An indispensable tool for the handyman, beginner or advanced, is the drill. Due to technological development, there are currently several types of drilling machines on the market. Which machine suits you best depends on the purpose for which you need the machine. Or rather: which purposes (plural) because today’s drill is suitable for multiple purposes, combined in one device.
An indispensable tool for the handyman, beginner or advanced, is the drill. Due to technological development, there are currently several types of drilling machines on the market. The choice of the right device depends on what you want to do with it.
- Cordless drill: for light drilling and screwdriving
- Impact drill: for normal drilling work, also in stone
- Rotary hammer: for drilling in concrete and chiselling
Cordless drill
An indispensable device for light drilling work in the house, for example in wood or plasterwork, and for screwing in and out screws in the cordless drill. The big advantage of the cordless drill is the fact that you can work cordlessly. This means it can be used anywhere, making it safer to use in damp areas than the corded drill. The cordless drill is available in different price categories. The price differences arise mainly due to the differences in power, type of battery and possibly the accessories that are included.
The power is indicated by voltage, for example 18V. The higher the voltage, the more power the device has and the harder your job can be. Also look at the number of amp hours, labeled Ah. This simply indicates how long your battery will last per job before you have to recharge the battery. The higher the better. After all, you are not waiting for a cordless drill that you have to recharge after drilling 4 holes. Always keep in mind that drilling with a cordless drill requires a lot of the batteries.
The choice of battery type is an important one when purchasing your cordless drill. There are two types of batteries: Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) and Lithium Ion (Li-ion). The Li-ion battery is lighter in weight and has the advantage that it does not drain. if you don’t use the machine for a while. So ready for use. The disadvantage is the price tag, the Li-ion batteries are considerably more expensive than NiCd.
Source: Horst, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-2.5)
There are many accessories available for the cordless drill. Think of drills for different types of material (wood, stone, light metal). You also have many types of bits for screwing. There are also differences in price and therefore quality in the accessories.
Especially when you often get started, the choice of the more expensive accessories is recommended. There are bits on the market that, as experts sometimes say, seem to be made of cheese. These wear out so quickly that you can’t get a screw in the wall anymore. This also applies to drills that tend to break off if they are of lower quality. And then you still have to go to the store.
When buying a cordless drill, keep the following in mind: cheap can be expensive. If you are going to use the device very frequently, so not just for the occasional screw in the wall, it is advisable to invest once in a somewhat more expensive machine.
Impact drill
You can opt for an impact drill for normal drilling work in the house, also in the walls of stone. This machine differs from the cordless drill, in addition to the fact that you can do heavier drilling work with it, because of the cord. This machine works on electricity from the mains. The impact drill has a impact mechanism that can be turned on and off by means of a switch. Without impact function, the machine is a normal drill with which you can drill holes in wooden, iron and light rock. The knock function switched on also make the device suitable for easy drilling in rock.
Rotary hammer
The rotary hammer is an ideal device for heavier drilling work. This also includes drilling holes in concrete, which you often find in new-build houses. Especially the walls between two houses, or the outer walls and ceilings are often made of rock-hard concrete. You cannot get through this with a normal drill. There are two types of rotary hammers: the mechanical rotary hammer and the pneumatic rotary hammer.
A mechanical hammer drill is more suitable for the softer concrete. The speed of hammering depends on the rotational speed of the drill. When the drill is running at a low speed, the hammer function is also slower. A pneumatic hammer drill, on the other hand, is suitable for harder concrete. The speed of hammering can be adjusted independently of the rotational speed of the drill. As a result, hammer can still be done quickly even at a low speed.
The rotary hammer uses SDS drills and other accessories. It concerns the connection to the machine. With the impact drill and cordless drill, place the accessory in the head and tighten the head so that the accessory gets stuck. The accessory is completely round in outline. The SDS connection looks different and works differently. It is precisely because of this that the head can handle more power and is better suited for heavier work. There are also accessories such as the chisel. with which you can also use the machine for, for example, removing tiles from a bathroom.
Tips when purchasing your new drill
- Think carefully about what you need the device for. What activities are you going to do with it? Sometimes different jobs can be done with the same device. You may also have to consciously choose to purchase two separate machines.
- Be aware of the difference between the accessories with and without SDS connection. The accessories are not interchangeable per machine.
- In most cases cheap is also expensive. Cheaper machines and accessories often come at the expense of quality. If you expect more from your drill, spend a little more money on the purchase. You will benefit greatly from this in the long term.
- Get well informed in the store. And also get information from user forums on the internet. Many different brands of drills are available. You don’t always need the best of the best (and therefore often the most expensive).
