How to Use a Drill? Step by Step Guide!

If you need to use a drill like a pro, you should have good experience and skill. You are not able to use a drill if you have not used it before as a pro. But it is a simple task. There are so many drills and drivers. Those are used for drilling wood, metal, concrete, glass, or any other material. You should use the appropriate tools for specific material.

Not only pay attention towards drill but also drill bits. Each drill bit is specified for each material. Due to these reasons, you should know which drill bits are suitable for your task. So let’s keep read on for the detailed pieces of the stuff below.

Step 01 – Check The Drilling Area and Material

Check the drilling material.

Before you start drilling, you should know about the drilling area and drilling material. It is easy to select drill bits, and drills as required if you know this. Normally we have to drill wood, concrete, tiles, glass, metals, or combined material such as concrete with rebars. So you should check these before you start drilling.

When you observe the drilling area, you should check these

  • Power supply for the area
    If you use a corded drill you have to use a power cord. So check the recommended power supply
  • Enough space
    When you drill you need to handle and move the drill, you will need space
  • Effect of noise and dust
    How noise is effect to outer area and how dust is removed safely
  • Reaching the drilling point
    Situation of the drilling point and how to reach there
  • Inner materials
    Check for plumbing, wiring and rebars etc before drilling

When you check the drilling material, you should check as below

  • Check for steel
    When you drill wood, check nails or any metal (drill bit can be damaged)
  • Check inner material
    Check rebars when drilling concrete
  • Material combination
    Check all materials are the same. Sometimes it can loosen in someplaces. When drill it can remove

Step 02 – Select the Suitable Drill

After you check the area and material, you must have an idea about the power tool selection. Many types of drills are used for many purposes. So you must have a clear idea about drill selection. There are hand drills, cord drills, cordless drills, and conventional drills. So you can use one of these according to availability.

Today most drills are cordless. So let’s see what cordless drills are and what do they used for, especially with maximum efficiency.

Power Tool (Drill)Usage
Regular drillDrill for wood
Hammer drillConcrete, stone, brick, tile (using diamond bit)
Combi drill Concrete, stone, brick (low strength), tile (using diamond bit)
SDS drill Concrete, stone, brick (high strength)
SDS plus Concrete, stone, brick, metal + concrete (extreme strength)
SDS max Concrete, stone, brick, metal + concrete (extreme strength material)
Drills and their usage

More than that, you can use impact drivers also for drilling soft materials such as wood, plastic, etc. You will need adaptors or hex bits.

According to your project, you should select the proper drill as it is compatible with the task and material.

Step 03 – Select Suitable Drill Bit

Drill bits with different materials

Although we select a drill, we need drill bits also. There are types of drill bits available in the market. So, which drill bit is suitable for your task. Let’s see how to select the best drill bit for your task.

You are not able to use a wood drill bit for the concrete. You should use the suitable drill bit for suitable material as well as you should consider the drill bit geometry. it will lead you to the proper cutting angles and flutes length.

Most drill bits have added external coatings to add some extra characteristics such as less friction, durability, heat resistance, etc. So you should know which drill bit is the correct one for you. Some drill bits are generated more heat when it operates. If you know this, you can easily manage this.

You can select the best drill bit using this guide How to Select the Best Drill Bit For your Project?

Step 04 – Wearing the Safety

Safety instruments

The most important thing is safety instruments. According to your task, you should wear safety instruments. It should be both tool and user also. You should use recommended safety instruments such as,

Head -Use a helmet
Eyes – Use goggles
Ears – Use Soundproof
Hands – Use gloves
Legs – Use safety shoes

Dust -Use a face mask and use dust removing equipment
Power cord – Use recommended connection

If you are working upper place, you should use the safety belt

Step 05 – Prepare the Pilot Hole

Pilot hole preparing

If you want to be a professional worker, you should follow the right methods always. A pilot hole is essential when you are drilling large holes. It will make it easy to spot the drilling point.

When you start drilling with a pilot hole, your drill bit will not move here and there. So using a small drill bit makes the pilot hole for the correct and safe drilling process.

Step 06 – Arrange Dust Removing Method

Drill-dust-vacuum
Dust removing method

Dust is more dangerous for the human. Home times there are flumes those all are very dangerous. When you are drilling glass, you should make a proper method to remove it. There are dust collectors as well as you can make your own dust collecting method for your project.

Reduce the dust with using;

Use cutting oil – For metals
Use water – For wood, concrete, brick, and block
Use specific oil – Especially for design purposes

Step 07 – Start Drilling Process

After you check and set up all, you can start the drilling process. The drilling process is the most careful process. You have to maintain the proper speed and proper torque as well as proper pressure to the tool. So let’s see how to drill each material with proper usage.

  • Soft Material Drilling – When you drill soft material you can use high speed and low torque. There is a sharp cutting angle and it can cut and remove the material easily. Soft drilling does not require more torque.
  • Hard Material Drilling – When you drill hard material you will need low speed and high torque. So use the low speed it will genarate the high torque.
  • Tool Handling – Although you contrall the speed you should hold the tool properly. Do not angle it. As well as if you use a hammer drill to apply enough pressure to activate the hammering mechanism. When you use SDS hammer drills you should follow these.
  • Do not prssure too much to the drill. It can overheat the drill bit as well as tool due to more power consumption.
  • When you drill metal let the chips come out through the flutes. Do not drill untill covering the flutes.
  • Do not use the drill continuously. Keep the drill cool.

Step 08 – Clean the Hole

After you have finished the drilling process successfully, you can clean the hole. There may be dust or cutting oil inside. So using any cloth or excess water, you can clean the drilled hole.


Tom Mackency

Tom Mackency

Hi, I am Tom Mackency. It has been 10 years that I have been working as a professional woodworker since 2013. I am really enjoying my carrier by creating many kinds of projects in my workshop. But mostly I like for home improvement projects. Home improvement and DIY projects are the most interesting things for me. More than that, the coolest things are power tools. Those are very precious and efficient than a decade ago. So I try to introduce so many things about power tools, woodworking, DIY projects, home improvement and many more interesting topics here.