Drilling has been one of the fundamental pillars of human progress. The process of drilling played a fundamental role in the second and third Industrial Revolutions, providing humans with precious aid in areas such as producing electricity, running automobiles, generating industries, constructing buildings, and many others.
The drill and the process of drilling are inventions that have driven value creation and development of the human world. Even if we move from the macro to the micro, Drills have become an intrinsic part of tool kits at home. Whether you are a bachelor living with your friends or are a bread-winner residing with your family, owning a drill seems to be just one of those obvious things that you have to do.
This small article will give you the basic knowledge of cordless drills, their types, and how to choose the right one to buy. So the next time you read one of those cordless hammer drill reviews, you have a working knowledge to make the best decision.
The Commoner: Drill Drivers
Cordless drill drivers are amongst the most ubiquitous options available in the market. Not only are they easy to use, but their simple applications make them a handy purchase. At the fundamental level, cordless drill drivers perform three functions – drill holes, drive screws, remove screws. These may appear very basic, but the majority of maintenance tasks, household repairs, and even basic construction jobs require the above three functions.
Overall, drill drivers are ideal for do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement tasks. Usually, they will come in 0.375 or 0.125-inch chucks. The best drill drivers come with clutches to adjust drill depth, and amount of torque to be used for the drilling, thereby making the process seamless and accurate.
The Power-Driller: Hammer Drills
If you have ever read one of those cordless hammer drill reviews, you will find one thing common amongst all of them – they all concur that cordless hammer drills are more for power, and less for subtlety. Cordless hammer drills are mostly useful for drilling into harder surfaces such as concrete. Their mechanism of operation is different from the other drills as they use a combination of hammering and drilling.
If you are executing construction projects, or have enough training and dexterity to drill into concrete or other such hard surfaces, then cordless hammer drills are the ones to buy. Remember, these drills are built for durability and power, rather than subtlety. Therefore, buy them only if you feel you are able to handle high torques. Also, avoid using them when people are sleeping, partly because they are noisy.
The Efficient Speedster: Impact Drivers
Impact drivers have a single function – driving screws. As their name suggests, they operate with a ‘driving’ mechanism on bolts, fat lag screws, and long fasteners. They have a compact design, and up to 100-200% higher torque when compared to normal drill drivers. Cordless impact drivers are a great buy if you are an automobile technician, deck constructor, or, in general, if you regularly work on projects that require driving a lot of screws, including fat and long ones into surfaces.
Zeroing In On The Right Cordless Drill
Ultimately, deciding the right cordless drill for yourself is dependent on the function that you are going to use the drill for, the time for which the drill will be required, the surface on which the drill is going to be used, and the experience and expertise that you have with respect to drilling. Understanding the different types of drills that are available, along with the features they have can go a long way towards helping you choose the right drill for your work.
