Power Drill 101

I learned early in my marriage to my wonderful husband that he was not going to be a "handy" man. When we were first married and I wanted something done around the house I would ask him to do it, since I just assumed that he would jump at the chance to do something handy and earn some man points and show me his mad skills with a toolbox. So I would wait for him to do it, and wait.....then nag him to death until he said, "I'll do it sometime", meaning, sometime before I die. So, I had a choice presented to me. I could just live with things the way they were, or I could do it myself. So over time, between going online, chatting it up with the folks in the hardware store, watching DIY network, and just kind of getting in there and using my common sense, I have been able to accomplish lots of things on my own, which other people look at and can't believe.

In some cultures, women carry their babies in their arms and giant jugs of water in their heads while walking 5 miles and back. In former times, women used to kill chickens for dinner with their bare hands and have babies on dirt floors. So many American women are too dependent on their husbands to change a light bulb.

I realize that some of you out there are afraid to use tools, so I thought I would start with the most used tool I can think of for realistic renovation, the power drill.  So here are my ten easy steps to using a power drill that might help some of you who are skeptical take the next step to becoming a liberated and empowered home improvement machine.

                                                                           


Step 1: Locate power drill in home. Come on, I know some of you don't even know where your tools are!

Step 2: Locate drill bits. They come in a box, usually with the drill. Drills need drill bits of different sizes to make holes in walls.

Step 3: Locate the screwdriver bit, which is a flathead on one end and Phillips head on the other. Again, most drills come with these.

Step 4: Plug in drill. If no plug, skip to step 5.

Step 5: Insert battery pack. (It's probably already attached.) If drill does not work, you probably need to charge the battery pack on a special charger that should have come with the drill.

Step 6: Press button. You will notice that as you press the button, the drill will spin one way or another. There is a little switch to make it spin clockwise or counterclockwise.

Step 7: Insert the desired bit. If You are removing screws, you will want the screwdriver bit. You will want to flick the directions switch so the drill spins counterclockwise. Remember, righty-tighty lefty-loosey!

Step 8: Push against the screw with all your weights so it grips well. Push button, remove screw.

Step 9: If you need to mount something on the wall, this is a little tricker. Check the wall to see if it has a stud (wood board) in it, in which case you can drill right into it. Even if your stud finder beeps it may still not have a stud. Pick a small drill bit to make a tiny pilot hole (starter hole) in the wood, then remove that bit, and put in the screwdriver bit in the drill to then screw in the screw. Once in, put up you towel hook or shelf bracket or whatever. If no stud or wood go to step 10.

Step 10: If you are drilling into a wall with no stuff behind it, like when you hang curtain rods often, you will need some extra support before you screw in the screw. You need a molly. This is simply a plastic gizmo that allows you to put a screw into drywall. Find one to match your screw size, and then you will need to drill a fairly large hole to fit the molly in he wall. I always start with a smaller hole until I get the right bit, because you can't go smaller once the hole is drilled. Make the hole, then stick the molly in (it should go halfway, then you need to hammer it in all the way. Then put on your screwdriver bit, put the screw in, and you are good.