Types of Drills and their Uses

The 'primitive awl' is believed to be the first drill invented by man.

A drill is one of the most essential tools to have in your garage. This versatile tool has come a long way in terms of design and utility. Although not as popular as electric drills, manual hand drills are still in use today.

The drills manufactured today are equipped with many features such as multifunction power and use of various kinds of drilling and driver bits. The battery-operated cordless drills used to be a lot heavier, but the use of lithium batteries has helped make these drills a lot more lighter, powerful, and easy to use.

This handy tool not only allows you to drill holes into tough material, such as wood, metal, and concrete, it also lets you sand, buff, polish, and drive long screws in a matter of seconds.

All in all, a drill should be your tool of choice to help you complete DIY and repair jobs in a matter of seconds. This HomeQuicks article provides information on its various types and uses.

The motion of the wheel makes the pinion of the drill move along with the chuck, which in turn, causes the attached bit/shank to rotate.

Uses: Equipped with a main handle, this geared manual hand drill is used for drilling small holes in soft wood, soft metal, and plastic.

The brace drill also has a top spindle that is used for gripping and fixing the drill in a desired position. While one hand holds the top spindle, the other hand rotates the second spindle in a clockwise motion, so as to make the bit drill a precise hole through wood.

Uses: The brace drill is used for countersinking and piercing holes in wood, thus, being a preferred woodworking tool.

The most common type of design available in corded drills is the pistol-grip design that makes it easier to use the drill. Nonetheless, areas away from the power outlet can be reached by using an extension wire. However, as compared to cordless battery-operated drills, corded drills are more powerful and provide greater torque.

Depending on the intensity of your use, choose a drill based on its amperage. Therefore, a more high-performing drill will have a greater Amp number. Drills usually have an amperage ranging between 3-10 and must have at least 40-inch pounds of torque.

Uses: Such drills have various types of bits and are meant for drilling through wood, fiberglass, metal, and plastic. If the bit is changed, this drill can be used for fixing and removing screws (reversibility feature), and for sanding and polishing wood.

Features to Look For in Corded and Cordless Drills

• Variable speeds - 1,300 RPM
• Counterclockwise torque
• Adjustable clutch
• Large chuck size - ⅜", ½", and ¼"
• Chuck capacity - 0.25", 0.375", 0.5", and 0.675"
• Chuck key - For locking, tightening, and loosening the chuck
• Right-angle drills (for working in tight spaces)
• Voltage - 6-24V (only for cordless drills)

Sold as both corded and cordless variants, the hammer drill also utilizes an extra stand or side handle that provides greater support during hammering or drilling.

For greater hammering action, go in for a drill that has more blows per minute (BPM) or impacts per minute (IPM) and is extremely heat-resistant. For example, the Bosch 1191VSRK has features such as 7.0 Amps, 0-3,000 RPM, and 0-16,000/0-41,600 BPM.

Uses: Although a rotary hammer drill can also be used like a standard drill, its ability to pound through thick concrete with its pounding action makes this drill extremely unique.

The power of a cordless drill is measured according to the voltage it can sustain. Therefore, higher the voltage, the more powerful the drill will be. These drills usually have a voltage capacity that ranges between 6-24 volts.

The voltage mentioned on the drill also determines its weight, wherein the lower the voltage, the lighter shall be the drill, and vice versa. The biggest advantage of cordless drills is the mobility it offers to its user. These drills can be carried in the tool kit and used in remote areas that have no power outlets.

Secondly, being much lighter than corded drills, cordless variants are easier to use, carry, and are less likely to cause pain and discomfort to the hand and arms after intensive use.

These drills need to be kept recharged or may stop functioning while in-between a task. The two types of batteries used in cordless drills are the cheaper and heavier nickel-cadmium, and expensive and lighter lithium-ion batteries.

Uses: Unless it's a cordless hammer drill, drills that work on batteries are usually not suitable for heavy drilling work such as drilling through hard concrete, masonry, or working with thick sheets of metal. However, it would work on wood, thin metal sheets, fiberglass, and plastic.

Being the most powerful drill, the press drill is able to make precision holes with predetermined depth and width. The angle at which the hole must be made can also be adjusted. Stand alone with ½ to 1 hp (horsepower) and benchtop with ⅓ to ¼ hp are the two types of stationary drill presses.

Uses: Such a drill can work through the toughest of materials and be equally delicate while piercing softer materials.