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Latest Articles
5 Warning Signs That You Need To Replace Your Windows
Windows can make or break your home decor. You might think there are not much of massive role windows play in the overall look of your home but...
on Apr 19, 2018
6 Reasons To Outsource Cleaning Services
Running an in-house cleaning service might look like a rewarding business in the long run, but contrary to popular belief, there is a lot more you...
on Apr 19, 2018
How to Start Your Real Estate Fix and Flip Business
If you’re looking for new career opportunities centered on real estate in 2018, consider home flipping. While real estate investing has long been a...
on Apr 19, 2018
Are Annual Maintenance Contracts For Your HVAC Unit Necessary?
A HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning) system or unit is very important as it takes care of all the heating, ventilation and air...
on Apr 19, 2018
Replacing Broken Window Glass Like A Pro
Most homeowners don't think about their windows until they break. As the old saying goes, "glass is for looking through, not looking...
on Apr 16, 2018
Popular Articles
Three Places to Spend Money on the Exterior of Your Home
When you have the exterior of your home remodeled, you are investing, time, energy and convenience into the project and you want to make sure that...
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When to Use a Brush, Roller or Sponge Brush
Brushes are a good choice for painting trim and woodwork. They are also useful for cutting in the edges around the top and bottom edges and corners...
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Homemade Headboards-Make an Upholstered or Wooden Headboard
Homemade headboards can add a lot of personality to any bedroom. They can be coordinated with existing furniture and room decor or they can be the...
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Creating a Cottage Kitchen with Bead Board
Kitchen decor can range from modern and bold to elegant and elaborate by using strategic kitchen pieces. One of the most popular decorating trends...
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Gas Fireplace Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Follow these steps for diagnosing and troubleshooting Gas Fireplaces repairs. For the average DIYer, this may seem intimidating, depending on the...
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Plug-in or Cordless: Pick the Right Drill for You
by Guest on May 15, 2012
For the average Do-It-Yourselfer, we can't imagine a toolbox without a drill. Unlike hammers, drills attach things with less noise and less effort.. When you are ready to start using power tools, please do consider learning more about power tools safety first. Your first decision is whether to buy a corded electric drill (which plugs into an outlet) or one of the new cordless drills powered by a rechargeable battery pack. Learn the advantages of each type of power drill and what is the best fit for you.
Cordless Drill Advantages |
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Cordless drills are more convenient because they aren't tethered to a power cord. You can use them anywhere, even outdoors, without having to hassle with a long extension cord. For drilling holes and driving screws on fences, garden sheds, treehouses and the like, cordless drills simply can't be beat. It's also more convenient to grab a cordless drill for most jobs around the house, garage or workshop. When the battery's low, you just pop it in the charger that comes with the drill. Tool manufacturers have put their best engineering into today's cordless drills, and they're a pleasure to use. Most cordless drills have a keyless chuck that makes changing bits a breeze. Multiposition clutches, which disengage the motor from the chuck at a preset torque (so you don't sink the screw too deep) make cordless drills better than corded drills for driving screws of all sorts. Cordless drills come in a range of sizes from lightweight, low-powered 7.2-volt models up to 24-volt heavyweights with power to spare. Lower-powered models are fine for drilling small-diameter holes (3/8 inch or smaller) and driving small to medium-size screws, but they don't produce the torque for much more than that. For more demanding jobs, you need a more powerful cordless drill (12 volts or more). These match the power of a plug-in drill and can handle almost any job. But like all cordless drills, they have a limited run timeyou have to recharge the battery periodically. If you have two batteries, though, you can keep working with one while the other is charging. |
Plug-In Drill Advantages |
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Corded drills have an unlimited power supply (assuming you pay your electric bill), and they never run out of juice. This gives them an advantage over cordless drills for high-torque jobs that would rapidly drain a cordless drill's battery: drilling holes in landscape timbers, driving dozens of decking screws or boring deep, large-diameter holes with a hole saw. Likewise, continuous run-time jobs like sanding with a disc or stripping old paint with a wire-brush wheel are also better suited to a corded drill. Any drill can bore the occasional hole in masonry with a carbide-tipped masonry bit, but a corded drill won't run out of steam if you need to drill more than a few holes at a time. For serious masonry drilling, your best choice is a hammer drill, which adds a jackhammer motion to the bit's rotating action. There are cordless hammer drills, but the corded version is a better choice if you have to drill lots of holes.
The Bottom Line If you can afford only one drill, though, go for a 12-volt cordless with two battery packs. It's all the drill most people need, and it's much more convenient than a plug-in model. |
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