Cordless drill/driver: common mistakes and how to avoid them

Learn to hold, set up and use a cordless drill/driver correctly so holes are straight and screws don't strip.

CD-01Understand drill mode vs driver modeMost cordless drill/drivers have a ring near the chuck (the part that grips the bit) showing a drill bit icon and a screw icon. Drill mode gives full, steady power for making holes. Driver mode brings in the clutch - a numbered dial that lets the tool slip before it overtightens a screw. A common beginner mistake is leaving it in drill mode to drive screws, which strips the screw head or sinks the screw too deep.

CD-02Fit the bit square and tightTwist the chuck open by hand, push the bit in as far as it will go, then hold the bit steady and twist the chuck the other way until it's properly tight. Pull the trigger for a second and watch the tip spin - if it wobbles like a bent pencil, it's off-centre and needs reseating. Beginners often push the bit in at a slight angle or under-tighten, so it slips or wobbles once you start drilling.

CD-03Hold the drill square to the workGrip the handle firmly with your trigger hand, and steady the body of the drill with your other hand well away from the chuck. Line the drill up at 90 degrees to the surface - use your eye, or a set square if you're unsure. The mistake beginners make is drilling at a slight, unnoticed angle, which gives a wonky hole or a screw that never sits flush.

CD-04Set the clutch before driving a screwThe numbered dial near the chuck (with a hammer symbol at the top for masonry drilling) controls how much force the drill applies before it stops turning - this is the clutch. Start on a low number and test on scrap material, increasing it if the screw won't fully go in. Beginners set the clutch too high, so screws sink below the surface, split the wood, or the screw head gets chewed up.

CD-05Check before you drill into a wallBefore drilling into any wall, floor or ceiling, scan the area with a cable and pipe detector - but treat the result as a rough guide, not proof. Detectors can miss cables that run deep, sit in metal conduit, hide behind metal-backed plasterboard, or wander outside the usual safe zones, and old or amateur wiring often ignores those zones completely. If there's any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit (fuse box) before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry a pipe - assume something's there until you've proven otherwise.

CD-06Start the hole without letting the bit skatePlace the tip of the bit exactly where you want the hole and start the drill on a slow trigger squeeze rather than full speed - most drills are variable speed depending on how hard you press the trigger. Apply gentle, steady pressure and let the drill do the work; don't lean on it. Beginners go straight to full speed, which makes the bit skate sideways across the surface, leaving scratches or a hole in the wrong spot.

CD-07Know when you've got it rightA good hole is round and the same width all the way through, not oval or flared at one end. A properly driven screw sits flush with the surface, doesn't wobble, and the head slots aren't chewed up. If the drill clicks and stalls before the screw is fully in, that's the clutch doing its job - move the dial up one number and finish the screw.

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