Electric Drill Problems!

Hi

Its not your usual sort of request on here but I've been asked to look at designing an "idiot proof" drill. One for first time DIYers, first home owners or people who just wouldn't have used a drill before!

So I as just wondering what problems you face when using any type of hand drill (corded or not) and what would make them better for you!

It doesn't matter how stupid it seems it all could help!

cheers
Andy

You need an "anti-Newtonian switch" whereby when you're drilling into a hard wall using the hammer setting there is no equal and opposite force which pushes you off your step-ladder!

And a "stabilisation" setting whereby this hole doesn't end up twice as wide as the drill bit!

How about a sticker on it saying before you feck it up visit diynot.com

some sort of built in pipe / stud / stud detector

advice on drill bits for the right job. Or decent multipurpose bits supplied like these



types of fixings for differnt wall type advice.

look up some of the questions people ask on a weekly basis. You'll get some ideas....

Cheers,

choosing the right drill bit is a common one and is definitely got to be worth looking into,

Ive had a look and its come up with some good points such as the batteries Li-ion against Nicad and wether people who don't use them a lot are best with corded.

stabilisation i hadn't thought about at all, great starting points!

Keep them coming!

Basically the lighter the better, I have a couple of 18v Li-ion Makita's and they are so much lighter than my old Dewalt nicad.

That said if its a diyer maybe he's not bothered about the weight but it makes it easier for the pro especially if he's screwing up a plasterboard ceiling.

Also I want to see a time when an 18v Li-ion 3.0ah battery can be shrunk in size to fit inside the handle rather than the traditional brick on the end of it.

Also what brand is this going under or aren't you allowed to say?

Is this part of the new Dewalt 'numpty' range?

One of my first thoughts was also why the batteries were still a brick on the end. The Li-ion batteries are obviously more expensive.

Its an entry level drill say around £50-100, it isn't for De Walt though.

supplying it with decent drill bits would be a really good thing, especially for masonry. the bits supplied with my first drill (in your price range) for wood were fine, but the masonry ones were terrible. but because it was my first drill I didn't know that the problem was the bits: I thought it was me, or the drill. some guidance on how much use to expect out of the supplied drill bits would be good too.

also, some sensible way of storing a few bits on the drill while using it (something magnetic?) would be good. maybe some drills already have this but my Bosch drill only has two plastic clips to hold the supplied hex screwdriver bit. nice idea, but they don't work: getting the bits to stay in is a real fiddle, and they don't hold drill bits.

I am going to refer to cordless drills, as corded drills (at least the professional ones ive been using, are solid enough to rather damage an idiot user, and unlikely to suffer any damage from misuse).

But cordless drills are very delicate and even the best drill out there can easily be damaged by an idiot, who:
- uses the drill with the speed setting stuck in between gears/modes
- rides the same battery even if its obviously very low on power already
- pushes the bit way too hard into wood or concrete, when it should be known that a sharp bit doesnt need anything but a very slight push to bite
- doesnt stop the drill when the clutch cuts in
- doesnt stop the drill when the bit gets stuck, burning the motor this way (easy to achieve with auger and forstner bits which are very aggressive and require a very powerful drill)
- generally uses the drill for applications that require a more powerful drill
- even hurts himself when the drill twists the handle due to the bit getting stuck, due to immense torque (anything over 60Nm can break your wrists)


to elliminate all these issues, you`d need a very complicated machine with incredibly advanced electronics, which would end up costing more than your average idiot could afford anyway. And professionals already have their trusted brands and model lines they invest in.

To conclude, in my oppinion, the idiot proof cordless drill already exists, its the ones you can find in any warehouse for prices ranging between 19.99 and 99.99. Its idiot proof because if you break it, you can just get another one under warranty. By the time your warranty expires, you`ll either get to know one or two things about drills and thus not being an idiot anymore, or you can develop into being a stubborn idiot that just knows he needs a more powerful drill, churns out 200 for it and fries it in a week.