How to Drill pt 1: Equipment

The equipment that you need from the drill to the drill bit.

Parts of a drill

Looking at the diagrams below of a typical drill you can see labels of the different parts.

• 1 Keyless Chuck
• 2 Torque Adjustment Ring
• 3 Level
• 4 Switch Trigger
• 5 Direction of Rotation Selector (Forward/Reverse/Centre Lock)
• 6 Bit Storage
• 7 Battery Pack
• 8 Charging Stand
• 12 To Decrease Torque
• 13 To Increase Torque
• 14 Reverse
• 15 Forward
• 16 Drill Bit
• 17 Chuck Jaws
• 18 Release (Unlock)
• 19 Grip (Tighten)
• 20 Chuck Body
• 21 Chuck Collar

Torque settings

Torque settings on a drill allow you to control the speed of a drill when using it in different situations and with materials.

Rotate the adjusting ring to the desired setting.

Below is a rough guide to the best application for the settings. The number the settings go up to will vary depending on the drill.

• 1 - 4 For driving small screws
• 5 - 8 For driving screws into soft material
• 9 - 12 For driving screws into soft and hard materials
• 13 - 16 For driving screws in hard wood
• 17 - 20 For driving large screws
• 21 - End For heavy drilling

Choosing the correct drill bit

There are many types of drill bits all for different materials and for different tasks. Here are the most common that you will require.

Masonry

This bit is used for drilling into brick, block, stone, plaster, quarry tiles or concrete.

Be careful when drilling into hard surface as the bit tip can wear away. Use a slow speed and keep removing the bit to remove dust.

Twisted

Twist bits are probably the most common drilling tools. The front edges cut the material and the spirals along the length remove the debris from the hole and tend to keep the bit straight.

They can be used on timber, metal, plastics and similar materials. Most twist bits are made from either:

• 'high speed steel' (HSS), these are suitable for drilling most types of material. It can withstand the high temperatures when drilling metal.
• 'carbon steel', these bits are specially ground for drilling wood and should not be used for drilling metals, they tend to be more brittle and less flexible than HSS bits.

Wood

These have a sharp cutting thread and you can see on the tip that there is a central point and two either side. This allows the tip to be positioned accurately and for you to cut straight.

Countersink

Used mainly on wood and soft materials. It creates a recess so that when you put in the screw it can be flush with or sit below the surface. It can then be filled so that the screw is hidden and creates a smooth finish.

It is typically used before you drill the complete hole. Make sure you drill the hole from the centre of the countersunk one.

Tile

When you are using this bit on tiles there are some tips that you should follow.

Apply masking tape to the tile where you are going to drill. The purpose of this is to prevent the bit from slipping and to protect the tile. Use a low speed.

You can use a masonry drill bit, however this must be used without the hammer action being on and at a low speed.

Flat

It has a central point and flat steel either side. This is used when drilling bigger holes in wood. For example a hole for pipes to go through. It can also be used if you need to recess the head of a screw or a bolt as it creates a flat bottomed hole.

Part 2 will cover the process of drilling the hole and what wall plugs to use.