Among hand-held power tools, the drill and screwdriver are among the most common. They significantly improve efficiency where you need to drill holes or handle screw fasteners. The power source for such electrically powered tools can be an ordinary electrical network, compact batteries, compressed air and even gasoline. Rotation in them can be combined with impact functions.
What is a drill
The first drills appeared in ancient times and made it easier to make holes in stone, wood and other materials. When the electric motor was invented, their capabilities expanded significantly. And with the development of metallurgy and the advent of special drills, they began to make holes in metals and stone using an electric drill. Over time, in addition to production, these tools began to be widely used in household. Their functions gradually expanded. Were invented special devices, which made it possible to grind various surfaces and polish them.
Invention of abrasives cutting wheels allowed the drill to be used for small cutting jobs, primarily on pipes and metal rods. Modern drills are distinguished by high power, high rotation speed and ergonomics. Made for them various options drills, replaceable chucks, special attachments and devices that allow you to expand the scope of use. For example, using special nozzles using a drill to mix various building mixtures and paints. Drills can have regular and impact modes of operation when you need to drill through stone or concrete.
There has been a division into a professional tool and one that can be used at home. Professional is different reliable design and durability, widespread use of rolling bearings. Its parts are made of alloy steels that have undergone heat treatment. The body is made of high-strength plastic, the lubrication system is closed.
The drills have acquired a convenient body shape, which houses the electric motor and control devices. They now have switches, power regulators, mechanisms that provide an impact effect, and others useful devices. It has become possible to use drills for tightening and unscrewing screws, screws, and self-tapping screws.
Why do you need a screwdriver?
Equipping drills with compact rechargeable batteries contributed to the creation of screwdrivers, which opened up new possibilities for carpentry, installation and other work. They turned out to be especially convenient in confined spaces, when dismantling and assembling wooden and metal structures, installation of drywall parts.
Externally, this tool differs little from a drill. However, it was specifically designed for fast work With screw connections, screws and self-tapping screws. There are models that can also perform drilling operations. The screwdrivers are designed to provide powerful torque. Here high speed rotation is contraindicated. This is ensured primarily by a special gearbox that reduces the speed up to 200-300 per minute with a simultaneous increase in torque. Such a gearbox is controlled by a special regulator that sets the force required for tightening without deforming the screw, screw or self-tapping screw.
To counteract jamming, a reversing device with several speeds is installed, as well as a system that prevents overloads. The screwdriver can be equipped with attachments that allow you to unscrew and tighten nuts. An impact driver tightens screws or nuts using a series of not very strong blows high frequency.
Special The release clutch sets the screwing force. It also stops the chuck in case of overload. The use of batteries combined with a screwdriver handle has made it extremely popular in construction, assembly production, in the repair of machines and mechanisms. If there is a replaceable power supply, the screwdriver can operate for a long time, which can increase when using the most advanced batteries.
feel the difference
A drill and a screwdriver are good for performing the functions for which they were created. . A drill allows you to quickly and accurately drill a hole. Using a screwdriver, self-tapping screws, nuts, screws and screws can also be quickly tightened and unscrewed. At the same time, both instruments have certain differences.
- The drill holder in the drill is keyless chuck, for a round drill bit. The screwdriver uses special holders designed for the hexagonal tail of the working bit.
- A drill, even with adjustment, does not ensure accurate tightening of fasteners, which can lead to damage to the screw head or the attachment that tightens it.
The screwdriver has a special clutch that allows you to adjust the force. As a result, the screw or self-tapping screw is tightened to the required depth.
- Drills require torque to drill 20 Nm and speed over 1500 rpm. A screwdriver needs 10 Nm and 500 rpm for tightening.
- Professional drills work less in continuous mode than similar screwdrivers, which wear out less.
- In an electric drill, it is possible to change the rotation speed. This cannot be done with a screwdriver.
- The electric drill has inertia after it is turned off, which requires increased attention at work. The screwdriver stops instantly.
Honey, we urgently need an impact drill! And also an impact drill/driver!
Honey, don't you have a drill?
Yes, but these are completely different things, and I can’t live without them!
In this article we will prepare you for such a dialogue, so that during the discussion family budget you were able to prove to your beloved the need to buy a new power tool.
It used to be so simple! When a son flew out of the nest, his father would take him to the local hardware store and say, “Boy, you need a drill!” Now, when we go to a construction hypermarket, we see dozens of power tools designed for drilling holes and tightening screws, which even have different names.
