How to make an electric screwdriver from a drill

Universal tool

An ordinary electric screwdriver will become a real godsend not only when performing your direct duties. drilling holes and tightening fasteners, but for many other tasks. Let’s take a closer look at some of them.

Sharpening knives with an electric screwdriver

How to sharpen a knife if there is no familiar bar and show the class? In this case, you can improvise and use a conventional electric drill. To sharpen a knife with an electric screwdriver, you also need a glue gun and sandpaper.

• cut a small strip of sandpaper and attach it to the drill sleeve with a glue gun;
• put the electric screwdriver on a flat surface and fix it with a vise;
• turn on the tool at minimum speed and run several times with the side of the knife on the sandpaper;
• turn the knife over and slide it over the rotating sleeve a few more times.

Drill attachment for grinding

Construction work often requires specialized tools. But in the case of rare use, the acquisition of unnecessary devices is unprofitable. In this case, your electric screwdriver will again become a faithful assistant, or rather, special attachments for a drill, expanding the capabilities of this tool.

The most popular is the grinding attachment for the drill. With its help, you can perform a wide range of related work.

According to the shape, the following types of grinding attachments are distinguished:

• cup. to remove old coating and corrosion;
• disk and plate. differ from the cup by the direction of the bristles. They have Velcro, which allow you to fix the abrasive material on them. The most convenient are plate nozzles, since they allow you to adjust the angle of inclination and follow the contours of the product;
• petal. with their help you can handle holes and hard-to-reach places, since the product can take any shape;
• end. for working with glass, metal and wood.

We cut metal with an electric screwdriver

No matter how it sounds, you can cut metal with an electric screwdriver. For this, a special scissor attachment is used for cutting metal. The advantages of using such a nozzle over manual scissors are:

• minimum cutting radius;
• the possibility of obtaining round holes;
• high-quality edge that does not require further processing;
• elimination of deformations;
• saving.

The disadvantages in this case are noise during operation, limitation on the thickness of the processed materials, difficulty in performing an even cut.

In general, such a cricket nozzle will be the best solution for a home craftsman.

ways of non-standard use of an electric screwdriver at home

The cordless electric screwdriver really is almost the main tool in every home. With its help, tasks are performed around the house, in the garden, in the garage, etc. It is also much more convenient than network models, since it does not require constant connection to the mains. In this case, the “charge-discharge” cycle is not eternal, whatever the rating of the device.

The man is in the kitchen. it is strong!

Did you know that an electric screwdriver can do much more than you expected? Of course, its true purpose is to drill holes and tighten fasteners. But the most creative owners have come up with a whole list of other uses for this device.

A real man not only perfectly owns both of these devices, but can also make one of the other. In this case, the time spent will be no more than five minutes. There are some tips.

All that is required for such a “modernization”. remove the drill chuck and insert the whisk from the mixer into the vacant socket. If the whisk is not at hand, an ordinary fork will help out.

This rework will be a real salvation when the knives of your meat grinder are hopelessly dull. So, to create an electric meat grinder from an electric screwdriver, you will need:

• old manual meat grinder;
• electric screwdriver;
• metal bolt without a head with a hexagonal top.

Next, you just need to get the shaft out of the old meat grinder and insert it into the electric screwdriver along with the screw. As a result, you will get a really powerful high-speed unit.

Safety engineering

When performing any work with an electric screwdriver, do not ignore the safety precautions:

• to avoid electric shock, do not touch grounded objects while the tool is running;
• check the drilling sites for hidden wiring;
• do not touch the rotating parts of the tool and do not try to stop them manually;
• connect the tool only to a network with a suitable voltage;
• do not turn on the tool until it comes into contact with the material;
• immediately before work, make sure the workpiece is motionless;
• do not wear loose clothing or jewelry before work. they can get caught in the moving parts of the tool.

Remember that following simple safety rules will save not only your health, but also your life.

Electric screwdriver and drill comparisons

To begin with, it is worth understanding the distinctive features of these tools, because, although they both perform a rotational movement, their purpose is different.

The main difference is the speed of rotation of the working spindle. the rotation of an electric screwdriver is much slower than that of a drill. Also, it has no inertia. the tool stops at the same time when the mechanism is turned off. The spindle, while drilling, continues to rotate for some time after turning off.

