Tool Tutorial #1 – How to Use a Drill – The Basics

I hear people say all of the time that they are intimidated by tools, and I want to change that! You can read the tool tutorial below or simply scroll down to the video for a quick, concise breakdown of how to use a drill! Lets get started!

First, we will look at a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to using a drill.

Do use safety glasses to protect your eyes!

Do use clamps to secure your materials!

Do stay aware of your body and surroundings to keep yourself safe!

Don’t use your drill to make bagels or any other baked goods for that matter.

Don’t use your drill for stain removal purposes! It’s just not that effective.

Don’t! Please, just don’t!

The most important parts for you to know about are the trigger, the forward/reverse selector, and torque selector if your drill has one.

To put the drill in reverse mode, press the selector on the left side (there’s usually an arrow on the button to indicate the direction). Pull the trigger to make it go. Reverse mode is useful for removing screws.

To put the drill in forward mode, press the selector on the right side of the drill. Then pull the trigger for drilling action. Forward mode is useful for driving screws as well as drilling holes.

Some drills have torque selectors. The purpose is to protect your lumber when driving screws. Here, I have my torque set to one. You can see that when I drive the screw, the drill stops before the screw goes in all the way.

As the setting increases, the drill will drive the screw further into the lumber. You can determine the right setting for your materials by using a piece of scrap lumber. If you are drilling a hole rather than driving a screw, simply select drill mode.

There are a few variations when it comes to drills. Some have cords while others are cordless. Corded drills are generally more powerful than their cordless counterparts. However, the cords can sometimes be quite inconvenient.

Cordless drills, on the other hand, get their power from convenient rechargeable batteries. And you can use them almost anywhere!

Another variation is a chuck key versus a keyless chuck. To change a bit with a chuck key, simply place the key in the hole on the sleeve of the drill. Turn it counterclockwise to loosen. Then the bit can easily be removed.

To install a new bit, adjust the jaws by turning the chuck. Slide the bit into place, hand tighten the jaws by turning the chuck in the opposite direction. Finish it off by tightening with the chuck key in a clockwise direction.

For a drill without a chuck key, it’s even simpler! To remove a bit, put the drill in reverse. Hold onto the chuck and pull the trigger. This will loosen the chuck jaws so you can remove the bit.

To install a new bit, place it in the chuck jaws. Put the drill in forward mode, hold onto the chuck, and pull the trigger. This will tighten the drill bit into place.

Drilling bits are used for creating holes. There are lots of different types, but we are going to look at two types that are most commonly useful.

Spade bits come in many sizes. I generally use these for holes larger than ½”. They offer a slight speed advantage over brad point bits, but they will tear out the back of your board if you don’t take precautions.

The other type of drilling bit that often comes in handy is the brad point bit. These offer efficiency in clearing waste and a much cleaner finish. Generally, these only come in sizes that are ½” or smaller.

Driving bits are designed to drive a screw into whatever materials you are using.

Flat, torx, phillips, and square recess are just a few of the many types of bits made to fit into their respective screwheads.

Now that you know the basics, you can use a drill with confidence!

You don’t need much more knowledge than using a drill to make this shelf or this one for that matter! Check them out!