Cordless drill clutch settings?

Apparently I found the answer in reviews of the product.

John Doe wrote in news:mo7ct1$vg$2@dont- email.me:

What was the answer?

I occasionally have the same problem as someone else, and if they post the solution sometimes it helps me solve my problem.

Puckdropper

"J. Clarke" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

That would be my thought as well. Or, if you're drilling and the clutch is slipping, that probably means you're using too big of a bit, and need to move to a corded drill.

John

I dunno about _his_ but mine has a "drill" setting in which the clutch is locked out.

My thought exactly. Just what is he trying to accomplish?

He's using it to power a bicycle, and he's made some interesting reports about it.

If that's what he's doing then why does he need the clutch to slip?

I don't remember. He's discussed it, and you'll find discussion about it over the past few weeks.

I would have thought you'd just pedal-start and then engage the motor. I realize it's a different thing, but I rode a Solex moped for a year around Lausanne, Switzerland when I was a student there, and it was pedal-start. Very simple: no clutch, no starter cord, and it worked great.

Typically you don't drill in a clutch setting. That is pretty much pointless.

Leon wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I've taken to drilling in the highest clutch setting for most holes. If the drill bit catches, the drill won't try to twist my hand off. When I need a the extra to get through the hole, it's a simple click over to drill mode.

FWIW, most the holes I drill are less than 1/4".

Puckdropper

Leon wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Yeah, I was just trying to think of what else you might do with a cordless drill that would need more torque. It didn't occur to me he'd be using it as a motor for some other device.

FWIW, I leave my cordless drills in the locked position always. If I need to put a screw in with care, I do it by hand.

John

Wow! A 1/4" drill bit is going to twist your hand off? What are you drilling?

krw wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Scratch that last comment... Now that I've stopped to think a little more about what actually causes most issues, it's probably the 1/2"+ holes drilled with spade bits.

While the drill is not likely to actually hurt me if the bit catches, I'd rather have the chuck slip instead of my hand suddenly move.

Puckdropper

I saw a plumber on TV using a hand drill to saw a 4" hole through the floor for a pipe access. That 4" hole cutter will twist your elbow a bit if you have only the pistol grip working.

Mart> Leon wrote in

Even a 1/2" spade bit... But I get your point. I wasn't thinking about spade bits (rarely use them) and they can get rather large. I still don't use the clutch, though. I don't believe I've ever used the clutch on any of my drills.

Understood but typically after a bit catches and stops it requires even more torque to complete the hole. Then you are back to not using the clutch for drilling the remainder if the hole.

A decent drill will put a screw in with care. The clutch settings on most cordless drills are a PIA to use to begin with.