A drill is a tool potentially more dangerous than an electric screwdriver, therefore, when working with it, special safety precautions are required. safety glasses, in addition to the usual care, accuracy and caution.

The choice of the operating mode is another difference between the considered instruments. The drill, in addition to the main one, also has an impact mode, while the electric screwdriver is regulated only by the spindle rotation speed.

As you can see from the comparison, the drill is less suitable for working with screws and bolts, however, it can be adapted for this case.

Work principles

It should always be borne in mind that you are going to use the tool not for its intended purpose, respectively, this is associated with some difficulties and limitations.

Basic rules for safe and efficient work with a drill as an electric screwdriver:

• Follow safety requirements. Handle the instrument with care.
• It is not necessary to tighten the screws to the end. this is fraught with breakage of the tool, bit or screwing object. Experienced craftsmen advise to underscrew the screws a little, and then finish by hand with a screwdriver.
• For a secure attachment of the bit, it is recommended to use extended bits or a specialized bit holder.
• For wood material, in order to avoid splitting the wood, it is recommended to first drill the holes, and only then tighten the screws.

Of course, it is better to use an electric screwdriver for such purposes, but a drill will also cope with such types of work.

Using a drill like an electric screwdriver

Typically, a drill is used to drill holes in a wide variety of materials. it can be wood, plastic, and even metal. There are also grinding and cutting attachments for this tool.

• Manual;
• Pneumatic;
• Electrical.

The principle of operation of the tool is to transfer rotation to a drill or other attachment, due to which it is possible to perform various types of work. construction, locksmith, finishing, etc. “If I use a drill for such a large number of tasks, can I find another use for it? “. so many people would probably think. And the answer is yes, you can expand the list of works for this tool and add screwing screws, screws to it.

How to use a drill as an electric screwdriver?

First of all, you need to select the appropriate tool model for your purposes and by the type of screws / bolts nozzles. bits. They should be installed in place of the drill in the spindle chuck.

Further, if possible, it is recommended to reduce the rotational speed of the mechanism. this will make the work safer, as well as keep the tool and attachments in working condition. at low speeds they wear out less. Some models have speed governors, while others you can manually adjust the speed by changing the mechanism or electrical circuit.

For experienced craftsmen, it will not be a serious problem to work with a drill as an electric screwdriver and at high speeds, but there is always a risk of damaging the bit or screw, cutting off the screw head, “screwing” the material through, etc.

It is also worth considering that the drilling tools do not have a splitting sleeve (it is responsible for preventing the tool mechanism from breaking when the engine stops suddenly), so the necessary work should be done carefully. Stronger bits are recommended than for an electric screwdriver.

Pros and cons of using a drill as an electric screwdriver

Despite the rather forced use of the tool in an unusual area, such a solution also has some advantages:

• Due to the a priori higher number of revolutions and increased speed, the drill copes with the tasks set faster than an electric screwdriver;
• Due to the greater effort, it is possible to screw screws into harder and harder materials (some metals, etc.);
• The ability to use one tool for a whole range of diverse work.
• Drills, as a rule, are heavier and cumbersome. it is not always possible to get to hard-to-reach places;
• To use them as an electric screwdriver, you need a certain skill;
• The drill is not applicable for thin and fragile materials (plastic, drywall, planks less than 20 mm, etc.), as well as furniture;
• Observance of special safety precautions is required. safety glasses, underscrewing screws, exclusion of shocks during operation, etc.;
• Heavy tool wear (bits and bits) and a significant risk of damage to screws.

It can be concluded that a drill can occasionally be used as an electric screwdriver, but you should not abuse such inappropriate use.

How to choose an electric drill

An electric drill is an indispensable thing for both a repairman and an ordinary user who from time to time has to drill holes to hang a picture, or assemble an elementary piece of furniture: a shelf or a simple cabinet. Let’s try to figure out what kind of drills there are and how to make the right choice.

Differences between a drill-electric screwdriver and a conventional drill

The main difference between this tool and a conventional drill is the mandatory presence of the function of screwing in and out of fasteners. Such a tool is very convenient, as it allows you to solve several problems at once.

