Can Drills be Used as Screwdrivers?
Unsure whether your drill can be used as a screwdriver? If you’re fairly new to DIY, this is a question that you may be wondering. The answer to this question is simple. Yes, drills can be used as screwdrivers… as long as you use the right type of drill.
In order to drive screws, drills need to have a clutch as well as variable speed settings.
The role of the clutch is to sense the tension. Without the clutch, the drill chuck will keep spinning after driving the screw into your workpiece. As it will keep spinning, the head of the screw will be stripped. This means it is harder to drive the screw further into your material. It will also become very difficult to remove the screw from the material.
Variable speed is another factor that comes into play. Driving screws does not require the same amount of power as drilling holes. This means that you will need slower speeds to drive screws. If your drill does not have variable speeds, it will be harder to get the job done carefully without causing damage to the workpiece.
Cordless drills have both of these functions, which makes them ideal for adding or removing screws. Corded drills, on the other hand, do not have a clutch. This means that they cannot drive screws, as screw heads will get stripped after driving screws.
To get a better idea of how the process works, we’ve put together some tips on using your drill as a screwdriver.
Which Drills can Be Used as Screwdrivers?
As we mentioned above, the general rule of thumb is that cordless drills are good for driving screws and corded drills are not. Let’s take a closer look at why each drill can or can’t be used as a screwdriver.
Corded Drills
First, let’s look at the drill that can’t drive screws. While many corded drills have variable speed settings, they don’t have a clutch. This means that they won’t be much good at driving screws.
With that said, there are some models that have a clutch feature. To determine whether your tool has a clutch, look for a torque adjustment system. If your tool has this system on top of variable speed, it means it can be safely used to drive screws.
Cordless Drills
Next up, we have cordless drills. The majority of these tools are designed to drive screws and drill holes, making them very versatile.
Most cordless drills have a clutch and variable speeds. This means that they can be used to drive screws.
Now that you know which type of drill is best to drive screws, what else should you know?
As with any other type of project, it’s always good to have the right drill bits. Ask your drill bit specialist or hardware store which bits to use for your specific type of screws. This is the simplest way to make sure that you use the right bits.
Looking for help with your drilling project? Ruwag is here to help. Get in touch with all of your questions and we’ll help you find the right drill bits to use for driving screws.