What is the difference between a regular drill, an impact drill and an impact drill? What does each of these tools do best, and what can you use them for? Let's finally sort this issue out!
DRILL SCREWDRIVERS
You know it, you love it, almost everyone has it. Over the years, the drills have lost their cords and lost a couple of pounds, acquired a keyless chuck and a flashlight. In general, the usability has improved, but the functions remain the same. Drills are affordable, reliable, and great for both drilling holes and driving screws and bolts.
Drills are valued for their versatility: they can be used to make a grinder, hole saw, mixer, etc. But no matter how versatile they are, a cordless drill is a tool general purpose. For specialized tasks, you may need a more optimal power tool (see below).
When to use a regular drill/driver
- drilling holes in wood, drywall and other soft materials
- driving screws into wood, drywall and other soft materials
- tightening and unscrewing bolts and nuts if they are not stuck and rotate well (that is, no additional force is required)
You may find it useful
Example from life
Let's say you need to put up a fence at your dacha, build a wooden stage, platform or even a ramp for wheelchair access. To drill holes and screw screws into wood, enough conventional drill.
There are drills different forms and sizes, differ in power and battery capacity. Small tools of 12-18 volts are suitable for home craftsmen - lightweight, convenient, which can solve most tasks around the house. For a household tool, a battery of 1.5-2.0 A/h is sufficient, since work usually does not take much time, and there is always access to recharging. A large and powerful 20-24 volt drill/driver will be more useful on construction site. The battery capacity of a professional tool is usually higher than 2.0 Ah, so that it can work for several hours without recharging.
HAMMER DRILL
An impact drill is very similar to a regular drill, so this often creates confusion. So what's the difference?
Imagine that while drilling, someone hits the back of the drill with a hammer to help push the drill deeper. Only these blows are fast and furious. It may feel like you are holding a small jackhammer in your hands. People who are using an impact drill for the first time may even think that it is some kind of broken drill.
Impact drills are excellent for drilling concrete, cement and brickwork. Therefore, if you work a lot with these materials, such a drill is a must-have in your collection. If you do more carpentry or carpentry, then you don't need an impact drill. On the contrary, it can damage soft materials such as wood and drywall. True, it is usually equipped with a switch for drilling and hammer drilling modes.
You may find it useful
When to Use an Impact Drill
- driving screws into wood, drywall and other soft materials (drill mode only)
- tightening or loosening bolts (drill mode only)
- drilling holes in wood, drywall and other soft materials (drill mode only)
- drilling holes in concrete, cement, masonry (in impact drill mode)
Example from life
Let's go back to our wheelchair ramp. You will build it using a drill, but to mount it to concrete wall You will need an impact drill or even a hammer drill.
An impact drill is also useful when installing plumbing fixtures or when you need to attach a TV to a concrete wall or hang a wall light.
IMPACT DRILL SCREWDRIVERS
This is something new on the market: neither a simple screwdriver nor an impact drill. It even looks different - a short body and a hexagonal cartridge. So what is this thing?
Imagine wrench, securely fastened to the bolt or nut, and a hammer tapping this wrench at a rate of 50 blows per second. This is the operating principle of an impact drill/driver. That is, in the case of an impact drill, the direction of the impact is longitudinal (as if on the back of the tool body), in the case of an impact drill-driver, the direction of the impact is perpendicular (as if on a wrench).
You may find it useful
Impact drill/driver BOSCH EasyImpact 12 0 (without battery)
4699 ₽
When to use an impact drill
- tightening and unscrewing bolts and nuts that are stuck or need to be tightened especially well
- tightening bolts large diameter or with square head
- driving screws into wood or metal (can also be used for drywall if you can work at a reduced speed)
- drilling holes in wood, drywall or metal
Example from life
Mechanics often use impact drills to tighten or loosen bolts on engines. It will be required when repairing almost any equipment with a gasoline engine (lawn mowers, cultivators, snow blowers, generators). Every time you tighten the bolts in metal product, you will need an impact drill/driver.
This tool will also be useful to you if you need to hang shelves in a wall cabinet or sheathe a wall plasterboard sheets, during assembly wooden structures, where you need to screw in a large number of ten-centimeter screws
WHAT TO CHOOSE: A REGULAR DRILL, IMPACT DRILL OR IMPACT DRILL-DRIVEVER
If you are only going to buy one thing, it is better to choose an impact drill/driver. The new bits allow them to do everything that can be done with a regular drill. As a result, you only miss out on the special function of the impact drill - the ability to work with concrete and brick.