Most often, screwdrivers are presented on the market in a cordless version. They are convenient, as they allow you to work independently of the electrical network and not get tangled in the wires. There are also electrical models that operate from the mains. Therefore, if you need to work for a long time and not think about when the battery charge runs out, you can choose the mains drill-electric screwdriver.

How to choose a drill

The drill is one of the most popular construction tools. Without it, it is difficult to imagine not only repairs, but also ordinary everyday situations when you need to hang a shelf or curtain. However, the huge variety of models on the market will easily baffle even a professional repairman, let alone a layman. Therefore, we will try to present the most complete range of drills offered by modern manufacturers, and figure out how to choose the right one from this sea of ​​models.

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How to choose a wrench

An impact wrench is a hand tool for working with threaded fasteners of various diameters. It will not be difficult to choose the right model if you know the main characteristics of the tool and its capabilities.

Characteristics affecting the choice of a drill-electric screwdriver

Battery voltage, capacity and type (for cordless drill-electric screwdriver) The power of the tool depends on the voltage that the battery provides to power the tool.

The battery capacity determines the operating time of the tool: the higher the capacity, the longer the operating time.

Battery type for device operation: Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Li-Ion, Li-power and Li-HD.

Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) has a low cost, can work in cold weather. Cons: relatively small number of charge / discharge cycles, self-discharge up to 20% per month, memory effect. Ni-Cd battery must be fully charged / discharged to avoid shortening the operating time of the tool on a single charge.

Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) with the same dimensions as Ni-Cd, has a high capacity and self-discharge from 3 to 7%, reduced memory effect, designed to work in cold weather.

The lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery does not have a memory effect, self-discharge is about 1% per month, but when working in cold weather, the battery is quickly discharged.

The new generation Li-power and Li-HD batteries can operate at temperatures up to 18 and 30 ° C, respectively, without fast discharge.

When choosing a specific type of battery, we advise you to be guided by whether you already have a cordless tool. In this case, you can choose a drill without batteries and a charger in the kit and save money, and use suitable tools from an existing tool as a power supply.

The higher the torque, the greater the working range of the tool.

Torque value	Recommended tooling size, mm	Maximum allowable tooling size, mm
Up to 20 Nm	3,5×50	3,5×50
Up to 30 Nm	4×50	5×150
Up to 35 Nm	4.5×60	6×200
Up to 40 Nm	5×100	6×280
Up to 48 Nm	5×120	6×300
Up to 60 Nm	6×200	8×240
90-110 Nm	8×350	10×600

Drill drivers with high torque. from 110 Nm and more. can be used for drilling holes in ice.

Number of speeds The higher the speeds, the more efficient the tool. High speed is usually used for drilling holes, low speed for screwing / unscrewing self-tapping screws.

Number of revolutions The maximum number of engine revolutions per unit of time. Even at low power, the high number of revolutions provides the tool with high productivity.

Number of torque steps Affects the ability to control the tightening torque. The greater the number of torque steps, the higher the likelihood that all screws and screws will be screwed to the required depth.

Chuck type Drills usually use chucks:

Reverse This function reverses the direction of rotation of the tool from CW to CW. Used for turning out the rig.

Pulse mode Only present in Metabo. The essence of the pulse mode is that the spindle rotates with jerks, while a temporary increase in torque occurs. Pulse operation increases tool efficiency.

Illumination Used for spot illumination of the working area.

Operating modes Manufacturers offer impact drills and hammerless drills.

The hammering function makes it easier and faster to drill holes in hard materials, especially in concrete, by means of a rotational-translational motion. But such a tool still loses to a punch in performance. So consider whether you need a hammer drill, or better get a cheaper no hammer drill and hammer drill specifically for concrete work.

Maximum drilling diameter Characteristic shows the maximum possible drilling diameter in wood, in metal.

If, after familiarizing yourself with the characteristics, you still have doubts about choosing a model, be sure to evaluate the ergonomics of the tool: its weight, thickness and shape of the handle, etc. This will help you finally make your choice and purchase a convenient and reliable tool that will last a long time.

