Get the most out of your cordless drill deal by knowing how to use it and what parts work where. Renovation experts, woodworkers, and DIYers love their cordless drill. Whether you’re new to the party or are simply updating and verifying your knowledge, this guide’s a great resource.
Power source

Cordless drills require recharging to be able to tap into their power. As a cordless (DC), you have 4 main types to browse. 4V or 8V drills are ideal for delicate materials, 12V drills are light and compact, 18V or 20V drills are more heavy-duty and are able to be used on the majority of professional work, and 36V are rarely found however they do exist and are used for the heaviest of applications.
Trigger
Every drill has a variable speed trigger. The more you pull it, the more speed and power you’re provided. This allows a user to modify their approach, depending on the project. The trigger is similar on cordless drills as they are on corded models.
Rocker switch
The rocker switch on your drill lets you switch the chuck from a rotation forward, when turned clockwise, to reverse, when turned counter-clockwise. When the switch is in the middle, it will lock it out.
Gear selector
The gear selection switch is not common on all cordless drills but can be found on some, allowing a user to switch gears. As you may know, the relationship between speed and torque is inverse, meaning when you’re on high speed you have less torque and on low speed you have more. Some cordless drills may have three or four gears to choose from.
Mode/clutch collar
Just below the chuck, you’ll find a rotating collar on most cordless drills. This allows you to select lower torque than what your gears are capable of. This is can help on projects which requires lower torque.
Chuck
Although some key chucks still exist, the majority on cordless drills these days are keyless. Rotate the chuck at the front clockwise to open or counter-clockwise to close it. As you likely already know, you’ll notice metal prongs which come out to grab your bit when it’s tightened down.
Motor
Everything relies on the motor to work smoothly. There are two types of motors – brushed and brushless motors. Brushless are more expensive and usually deliver a better performance, compared to brushed which are more affordable and will still deliver a strong performance.
Buy your cordless drill and drill accessories from PrimeCables today. As one of the best reviewed cordless drill models in Canada, we’re sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised by its power and performance!