Why a Cordless Drill Is the Right First Power Tool

If you only ever buy one power tool, make it a cordless drill. It hangs a shelf, assembles flat-pack furniture, puts up a curtain rail and drills a rawlplug hole in brick. A modern 18V combi drill — the sort sold in most DIY sheds — will do all of that on a single charge, and it is far more forgiving than a mains-powered drill for a beginner. The combi part means it has three modes: drill, screwdriver and hammer. Learn those three and you have covered almost every job in a typical British semi.

Before you tackle your first hole, though, it pays to spend ten minutes understanding what the drill is actually doing. Most accidents and ruined workpieces come from rushing this bit.

Getting to Know Your Drill Before You Switch It On

Pick up the drill and work through the controls one by one. At the front is the keyless chuck, usually 13mm. Turn the collar by hand to open the jaws, push the bit in until it bottoms out, then tighten firmly — you should feel it grip and click rather than spin. Never tighten a chuck by running the drill with the bit jammed; that chews the jaws.

On top or the side you will find a two-speed gear selector. Position one is slow and torquey — use it for driving screws and for drilling large holes. Position two spins faster with less force, which suits small pilot holes and light work. Around the chuck sits the torque collar, and behind the trigger is the forward/reverse switch. Push it to the middle and the trigger locks out, which is exactly where it should sit whenever you are changing bits.

The trigger itself is variable speed: squeeze gently for a slow start, harder to speed up. That control is the single most useful skill you can develop.

Choosing the Right Drill Bit for the Job

Using the wrong bit is the fastest way to blunt your tool and burn the wood. Keep three sets and never mix them up:

• Wood bits. Brad-point or lip-and-spur bits cut clean, accurate holes in timber and are worth buying in a few common sizes. Ordinary twist bits will do at a push for small holes.
• Masonry bits. These have a tungsten carbide tip and need the hammer mode switched on. Use them on brick, block and render — never on tiles, which will crack and shatter.
• HSS bits. High-speed steel bits are for metal. Run them slowly, add a drop of cutting oil, and press steadily rather than leaning on the drill.

For screws, the rule of thumb is simple: match your pilot bit to the shank of the screw, not its thread. Too small and the wood splits; too big and the screw spins uselessly. If you are working near an edge, drill a pilot hole even in softwood. And remember that a blunt bit is dangerous — it needs force, which means it slips.

Torque Settings and the Clutch Explained

The numbers on the torque collar — usually one to twenty or so — refer to a clutch inside the drill. When the resistance reaches the setting you have chosen, the clutch slips and the bit stops turning. This is a gift to beginners, because it stops you driving a screw straight through a piece of pine or stripping the head.

Start low, around three or four, and increase a number at a time until screws seat snugly just below the surface. For drilling, twist the collar past the numbers to the drill-bit symbol, which disengages the clutch entirely. For brick, select the hammer symbol alongside speed one. If you hear a rapid clicking while drilling wood, you are in the wrong mode.

Safety Habits Worth Building From Day One

None of this is fussy box-ticking; it is the difference between a pleasant afternoon and a trip to A&E.

• Wear safety glasses every single time. Dust and swarf travel fast.
• Add a dust mask when drilling masonry and ear defenders if you use hammer mode for long.
• Tie back long hair, roll up sleeves and take off rings, watches and dangling jewellery.
• Before any wall, use a cable and pipe detector. Avoid the obvious danger zones: directly above sockets, horizontally from switches, and the wall behind a sink or radiator.
• Clamp your workpiece. Holding it with one hand while drilling with the other is how people get hurt.
• Remove the battery before changing a bit, and never lay a live drill down on its trigger.
• Let the bit cut at its own pace. Pushing hard overheats the bit and makes it snatch.

Your First Hole, Step by Step

Mark the spot with a pencil, then make a small dimple with a bradawl or centre punch so the bit does not wander. Fit the correct bit, tighten the chuck, and set your speed and torque. Hold the drill square to the surface — a slight lean gives you an oval hole and a wobbly fixing.

Start slowly, just enough to bite, then squeeze to full speed. Withdraw the bit every few seconds to clear dust, especially in deep holes, and ease off as you break through the far side. For a wall fixing, drill about 5mm deeper than the plug, blow out the dust, and tap the plug home flush. When you have finished, wipe the drill down, store bits in their case, and put the battery on charge so it is ready next time — never leave it flat for weeks.

Do those things and your first hole will be neat, safe and the start of something much bigger.