Electric drill for home: how to choose

A home drill should be able to do everything, while being comfortable, durable and preferably inexpensive. At home, you often need to screw a shelf to the wall, assemble new furniture or fix old ones, and just make repairs. all this cannot be done without a drill. Let’s look at the main characteristics and features of the tool that will help you make the right choice.

How to make an electric screwdriver from a drill

The main purpose of the drill is to drill holes in various materials. A conventional drill easily handles metal, wood, drywall and other not particularly dense surfaces. The hammer drill can easily drill through concrete, stone and brick. Special-purpose devices can replace an electric screwdriver and a construction mixer, and with special attachments, a drill can be used to grind surfaces.

Depending on what set of functions the drill has, the following main types of tools are distinguished:

an ordinary drill, it is sometimes called a hammerless drill;

It does not have an impact function, so only wood, drywall, metal and other not very hard surfaces can be drilled with it. This tool is suitable for minor repairs. Conventional drills without impact function can be cordless or powered.

A hammer drill is needed for those who are going to drill holes in concrete, brick, stone and other hard materials. Such a tool costs less than the simplest puncher, but has some limitations. Such a drill will not withstand constant work with dense materials. it will quickly break. In addition, frequent drilling in concrete and stone can negatively affect the accuracy of conventional drilling. If you have to work regularly with dense materials, then it is better to take a punch.

The hammer drill is capable of many processes that require high power. It is used for chipping walls, chipping tiles, chipping off bricks.

A drill with an impact function is more expensive than a conventional drill, but cheaper than a hammer drill. Plus, it is also lighter than a hammer drill, so it can be called a versatile household tool. When choosing a hammer drill, pay attention to the power of the tool. For the shock function to be normal, this figure must be at least 800 watts. Also pay attention to the reverse rotation function and the presence of a safety clutch.

It makes sense to choose a drill-electric screwdriver when you also need a tool for tightening / unscrewing screws, self-tapping screws and screws. In the electric screwdriver mode, such a drill has a low rotational speed and high torque, in the drill mode, it is the other way around. It is impossible to call the device completely universal, since such a drill is not suitable for drilling concrete and bricks.

A drill mixer differs from a conventional universal drill by the presence of special attachments in the kit, which allow you to conveniently mix liquid and semi-liquid compositions. The design of the tool, as a rule, provides for special handles for a comfortable grip during mixing. The drill mixer is suitable for mixing putties, adhesives, paints and other mortars up to 10 liters in volume and allows a more thorough mixing than with a manual process.

An angle drill is a very specific tool, so it is better to take a regular model and, if necessary, use a special attachment. it is cheaper and in most cases wiser.

The power of the drills on sale ranges from 300 to 1500 watts. The higher this indicator, the more loads the tool can handle. For professional models, the power is usually higher than 800-1000 watts. The weight of the device also grows with power, so it makes no sense to take a drill with a large margin for this parameter. your hands will get very tired when working. On the contrary, if you take a model with insufficient power, then your hands will get tired of the fact that you will have to apply additional load during drilling.

If you have to work with materials no stronger than brick, then you can stop at an 800 W drill. If you plan to drill concrete or constantly use a drill as a construction mixer, then you will need a more powerful model.

SHAFT ROTATION SPEED AND ITS ADJUSTMENT

The rotational speed of the drill shaft at idle speed can reach 3500 rpm, but such a frequency is not always necessary. The higher this parameter, the faster it will be possible to drill the hole and the smoother its walls will be. High revs are more necessary in order to grind and polish the surface, but they will also come in handy with impact work. In order to tighten the screw, 400-500 rpm will be enough.

The versatility of the tool is provided by a rotational speed switch. In the simplest models, a step switch is used, in the more advanced ones. an electronic one that clearly reacts to the force of pressing. If you press hard, we get the maximum speed.

A speed limiter and a soft start will also be helpful. The latter allows you to smoothly accelerate the engine and provides a gradual increase in speed from minimum to required. This allows you to get rid of jerks at the start, overloads and drilling errors.

The instructions for the drill indicate what the maximum and minimum hole a drill can make in wood and metal; for some models, this parameter is also added for brick and concrete. If you insert drills with a larger diameter than those for which it is designed, the tool will very quickly overheat and break. The minimum diameter, as a rule, is 0.3-0.6 mm, the maximum is 30 mm, but often this parameter does not exceed 10-15 mm.

