In this video, Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains the proper use of a drill/driver.
Selecting and using a drill/driver
- To lock the drill bit into place on a drill/driver, place it into the keyless chuck and slowly press the trigger, then twist the chuck to lock it into place.
- To make sure you’re on the drilling setting, there should be a twistable feature on the top of the drill/driver with a picture of a drill bit. For driving, there’s a picture of a screw. And some drill/drivers also have a picture of a hammer, for use as a hammer drill into masonry.
- Drill/drivers also come with a clutch setting. The numbers are next to the chuck and can be adjusted to suit the project. For fine work, keep the clutch setting low. For more power, the clutch setting can be higher.
- There’s also a setting for torque on the very top of the drill/driver. One setting can be can be used for speed; the other can be used for power.
- The trigger on the drill/driver can also vary the speed.
- Next to the trigger is a back and forth button that sets the drill for forward and reverse.