power tool care and use

[amandaeb]

I read the JCB and Dewalt threads with interest.

I had a Bosch hammer drill for about 6 years, only used for DIY, although my walls are hard Victorian bricks. At first I bought a multi pack of HSS/Wood/Masonary drills from Woolworths and blamed my inability to drill holes deep enough for the wall plug in masonary on lack of strength!

One day when browsing in B&Q i saw these individual masonary drill bits, which claimed to be hard wearing etc. It made a lot of difference, I no longer had to make do with half the wall plug in the wall and shaving off the rest with a stanley knife!

Anyway the point I wanted to make was that I watch these DIY shows but I've never seen advice on using and caring for your powertool, theres also nothing in the DIY book. It was only lately that someone told me to drill a pilot hole first with a smaller drill bit, this made things 100% easier!

I guess to professionals this sounds obvious, but i'm sure I'm not the only person not to know these things. I thought a drill bit was a drill bit and didn't think the quality would vary that much. Also I used to get smoke when drilling in wood (also woolworths drill bits), now solved with drill bits bought from a proper tool shop with advice!

I was told when the Bosch packed up that I'd burnt the motor out. From reading the replies to the JCB thread I realise its probably because of the pressure I attempted to apply to get the drill bit further into the wall.

How can you tell that the drill bit is blunt? Is it when the 'ears' at the tip become rounded?

Also how much pressure should you apply, should the drill bit do most of the work, or do you need to give it a push in hard materials?

I've now bought a Dewalt corded 700w and its lovely. I love the keyless chuck. However the advice from the tool shop was to spray the inside (where the bit goes) every time with WD40. I wouldn't have known this, and it doesn't say in the brief instructions. Even though its less watts than the Bosch its goes in much easier. The other useful advice form the tool shop was to buy a drill bit one size smaller than the wall plug, you just need to tap it in. This solves the problem I often had of the wall plug spinning in the hole.

Anyway does anyone have any other tips like these? Like how to drill a straight hole? I once saw a drill with a spirit level on the top which seemed like a good idea.

Also am I doing something wrong, all my thin drill bits (wood) upto 4 end up breaking, even when I've bought more expensive ones. Is one make better than another?

Many thanks

Amanda

 

[breezer]

a thin drill bit will breadk because:

you are pushing it causing it to try and bow

you have changed the angle at which you are holding the drill since you started to drill, so again the bit trys to bow

red rawlplugs should have a 5.5 mm hole drilled first

 

[masona]

How can you tell that the drill bit is blunt? Is it when the 'ears' at the tip become rounded?

Yes !

Also how much pressure should you apply, should the drill bit do most of the work, or do you need to give it a push in hard materials?

Hardly any pressure at all and lots of patient !!! If it not drilling the hole then drill bit is blunt.You should always move the drill backward and forward to allow dusts built up to fall out otherwise it will make the power drill works harder and start to burn out.Sadly 90% of power tools do not get any loving care.

However the advice from the tool shop was to spray the inside (where the bit goes) every time with WD40.

Good and bad point,should wipe it with a oily rag,if you spray the wd-40 it will collect the dusts.

 

[renovator]

I have two cleaning regimes.

1 oily cloth ( Gun Oil) for wiping chisels and bench tools and drill chucks

2 vacuum cleaner for blowing/sucking the brick/concrete/granite/wood dust from every tool.

 

[amandaeb]

thank you for your replies.

Breezer- I suspect thats what I'm doing - pushing too hard and not keeping it straight, for some reason I find it hard to drill a straight hole in both planes!

Mason- Today I really tried to keep it straight, I think it was easier because I let the drill do the work as you suggested, and didn't try to keep forcing it in, so I was able to watch how I was holding it instead. Found that I didn't need as much pressure as I thought.

I wondered about the WD40 and dust, it does seem to stick. However I notice that if I don't spray it for a day or two the chuck doesn't spin round as easily. I'm not sure really if I need to lubricate the inside for this reason or just the outside .

Renovator- do you just rub the outside of the chuck? Is gun oil especially good, or could I get away with using say cooking oil? Vacuuming sounds like a good idea, will try this on the drill.

Thank you again

Amanda

 

[masona]

I wondered about the WD40 and dust, it does seem to stick.

Some people use Brake Cleaner Spray from car accessories which force the dirts out and dried out the same time then lightly spray the inside with WD-40 in the drill stand for drainage etc.

Also I've seen the drill chuck soaked in a pot with light oil then drain it again as above.

 

[Studders]

thank you for your replies.


I wondered about the WD40 and dust, it does seem to stick. However I notice that if I don't spray it for a day or two the chuck doesn't spin round as easily. I'm not sure really if I need to lubricate the inside for this reason or just the outside .


Amanda

Have you tried using a teflon based spray? There's another one on the market called GT80 which is PTFE based. Both dry off after spraying leaving a dry coating so no dust or dirt sticks. It was originally produced for top end Mountain Bikes so that dirt would not stick so easily and ruin the expensive parts.

As for drill a straight hole, been trying for years and still can't do it, I think they deliberately sell us 'crooked drill bits'

 

[masona]

I have seen somewhere you can get a small spirit level attachment onto the drill.

A little tip,

Always drill slightly downward when drilling into the walls.If the rawlplug break or snapped the screw will never come out on it own !

 

[breezer]

another tip,

if drilling through a cavity wall for say a tv aerial cable, drill slightly upwards. (so that cable out side is lower than inside)

water can not run up hill

 

[masona]

water can not run up hill

That's a better idea,save you having to fix the cable as U shape outside which also prevent the rain coming in.

 

[amandaeb]

Thank you for your replies

Mason and Studders I will look at both of those products, it sounds like either of those would be better than the WD40 in respect of dust sticking to the inside after being sprayed.

Studders- Ahh yes, it must be the drill bits!

Mason- I will try drilling downwards from now on, I have seen those spirit levels for fence posts- must be something like that. I'll have a surf around.

Breezer- good point

Thank you again

Amanda