If you can afford to buy two tools and you plan to work with concrete and masonry, pay attention to sets consisting of an impact drill and an impact drill/driver. With an impact drill you can drill in the mode of a regular drill, and you will also have an impact drill-driver when you need to properly tighten bolts and nuts or unscrew stuck ones.
If you are not going to work with concrete and brick, buy a set of a drill and an impact drill/driver.
With this article our site continues the whole cycle useful materials, the purpose of which will be to facilitate the choice of any product from thousands of options offered on the market. Agree, choosing a specific model of a device always takes a lot of time, which can be spent usefully. In today's article we will talk about choosing drill or screwdriver .
Introduction
Drill or screwdriver - practically indispensable tool for both construction and repair work. It should be present in every household - at least in order to have something to hang a picture or mirror on the wall. It is quite difficult for an untrained person to choose a drill from various types and models, and that is why we talk about these difficulties in this article.
The choice of drill or screwdriver depends on three main factors. Firstly, you need to choose a specific model depending on what material you will be working with - the material of the walls in the house, the material you are working with in the workshop, and so on. Secondly, the choice depends on the scope of the instrument - home / amateur or professional. Thirdly, the drill must be selected taking into account the need for special functions.
You shouldn’t overpay for a tool whose functions you will use very rarely or not at all. It is worth paying extra for the quality that distinguishes the models of individual famous manufacturers- such as Bosch, Metabo, Hitachi and others. Naturally, it’s worth reading online reviews for a specific drill.
Finally, the power of the tool is a very important factor. The principle “the more the better” does not always apply here - extra useless power will only make the drill more expensive and voracious in terms of energy consumption.
In the next section we will talk about important characteristics drills and screwdrivers, and after that we will present to your attention ten best models, which can be found and purchased in our catalog.
Main characteristics of drills and screwdrivers
Purpose
Depending on their purpose, drills are divided into impact wrenches, screwdrivers, conventional drills, drill-screwdrivers and drill-mixers. All these names speak for themselves, but it’s worth saying the main thing - quite often the power, functions and design of the drill allow it to be used for other purposes. For example, a wrench may have impact drilling capabilities and is quite suitable for making holes in a concrete wall. At the same time, however, you should not thoughtlessly load the drill with non-core work - you should monitor its overheating and treat the components of the device with care.
By type, drills are divided into hammerless, impact, angle and diamond drills. The latter are used by professionals, since diamond drilling is best way drilling in general. For obvious reasons, such models are very expensive compared to others and are rarely used at home.
Hammerless drills are used for drilling soft materials - wood, plastic, metal or plaster. They only rotate the drill without making any other effort to deepen the hole.
Impact models not only rotate the drill, but also move it back and forth very quickly, thus making it much easier to work with hard materials - brick and concrete. However, the impact function can often be disabled to work with more sensitive surfaces.
Angle drills are drills that are designed to be used in hard to reach places- after attaching the drill, they resemble the letter “G”. Due to the complexity of such a design, they are much more expensive, but are practically irreplaceable, for example, in a car repair shop.
Chuck type
The two main types of chucks are key chucks and quick-release chucks. In most cases, you can use drills with a quick-release chuck, into which the drill can be inserted easily and quickly - just a little hand effort is required. But for working with very hard materials, models with a key chuck are preferred, in which the drill is clamped using a special key (that is, it can be clamped much more tightly).
Chuck diameter
The diameter of the chuck determines the size of the drill or bits that can be used with it. Before purchasing a drill, be sure to determine the approximate parameters of the holes you will make and select a specific model taking these requirements into account.
Power
How more powerful drill, the more durable and hard materials will yield to it. For example, for drilling soft materials such as wood, plaster and plastic, a drill with a power of up to 500 W is sufficient. Concrete and brick will require an impact model with a minimum power of 600-800 W. At the same time, you can drill a small hole in diameter and depth in a concrete wall with a 500-watt drill - the main thing is not to force it to work in this mode too often and for too long.
Maximum torque
A large amount of torque is useful for making holes in “heavy” materials like steel - a drill with a small torque will simply stall and the drill will get stuck. Pay attention to the markings on the drill itself or its case.
Number of operating speeds
The ability to operate at multiple speeds expands the scope of application of a particular drill - for example, a powerful model can be used both for drilling concrete and for tightening screws, if it has the ability to change speeds. Again, check the labeling.
