Now that you have your cordless drill, here's how to use it.

cordless_drill_parts
First you need power and that comes from the battery.  So a properly charged battery is the first step.

Some models have a ‘quick charge’ and within 15 minutes you’re up to full power.  Others have charging speeds that will vary from 30 minutes to an hour.  You will have to charge-up your battery for the initial use.

Take the charged battery and insert it into the drill.  Most batteries are made to only fit in just one way.

Next, open the chuck.  For keyless models (which most drills sold nowadays are), just spin the chuck in the desired direction for opening or closing the chuck.

The chuck is the ‘collar’ part of the drill that holds the drill bit secure.  The chuck needs to be fairly tight so that the bit won’t spin in the drill and cause damage to the bit -- or the chuck – or you!

Once the chuck is open insert the appropriate sized drill bit for the task at hand.

If you’re not sure what size bit to use, you can always drill an inconspicuous hole and see if it’s big enough for the screw you intend to use.  You may even have installation instructions with recommended bit sizes to use for the project.

You can also simply compare the ‘business end’ of the screw to the drill bit.  You want a bit that’s slightly smaller.  If the hole is too big, the screw won’t be able to ‘bite’ the material and gain a good grip.

With the proper sized bit in the chuck, close it tight and depress the trigger on the drill.  You’re checking to see that bit spins and doesn’t wobble.  If there is a wobble, the bit is not centered so loosen the chuck and try again.

Make sure the drill is spinning in the proper direction since drills do have forward and reverse.  For drilling into something, the bit should be spinning in the clockwise direction.    Counterclockwise will ‘back the bit out’ of the hole (reverse.)

Your drill most likely has a speed selector.  It may be marked “H” for high speed and ‘L” for low speed.

Select the proper speed in accordance to the project you are working on.   You might have a little icon on the drill to help you select the proper torque setting based on the material you’re working with.   A lower setting is for less torque and the higher the setting for more.

If you set it too low, the screw may only go so far and then stop.   If this happens, just increase the torque a notch or two.

You don’t need a lot of power, especially when driving screws.  A lower setting will help from stripping the threading or the screw head.

Safety Note:  Never change direction while the drill is still moving.  Likewise, don’t change the gear speed or torque until the drill is completely stopped.

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