loungers: help me become more handy (totally clueless!)

[melonpan]

okay i never need to use a screwdriver. pick up a hammer maybe once a year to hammer in a nail into drywall.

but i made a decision to try to become more handy. my husband is no help. he is a computer/math nerd and prefers not to pick up tools either. if i ask him, he doesnt know the answer.

i purchased a cordless screwdriver when it was on sale a long while ago. (why? i shouldnt have. didnt need it for like a year)

so i want to install a magnetic knife block into my plywall cabinette next to my sink.

ive already had a failure where the screws wouldnt go into the cabinettes. i guess i cannot simply screw the screws in. the wood is too hard. i guess i need to either nail a small hole with hammer and nail and pull it out or use a drill to drill a hole.

can i use my cordless screwdriver to drill a hole?

last week i bought a drill bit. but it doesnt fit into my cordless drill. photo here...



in the background you can see the screwdriver bit (is that what its called?) next to the skinny drill bit that i bought.

do i need some other part to make it work or is this just not possible? i cannot drill with a screwdriver.

im trying to learn. hope someone can answer my question.

hubby had no clue here.

[lalasmama]

The drill bit will fit, and that's exactly what you need to start the holes for the screw. Look at the bottom of the drill. There should be a little "L" shaped thing. On one end, there is a kind of gear looking thing. Take that out of the bottom of the drill. Now look at the side of the drill, up near the top, where it spins. There should be a hole that the gear-looking-L-thingy fits into. Twist the L-thingy in there, to the right, I think (righty-tighty, lefty-loosy). The top, where you put the bits in, should (slowly) come forward and get smaller. When it's pretty small, hold the bit in place, and keep turning until bit is firmly in place.

Ta-da!

Drill some pilot holes for the screws, using the drill bit. Then switch to the approrpriate screwdriver bit, and screw it into place.

[melonpan]

thank you lalasmama! i will give this a try during the day tomorrow! *excited*

[melonpan]

also googled the term "pilot hole". very informative!

[niccig]

For screwing into wood using a screw driver, take a bar of soap and run it along edges and tip of the screw. It's a lubricant and makes it go in easier. My dad told me this, DH did not believe it would work, but it does.

You can also hammer in a nail to get the pilot hole, just use a thicker nail, then use screw driver.

Also find a small independent hardware store, so you can go in and ask lots of questions. DH sends me as he feels embarrassed he doesn't know the answer. I've gotten help on many topics and keep asking questions until I understand. Sometimes they have even shown me on a scrap piece of wood. And google for diy and the topic, I often watch YouTube videos showing me how.

[MartiesMom2B]

Just an FYI: one of my friends has a fabulous blog about how to be more handy. Check it out:

http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/

[melonpan]

thank you niccig. i think i will start going to my local friendly hardware store! will try to not be so shy!

and i will also check out the handy web blog.

**************

so i tried to look for the L-thingy but i dont think there is one.

(i actually looked at the manual a long while before even posting on here, but theres no mention of drill bit attachments etc.)

i did some more googling and saw this page which describes this screwdriver:

http://www.toolbarn.com/hitachi-db3dl.html

and it says "1/4" quick change hex chuck with bit lock for fast and easy bit changes"

is it possible that the skinny drill bit will never fit in?

i saw this for sale on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-763198-.../dp/B000O3I5GY

maybe this is what i need? or something similar?

i guess i will go to my hardware store...

but if anyone can answer off the top of their head, that would be great too...

tia

[RunnerDuck]

Some electric screwdrivers will take drill bits, but generally they are meant to be screwdrivers, not drills.

I would NOT try the nail trick to start a hold in kitchen cabinets - I would be too afraid of splitting the wood. It could be a thin but hard veneer which will crack easily.

You need to get yourself a good drill. No home should be without one.

eta - if it's a straight 1/4 inch chuck and not adjustable I think it IS just made for screwdriver bits, mostly - but you CAN get drill bits with a fatter base. We have a few . I have no idea why we have them though...

[larig]

It looks to me like what you have is a powered screwdriver (a very nice one) and not a drill, so it may not take drill bits.
http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-DB3DL-.../dp/B000H2P05Q

drills can take screwdriver heads, but not necessarily vice-a-versa.

ETA: I totally agree about the utility of a drill--get yourself a cordless drill too! Ryobi makes decent cheap ones. DH loves them. You don't need to spend a ton to get one that will do everything you need for inside the house projects.

[Penny's Pappa]

Originally Posted by melonpan

so i tried to look for the L-thingy but i dont think there is one.

(i actually looked at the manual a long while before even posting on here, but theres no mention of drill bit attachments etc.)

i did some more googling and saw this page which describes this screwdriver:

http://www.toolbarn.com/hitachi-db3dl.html

and it says "1/4" quick change hex chuck with bit lock for fast and easy bit changes"

is it possible that the skinny drill bit will never fit in?

i saw this for sale on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-763198-.../dp/B000O3I5GY

maybe this is what i need? or something similar?

i guess i will go to my hardware store...

but if anyone can answer off the top of their head, that would be great too...

tia

Yeah, that screwdriver will not hold that drill bit. It sounds like it has a fixed-size chuck that is designed for screwdriver bits.

The L-thingy that lalasmama was talking about is called a "chuck key" and it's designed to tighten a keyed chuck (the part of a drill that holds the bits) as lalasmama described. However, a lot of household drills nowadays are built with keyless chucks -- they don't have a key or any of the gear-like teeth that lalasmama described. They just tighten by hand.

This is a keyed chuck with a chuck key:


This is a keyless chuck:


Your screwdriver, on the other hand, was designed to hold just the hexagonal screwdriver bits. It has a quick release so you can quickly change between bits. You could get that adapter, but honestly I don't think it's worth it. I believe they make drill bits with a hexagonal shaft that you could get, otherwise, I think you'd be better off investing in a good cordless drill. No DIYer should be without one. I love my Dewalt 18-volt cordless. Just sayin'

---------

And just another general tip here in response to RunnerDuck's comment about not using a nail b/c it might split the wood: If you have to nail into a hardwood (say, oak), blunt the end of the nail with your hammer first. The sharp tip of the nail is what causes the wood to split. By blunting it, you'll be able to push the nail through the wood without splitting it.