Home improvement and other renovation or building projects require the use of power tools such as cordless drills. A cordless drill is a power tool used for making round holes and driving fasteners that are fitted with a bit secured by a chuck. As drills vary in their size, speed, and power, it’s worth mentioning here that women, especially stay-at-home moms, should take extra precautions while using them.
You can prolong your cordless drill’s life and prevent injuries by learning drilling safety tips for cordless drills.
Drilling Safety Tips For Cordless Drill Owners
Know Your Cordless Drill
One of the best ways to stay safe when using a cordless drill is to train yourself to use it properly.
Read the user manual thoroughly for ideas regarding the best techniques for achieving perfect holes using your preferred cordless drill brand.
It will help prevent injury by ensuring drilling safety and also increase productivity.
Here are the things you have to determine:
The battery life of the cordless drill or how long you need to charge it.
The weight of the cordless drill.
The best materials to work with.
Wear The Right Clothing
A cordless drill has a powerful spinning action, and any loose objects nearby tend to get caught up and entangled in it.
That’s why you should avoid wearing baggy clothes with loose sleeves.
It is also advisable to avoid wearing a loose watch and dangling jewelry, such as a necklace.
It’s better to remove your jewelry if you don’t want your precious gold bracelet to get damaged by a cordless drill.
Make sure that all accessories and clothing fit properly, and don’t forget to tie your hair back if it is long to ensure that it stays out of the way.
Wear Form-fitting Gloves For Hand Protection
Wearing form-fitting gloves is a good idea when using a cordless drill in your home improvement project.
Wearing good gloves can safeguard your hands and fingers against damage caused by a drill slipping accidentally while in use.
Since drill bits can easily wander away from materials like plastic, metal, and wood, wearing gloves reduces your risk of getting injured due to a wandering drill bit.
Find a pair of gloves that’s durable, thick, and fits snugly but at the same time does not restrict the movement of your hands.
Wear Safety Goggles
Always wear safety goggles or glasses when operating a cordless power drill regardless of the workpiece material.
Using protective gear against any foreign object that may come in contact with your eyes while drilling is absolutely essential.
You never know when dust or shavings might land in your eyes, causing vision problems.
Even metal shrapnel or tiny pieces of wood can fly off from the workpiece surface and enter the eye, causing infection and serious complications such as blindness.
For this reason, it’s always good practice to wear your safety glasses or goggles before turning on your cordless drill.
Leave your goggles on until you have finished cleaning and organizing your work area.
Wear Headphones To Reduce Noise
The noise made by drills can become amplified in closed-off spaces, so it’s a good idea to wear headphones in order to reduce noise if you’ll be drilling for a long time.
Consider buying reliable ones that will protect your ears from the extremely loud noise that drilling produces.
Use A Breathing Mask
Dust and shavings from wood material can be harmful if inhaled, especially if you’re drilling treated wood.
According to the University of Nebraska, it’s a good practice to wear a breathing mask to avoid respiratory problems, such as difficulty in breathing triggered by an allergic reaction or asthma.
Secure The Work Piece
It’s important to prevent the workpiece from shifting while working on it. Before drilling, you can secure the metal or wood workpiece by clamping it down and securing it in a vice.
Doing so reduces the risk of injury associated with unstable workpieces.
Create Pre-Drilled Pilot Holes
Make your life a lot easier by drilling pilot holes, which are preliminary shallow holes that act as a base for deeper drilling operations.
To create pre-drilled pilot holes, position the punch tip over the pencil mark and strike the punch with a hammer.
Using a center punch is a good idea to initiate wood indentation.
It gives your cordless drill a good target to start creating perfect holes and avoiding slippage.
Make sure you have an appropriately sized bit when drilling a pilot hole because the pilot hole has to be smaller than the screw’s diameter.
Here are some advantages of creating pre-drilled pilot holes:
You’ll be able to insert the screw easily into it, particularly if you’re working on a wood workpiece.
Achieve straighter holes by creating pre-drilled ones.
Reduce the chances of slipping by applying less pressure when using your cordless drill.
Use A Stable Drill Stand For Larger Work Pieces
A drill stand serves as a frame or guide for your cordless power drill, which is highly recommended when drilling harder materials.
It prevents your cordless drill from slipping and scratching your workpiece.
You would require a drill stand while working with workpiece materials, such as glass or metal, and also create solid straight holes.
Check The Bits
Avoid using a loose bit because if your cordless drill slips, it won’t be able to make straight holes.
Set the drill bit properly by inserting it into the chuck, then tighten it firmly using the chuck key.
Checking the bit’s wear is important because bits tend to wear out after prolonged and consistent use.
If you observe that a bit is excessively worn out, consider replacing it before reuse to get the best drilling output.
Apply The Right Amount Of Pressure
While it can be tempting to push harder to get the job done, the power of your cordless drill is quite sufficient to do the work.
Pushing it too much can strain the motor or your drill and cause slippage.
Never force bits into the workpiece material.
If the drill bit keeps getting jammed in the material, you should turn the drill off and remove the bit.
Using a manual tool to detach a bit is also helpful at times.
Conclusion
Cordless drills can help you create amazing projects to make your home more beautiful and functional.
However, power tools can be risky to use if you don’t have the basic know-how to operate them.
By applying the safety tips mentioned above, you can reduce the risk of accidents and improve your work’s accuracy to ensure your dream project turns out as desired.