly like a standard VSR drill. In the low rpm/high torque setting,
the drill becomes an effective driver for driving screws and small lag bolts.
Some of these drills may have a third intermediate setting that compromises between
torque and speed allowing you to better match the speed/torque setting to the
application.
The VSR hammer drill/driver
Do you need to drill into concrete, stone, or masonry? If, so, then you would
want to consider a hammer drill. This type of drill uses a hammer or pounding
action as the drill bit rotates. The pounding action of the bit is what enables
these drills to bite into the concrete, stone, or masonry. If you were to try to
use a non-hammer type drill, you would have a hard time penetrating the hardened
concrete, stone, or masonry and would likely overheat the bit or the bit would
become jammed in the material. When drilling into concrete, stone, or masonry
you will also want to be sure and use a masonry bit. A masonry bit is specially
designed for drilling into these materials. Depending on the material, the drill
and the bit used, you can generally expect to be able to effectively drill holes
in concrete, stone, or masonry up to around 1/2" in diameter.
VSR hammer drill/drivers have all the capabilities of a VSR drill/driver in
addition to functioning as a hammer drill at the flip of a switch. Due to their
versatility, hammer drill/drivers have become a popular choice among both
professional contractors and do-it-yourselfers. Some practical uses would be,
drilling holes for inserting concrete anchors or TapCon screws for attaching
fixtures such as hand railing or light posts to concrete surfaces or attaching
fixtures to concrete, block, stone, or brick walls. One of the most highly and
professionally rated hammer drill/drivers on the market today is the DeWalt
DC925KA.
Rotary Hammer Drills
Think of a rotary hammer drill as a larger, more powerful version of a hammer
drill with an added bonus. It also works like a small jack hammer. These drills
are dedicated to the purpose of drilling and chipping into concrete, stone and
masonry. They are generally not intended for drilling into wood or other similar
materials. Rotary hammer drills use a special bit designed not to slip in the
chuck. The most common types are the SDS and spline drive. The type of bit you
use will depend on the drill. SDS bits come in several different sizes, so you
will need to get the size that matches your drill. If you want to drill many
larger diameter holes in concrete or stone, then this is the type of dill you
need.
As mentioned, this drill also functions like a small jack hammer. By flipping a
switch you can turn off the rotary action, then insert a chisel bit and you're
ready to go. While rotary hammer drills aren't going to compete with a full
sized jack hammer, they are very useful for many smaller jobs such as removing
ceramic and stone tile, removing bricks and blocks from existing wall or floor
structures, chipping away unwanted or spilled mortar, chipping the rough edges
from concrete, and removing excess concrete from concrete forms or other
surfaces.
Traditionally, rotary hammer drills were all of the corded variety since cordless
batteries were not able to supply the power needed to operate a rotary hammer
drill. However, all that is changing with advancements in lithium-ion batteries
and power tool design technology. The popularity of cordless rotary hammer
drills is growing rapidly. Some cordless rotary hammer drills rival, and may
even surpass the performance of their corded counterparts. One such example is
the Bosch 11536VSR which in an HGTVpro power tool review was found to drill 1/2"
holes in concrete faster than the tool's corded counterpart.
Impact Drivers/Wrenches
Impact drivers are quickly becoming a hot item among contractors and do-it-
yourselfers and with all the added benefits of an impact driver, it's no wonder.
If you drive a lot of long screws, lag bolts, or have a lot of nuts and bolts you
want to assemble quickly and easily, then an impact driver is for you.
The impact driver functions as a standard VSR drill until the time when extra
torque is needed. That's when the impact action kicks in. Don't confuse this
with the hammer action of a hammer drill. The difference is that a hammer drill
"hammers" on the bit in a lateral direction along the length of the bit as it
rotates where an impact driver impacts the chuck of the drill in a rotational
direction. The result is a huge increase in torque. The impact action also
causes the screw bit to grab the screw resulting in less slippage, reducing the
possibility of stripping the screw head. As an added bonus the amount of force
the operator needs to apply to the drill in order to keep the screw bit from
slipping is significantly reduced resulting in less user fatigue.
Impact drivers have a quick change bit holder designed for accepting hex shank
bits which are now common among screw bits and many other drill bits and socket
driver bits. This style bit holder really makes changing between bits a snap.
This bit holder is the main difference between an impact driver and impact
wrench. An impact wrench has a square drive for accepting either 3/8" or 1/2"
drive sockets depending on the model of impact wrench.
Impact drivers and wrenches also have a size advantage delivering as much as 4
times as much torque as a comparable size VSR drill. This means that a smaller
size tool can be used for a particular job which further reduces user fatigue,
especially when working overhead. The small size also gives you the ability to
work in tighter spaces and if the impact driver uses lithium-ion technology, then
the tool weight is even further reduced.
There is one particular impact driver that stands out. In a tool test by Tools
of the Trade Magazine, out of 9 top of the line cordless impact drivers, the
Milwaukee 9081-22 was able to outrun the group when pushed to the max. This tool
sent 48 4" long Timberlock screws into the stock before a noticeable battery
slowdown was observed. Timberlock screws are a long screw with a hex head. They
are commonly used in outdoor applications such as landscaping, fence and deck
building because they require no pre-drilling. Just think of the time you could
save when armed with an impact driver and screws that require no pre-
drilling.
Right Angle Drills
Right angle drills, as the name implies, have the chuck positioned at a right
angle to the body of the drill. Right angle drills are able to drill in tight
spaces where other drills just won't reach such as in between two closely
positioned wall studs which makes these drills particularly useful for plumbers
and electricians.
These drills come in both corded and cordless varieties as well as a wide range
of sizes. The smaller size right angle drills are suitable for small to medium
jobs in pine and other soft material. The heavy duty models can handle much
larger jobs in harder material such as thick oak. One thing you should be aware
of when using the more powerful heavy duty models is reaction torque. Due to the
design of right angle drills, if the bit should get stuck, the entire drill body
will rotate around the chuck potentially causing injury. It's generally a good
idea to brace the drill against a floor, wall, or stud. Some models have a built
in torque limiter or clutch to help prevent this occurrence. One such model
which has a built in torque limiter is the Makita DA4031. This heavy-duty right
angle drill was also the overall winner in a Tools of the Trade test of several
top of the line right angle drills.
Spade Handle Drills
When spade handle drills are mentioned, one might likely think of mixing drywall
compound. The mixing of drywall compound or similar substances is one of the
most commonly used applications of spade handle drills. These drills are
designed with a low rpm, high torque setting that is well suited for mixing
drywall mud. Special drywall mixer attachments can be inserted into the chuck
for this purpose.
While these drills are very suitable for mixing drywall mud and other similar
substances which require mixing, this is certainly not the only use for this type
of drill. The aggressive torque these drills produce make them ideal for boring
large holes in wood and other materials using spade bits, auger bits or hole saws
up to as large as 5" in diameter.
Many of these drills have a rocker or similar type of switch for rapid switching
between forward and reverse which aids in backing out jammed bits as well as
mixing drywall mud. In addition, these drills generally have an auxiliary side
handle as well as a spade handle to aid in tool control.
I hope that you found the information in this free article valuable. If you
think that there was anything left out or if you would like to make any comments
or suggestions, you may do so by visiting our website at www.TheToolSpot.us and
then clicking on the contact page.
The Tool Spot would like to thank you for reading this free article. If you are interested in finding the best rated drills or other top rated power tools please visit our web site. Did you know that The Tool Spot specializes in selling the best rated power tools, because professionals everywhere know that having the right tools makes all the difference.
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