Operating modes
For different types work may be required different modes drill work. As mentioned above, the most important mode is impact, when in addition to the rotational movement of the drill, translational movement is also performed.
There are also chiselling modes (impact mode without rotation; such a drill can often replace a hammer drill) and pulse. The latter rotates the drill jerkily, which can be useful, for example, for unscrewing a screw with a broken head.
Safety clutch
If you are not a professional, you will probably encounter a situation in which your drill cannot cope with the task and the drill becomes blocked. In this case, the safety clutch will save her from “death”. It will not allow the drill to transfer all its power to the user’s hands.
Electronic overload protection
More advanced electronic protection will automatically turn off the drill motor - in this case the clutch will not need to be replaced.
Drilling depth limiter
This is a metal or plastic rod that is attached to the drill body and prevents you from making a hole longer than necessary. Very useful in any conditions.
Magnetic holder on the case
Models with such a holder are very convenient - it allows you to store everything you need nearby. Consumables like screws and self-tapping screws.
Backlight
If the drill will be used in poorly lit areas, then having a backlight lamp will be very helpful - keeping an eye on the hole while working is very important.
Reverse
The ability to rotate the drill in the opposite direction makes it easy to use any drill as a screwdriver.
Battery operation and type
Most drills use batteries - it is not always possible to find an outlet nearby. The disadvantages compared to network models are obvious - limited period work and additional cost of batteries.
Drills with Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium) batteries are unpretentious and have long term services and will cope with work in the cold. Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride) batteries are less toxic, heavier and smaller in size. Finally, Li-ion (lithium-ion) batteries last 2-3 years and do not carry low temperatures, but not too large and heavy, and also quite capacious.
Case included
It is best to buy a drill with a case that will serve to carry and store it along with all the necessary drills and other accessories. The cost, if available, does not rise too much.
10 best drills and screwdrivers
Cheap and high-quality, but rather weak screwdriver for small-scale work. Excellent for small housework.
Inexpensive impact model for home use, which combines the most necessary qualities: reliability, low cost and versatility of application.
An excellent and not too expensive model that will cope with most household tasks. Versatile, convenient and multifunctional.
A professional drill-mixer that can cope not only with drilling holes, but also with mixing various viscous solutions and mixtures.
Impact-free model for drilling plastic, wood and metal. For its power (2 kW) it is very convenient and light weight.
Expensive (which is typical for angle drills), powerful and very high quality model high power. Comfortable handle, light weight and reverse.
Compact and reliable model intended for home use. Can both drill and tighten or unscrew screws.
An inexpensive low-power corded impact drill that is suitable for work where there is access to an outlet. Good in apartment conditions.
Compact and convenient drill with Li-ion battery(and an additional battery included) is very suitable for working at home.
Compact and powerful drill-driver that can also drill with impact. Suitable for a very wide range of home and renovation work.
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you understand not an easy task choice drill or screwdriver. The next article will talk about
Drills and screwdrivers today have many options. A drill, in addition to drilling holes, can also tighten screws and self-tapping screws and can punch holes in concrete and brick; screwdrivers can also drill holes in metal and wood, and impact screwdrivers can punch holes in concrete. Drills can be either corded or corded, screwdrivers can also be corded or corded. It's easy to get confused.
The difference between a drill and a screwdriver
Let's try to figure out the difference between a drill and a screwdriver and what is better to buy for your home.
Let's start in order. What kind of drill and screwdriver can they be?
Drill happens:
- ordinary, unstressed;
- percussion;
- angular;
- network;
- battery
A screwdriver can be:
- classic, without additional options;
- with drill function;
- impact screwdriver;
- battery;
- network
As we can see, they are practically no different from each other. So why are they called differently? There is still a difference between a drill and a screwdriver. A ratchet is a mechanism mounted on a screwdriver that is necessary to break the connection between the electric motor and the chuck. It is needed in order not to tighten the screw too deeply or, in other words, regulates the force with which screws, self-tapping screws and screws are screwed into the material.
What to choose based on price: drill or screwdriver
Given equal opportunities, a drill will cost less than a screwdriver, since it does not have a ratchet. But if you plan to frequently tighten screws, it is better to take a screwdriver.
Otherwise, there is no difference in price between a drill and a screwdriver. Because of large quantity additional options, the price for both of these tools can be from 1000 rubles to 50,000 rubles.
Also, the price greatly depends on the manufacturer. Manufacturers with high ratings And good reviews, produce quite expensive products. These include Makita, Bosch, Metabo, Hilti, but it is still better to buy drills and screwdrivers from these companies, since their quality is much higher than the cheap ones.
