Using drill as screwdriver

[DiyNutJob]

What is the risk of killing a traditional hammer drill when using it for high torque driving? I am using the drill, without the hammering action, to drive a pop rivet tool. At times the drill grinds to a complete halt owing to insufficient torque. So far it's OK, but I am getting burning-ish smell from the drill. Will I kill it?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Hmm it's certainly a conundrum, burning smells you say? I say carry on and report back, for the good of the forum.

 

[bernardgreen]

but I am getting burning-ish smell from the drill.

A sign that it may be about to pop it's clogs

 

[DiyNutJob]

Is burning caused by the drill stopping? I said burning-ish, and not quite yet burning. If I see smoke, that would be burning. But I infer from the smell there is raised temperature in the motor. What is the reason for the temperature rise?

 

[DiyNutJob]

I say carry on and report back, for the good of the forum.

My loss is your gain. After about 20 rivets, the drill lost its mojo. It can still drill HDF and mild steel. But, it can no longer pull rivets. I may have lost the ability to do serious masonry drilling, or polish car or floor. The drill still has all the speeds but the higher torque is gone.

Back to muscle power:

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

So those boxes turned out a bit more expensive then.

 

[DiyNutJob]

Only £10 more expensive than estimated because of the new rivet tool. The drill is still fully functional. The lost abilities are only a speculation. I won't know until I try. Who is to say the drill can't be DIY fixed to restore full capabilities?

The value of those boxes was severely underestimated. I could stack them from ground to ceiling. My need for them is revised up, to as many as I have floor boards.

 

[DiyNutJob]

I disassembled the drill to check, and could see nothing burnt or discoloured inside. I tested the motor using the below procedure and everything checked out fine. Because I don't have the readings for the as-new condition, I can't tell if I have degraded the motor through over-loading. I will have to retest pulling rivets once my new supply arrives to confirm the torque is really gone.

 

[cdbe]

I'm confused, being a big fan of pop rivets, what does the drill do? Don't you have a lazy tong riveter?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I have a normal rivet gun, had it about 30 years, never occurred to me to use anything else.

 

[DiyNutJob]

I have the tool pictured. The drill turns it. What it needs is a low speed high torque screwdriver.

I had a normal rivet gun also. The ebay rivets busted it. Even if it wasn't busted, it would be stupid to do 500 rivets with it

 

[cdbe]

So, you've damaged your drill, wasted ten quid on a crap Chinese "tool" and found out that your (no doubt no name) manual rivet gun is crap. And now you're seriously trying to turn the thing with a socket ratchet, and repeating 500 times!

Wait a minute, I've just realised what date it is - you got me!

 

[DiyNutJob]

Who told you my no name tool is crap? My assessment of it is that it's excellent. But, an electric driver makes it faster and better. My drill still drills. How does the date affect anything?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Have you got an impact driver- one might function more effectively with that riveter thing than a drill.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Is burning caused by the drill stopping? I said burning-ish, and not quite yet burning. If I see smoke, that would be burning. But I infer from the smell there is raised temperature in the motor. What is the reason for the temperature rise?

The burning smell is a result of the motor drawing much more current to provide the extra torque, plus the lack of any cooling air flow through the motor. The motor has a fan to blow cooling air flow through, stop/slow the motor, and there will be a reduced flow.