The name of the manufacturer is a guarantee that for your money you will receive a really high-quality and durable tool.

Conversion of an electric screwdriver to a network

When the batteries do not hold a charge and have exhausted their own resource, and the electric screwdriver is still in good condition.

Car battery

The last option is an auto accumulator that can be connected to a screwdriver and used in places where it is unrealistic to get 220 volts. The disadvantage of such a device will be that you cannot work with an electric screwdriver for a long time, because the auto power source is rapidly discharging. If the standard UPS of an electric screwdriver refuses to work, which happens quite often, then you should not rush to get rid of the device, it is enough to devote hours of time and the device works even better than with a battery.

How to make a drill from a screwdriver?

Any electric screwdriver can be used as a drill, but it all depends on the power of the screwdriver and on its functions. There are screwdrivers that initially combine the function of a screwdriver, and the function of a drill, and even the function of a hammer drill. That’s what they’re called, impact screwdrivers.

Therefore, in order to turn the screwdriver into a drill, it is just enough to switch it to the drill mode with the switch, or even to the puncher mode.

It is worth paying special attention to the price factor. After all, a powerful electric screwdriver with a drill function will cost much more, and a conventional electric screwdriver can be purchased for a purely symbolic price. Personally, I use a drill with a screwdriver function. In the kit I have an adapter for screwdrivers and a set of screwdrivers with magnets.

Connecting an electric screwdriver to the network: recommendations

In cases where the purchase of an expensive powerful professional tool is not affordable or financially unreasonable, you can try to convert a household electric screwdriver into a drill.

PC power supply

The power for the electric screwdriver is a block from the PC, which is even easier to find than the newest rechargeable battery for the device. The advantage of the PC power supply is the fact that it is possible to obtain different values ​​of the current at the output, which is considered very important.

The design of the power supply unit from the PC has a cooler that provides cooling of the transformer and its constituent parts, therefore we note right away that this type of power supply is long-term, and in the next couple of years you will forget about the dilemmas with an electric screwdriver.

Ancient inverter welding

You can power an electric screwdriver using an old inverter welding, but you will need the ability to own the theory of electrical engineering. Indeed, in this case, it is imperative to add the secondary coil of the transformer, which makes it possible to obtain at the output a fully applicable current to power the electric motor of the device. Therefore, before connecting the electric screwdriver to the welding machine, you need to measure the output current and voltage, which are manufactured to correspond to the values ​​of the device.

Necessary materials and tools

For most, the 3rd option seems difficult, because it is even easier to purchase a new device and use it for several years. A really old electric screwdriver will last even longer, but for this purpose you need to return it. This is easy to do, for this purpose you will need the following tools and materials:

• The charger that prematurely made the important role of charging the battery.
• Stranded electronic cable.
• A battery from an electric screwdriver that has fallen into disrepair.

From the tools you will need a soldering iron, acid, solder and electrical tape.

Such details will allow you to transform an electric screwdriver for the ability to connect it to a 220 Volt network.

Comparison of the characteristics of a drill and an electric screwdriver

The main functional purpose of the electric screwdriver is the installation and dismantling of threaded fasteners. If necessary, some models allow you to drill holes in different materials.

Diagram of the internal structure of an electric screwdriver.

The structure of the tool includes a clutch that regulates the amount of torque, or as it is also called ratchet. This assembly ensures that work is performed without breaking the splines on the heads of the fasteners. By setting the regulator to a certain position, physically it will no longer be possible to apply more force the cartridge in which the bit is clamped, it will simply scroll.

Another characteristic difference of is the presence of a spindle forced braking system. The operation of this system is manifested in the almost instantaneous cessation of rotation of the tool when the power supply is cut off.

Characteristics affecting the ability of the tool to tighten self-tapping screws or screws of a certain length and diameter, as well as the ability to drill holes of the required diameter and depth:

• torque
• number of revolutions per minute.

To work with fasteners, a torque of 10 Nm and a number of revolutions of 500 rpm are sufficient. To make holes, these parameters should already have more significant values: 30-60 Nm and 1200-1300 rpm.

An electric drill is a fairly powerful tool, the main function of which is to make holes in materials of varying hardness. In this case, the torque from the motor shaft is directly transmitted to the working element drill.