How to determine what is best to choose
In general, when choosing a drill or screwdriver, you need to decide what work the tool will perform. Available types of work for drills and screwdrivers:
- Drilling holes in metal, wood, plastic;
- Punching holes in concrete, stone and brick;
- tightening and unscrewing screws, screws and self-tapping screws.
Think about what kind of work there will be more of and buy a tool that can easily perform them.
It is also worth paying attention to the power supply of the instrument. Whether there will be electricity at the place of work or not, whether the wire will interfere with you while working or not. It is easier to work with an electric screwdriver or drill and they are cheaper than cordless ones, but if there is no electricity or you don’t want to bother with wires, then it is better to buy a cordless drill or screwdriver.
Think about whether you will have to work in hard-to-reach places; if so, then it is worth buying an angle attachment for a drill or an angle screwdriver.
Universal drill/driver
If you still find it difficult to determine what better drill or a screwdriver, you can buy universal tool: a drill-driver is a regular screwdriver, but it has a drill symbol on the ratchet; by switching the screwdriver to this mode, you jam the connection and turn the screwdriver into a regular drill. Such a drill/driver can also be an impact driver and you can buy an angle attachment for it. As for the power source, you still have to choose one thing: either a corded drill-driver or a cordless one.
Every owner has a tool in their arsenal that allows them to tighten or unscrew a screw or self-tapping screw in order to carry out minor home repairs, assemble furniture, or drill a wall for a new painting. Automatic electric drills greatly simplify the process, allowing you to drill almost any surface without special effort and excess garbage.
There is a huge selection of tools on the market now. different manufacturers, models, wired and mobile, for various surfaces and with different principles work. According to experts, among the colossal variety of drills, the most productive, convenient, versatile and multifunctional is the impact screwdriver.
Differences between a traditional drill and an impact driver
Many craftsmen who choose tools for home use or for work are faced with the question of what is the difference between a not yet well-known impact-type screwdriver and an ordinary standard electric drill. With similar appearance The main difference is the operating principle:
- In the first case, the tool has an impact mechanism that drives the drill, thereby increasing the torque;
- The operation of a standard electric drill is based on a two-stage gearbox.
This difference begins to manifest itself, giving an advantage to the impact type tool when working with hard and particularly difficult surfaces. When the drill feels resistance, a series of powerful and fast blows are sent, which significantly increases the torque and tightening the fastener becomes much easier.
It is also worth distinguishing between an impact driver and a drill. Although they operate on the same principle, they have different blow directions. For a drill it is longitudinal, and for a screwdriver it is perpendicular to the direction of rotation. The most obvious way to imagine the process of the tool is as small blows with a wrench while tightening a nut.
Advantages and disadvantages of percussion type instruments
For many buyers who are faced with the choice of which drill or impact driver to choose, the question arises as to how an impact driver is superior to a non-impact model.
- The increased torque allows the technician to apply significantly less effort when working with the tool, without putting pressure on the body itself. For most models, the values of this indicator range from 80 to 250 N/m.
- Can be used not only for self-tapping screws, but also for working with nuts. When the product moves freely, the screwdriver operates in standard mode; when resistance occurs and the free movement of the nut along the thread decreases, the mode automatically switches to impact mode.
- Since there is no need to make excessive efforts to tighten the bolts and screws, the caps are not deformed. The power of the tool is also sufficient for the reverse action - unscrewing components that have modified their original shape or have rusted;
- The ease of use of the tool also helps relieve stress from the user's hand and wrist.
The limitations and disadvantages of impact-producing screwdrivers include a decrease in the twisting speed during the impact mode, since the actions of the tool are concentrated on the turning moment and the quality of work. You can also only use hex chucks. The degree of twisting must be controlled independently, since there is no limit coupling. Also noted increased level noise when working at intensive speed.
Areas of application
Fundamental difference drum models from standard ones lies in their compatibility with other devices. You can use a hole saw in parallel, and also replace the functions of a conventional drill to drill holes using special attachments.
An impact screwdriver is needed for minor repairs, fastening parts, and for drilling particularly durable surfaces. Many professional workers appreciate the lightness and compactness of impact models. At high rotation speeds of the drill, there is no damage to either the screws themselves or the fasteners. Manufacturers and stores offer a wide range the lineup, which allows you to choose a tool at a low price that will also help out with small household repairs, and with active use in the workshop.