A drill, unlike an electric screwdriver, has high rpm and less torque. Some models provide smooth control of engine speed by means of a rheostat, which allows, if necessary, to mount or dismantle threaded fasteners.

Thus, the areas of application of the two tools overlap in some areas. A logical assumption would be to use in some cases an electric screwdriver to perform operations related to drilling holes. Additional prerequisites for such use are the low weight of the tool and, accordingly, the lightness and convenience of working with it.

Connecting an electric screwdriver to the mains recommendations

In cases where the purchase of an expensive powerful professional tool is not affordable or financially unreasonable, you can try to convert a household electric screwdriver into a drill.

Since changing the operating parameters of the torque and the number of revolutions is very problematic and most often does not justify itself, the alteration in the overwhelming majority of cases comes down to changing the method of power supply. That is, replacing batteries with a stationary mains supply.

A power supply unit from a computer or laptop with the appropriate parameters will successfully cope with it.

The power supply is connected to a household electrical outlet with a standard cable. Above the connection of the electric screwdriver and the power supply, you will have to work a little with a soldering iron.

First, the battery is removed from the electric screwdriver. The IDE ATA Molex power connector is then secured to the case. Unsoldering is carried out, connecting the connector contacts to the contacts to which the power supply was previously connected.

It is also necessary to make an adapter cable connecting the power supply and the mounted connector. The starting material for the manufacture of the adapter is a two-wire electrical wire. Mating IDE ATA Molex power connectors are soldered to the ends of the wire.

In the case of using a laptop power supply, you can use two mounting options:

• a socket connector is displayed on the body of an electric screwdriver, suitable for a standard laptop power cord;
• the IDE ATA Molex power connector is brought to the case, and the mating connector is soldered to the power cord.

Universal power connection option, which allows you to use any power source, provides for the manufacture of a universal adapter cable.

The design of the cable allows it to be connected to a screwdriver using a computer power connector to a connection point previously drawn on the case. On the other hand, the cable is supplied with several parallel-connected connectors.

Of the most common connectors, it is worth mentioning:

DIY Powerful Electric screwdriver | N20 Gear Motor

• mating computer power connector IDE ATA;
• “Crocodiles”. to connect to the terminals of a powerful battery;
• adapter for connection to the car power supply system.

With all the variety of ways that an electric screwdriver can be used as a drill, you should always remember that the drilling function in it is just an auxiliary function. No matter how great the temptation is to use the resulting conversion as a full-fledged drill or, moreover, a punch, you should not do this.

Comparison of the characteristics of a drill and an electric screwdriver

The main functional purpose of the electric screwdriver is the installation and dismantling of threaded fasteners. If necessary, some models allow you to drill holes in different materials.

How to transfer a screwdriver to lithium batteries, a detailed guide

Diagram of the internal structure of an electric screwdriver.

The structure of the tool includes a clutch that regulates the amount of torque, or as it is also called, a ratchet. This assembly ensures that work is performed without breaking the splines on the heads of the fasteners. By setting the regulator to a certain position, physically it will no longer be possible to apply more force. the cartridge in which the bit is clamped will simply scroll.

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Another characteristic difference is the presence of a forced braking system for the spindle. The operation of this system is manifested in the almost instantaneous cessation of rotation of the tool when the power supply is cut off.

Characteristics affecting the ability of the tool to tighten self-tapping screws or screws of a certain length and diameter, as well as the ability to drill holes of the required diameter and depth:

torque; number of revolutions per minute.

How to make Powerful Electric Screwdriver

To work with fasteners, a torque of 10 Nm and a number of revolutions of 500 rpm are sufficient. To make holes, these parameters should already have more significant values: 30-60 Nm and 1200-1300 rpm.

An electric drill is a fairly powerful tool, the main function of which is to make holes in materials of varying hardness. In this case, the torque from the motor shaft is directly transmitted to the working element. the drill.

A drill, unlike an electric screwdriver, has high rpm and less torque. Some models provide smooth control of engine speed by means of a rheostat, which allows, if necessary, to mount or dismantle threaded fasteners.

Thus, the areas of application of the two tools in some areas overlap.