What does the outside ring on a ccordless drill do?

[Beamin]

I watching an AVE video where he speaks Canadian and takes apart a drill with the ring on the front you adjust usually with the numbers 1 - 20 on it you spin. I know stupid girl question but what do the numbers do adjust the speed or gear down the drill? He doesn't explain it because I'm sure 99% of the guys watching already know what it does.

If you didn't like that question how about explain the rules to American football? Why do they constantly stop playing?  Just kidding I have no interest in sports and don't really care. 

[The Soulman]

Mechanical torque limiting, for not breaking screws and destroying bits etc.

[Beamin]

Mechanical torque limiting, for not breaking screws and destroying bits etc.

so do the number indicate ft/lbs? Why would you need that in normal household use?

[Benta]

The numbers don't mean anything at all, they're defined by manufacturer marketing.
At maximum there's no torque limiting, used for drilling. For the other setting it's by feel and experience with the machine.

[glarsson]

so do the number indicate ft/lbs?

No. It is just a number. It os usually 1-10 or 1-20 for both weak and strong drills.

Why would you need that in normal household use?

You need more torque for the big screws holding together your deck compared to the tiny screws holding the dry walls. Too much torque will just drive the screw through the dry wall unless you are careful.

[NiHaoMike]

At maximum there's no torque limiting, used for drilling. For the other setting it's by feel and experience with the machine.

Why wouldn't the torque limiting be useful when drilling small holes? It is preferable to have it stop if it jams rather than have it break the bit.

[BradC]

Why wouldn't the torque limiting be useful when drilling small holes? It is preferable to have it stop if it jams rather than have it break the bit.

Because it doesn't "stop". It applies torque until it hits the slip point. That then releases "some" torque and the process repeats. Almost guaranteed to break a small drill bit.

On the other hand, the torque limiter is *excellent* at working with stuck fasteners. Set it somewhere below the point where you'd destroy the head or driver bit and let the drill rattle it loose. Almost like a pneumatic impact driver, but much gentler.

[james_s]

I've never used it for drilling, but I use it all the time for driving screws. With a bit of practice you can get it set so you run a screw in and it stops at just about the right point rather than running all the way through whatever you're screwing together.

[MacMeter]

If you didn't like that question how about explain the rules to American football? Why do they constantly stop playing?  Just kidding I have no interest in sports and don't really care. 

I see your first question was answered, as far as the 2nd one.

They stop playing for COMMERCIALS!!!

[BradC]

I've never used it for drilling, but I use it all the time for driving screws. With a bit of practice you can get it set so you run a screw in and it stops at just about the right point rather than running all the way through whatever you're screwing together.

I have an "Ozito" version of this :


It is one of my favourite tools. So much so that I recently replaced the cell in it (and that cost more than the device originally) as the new ones don't have the torque limiter.

Great for assembling PCs or Servers where the screws and what they screw into are both made of cheese. Set a nice low torque setting and away you go. Also good for assembling Ikea furniture. Set the torque limiter and let the 2 year old do the assembly knowing they won't strip a thread.

[Bryan]

I watching an AVE video where he speaks Canadian

LOL, We Canadians don't actually swear like that, but ya his videos are funny and informative.

[Beamin]

If you didn't like that question how about explain the rules to American football? Why do they constantly stop playing?  Just kidding I have no interest in sports and don't really care. 

I see your first question was answered, as far as the 2nd one.

They stop playing for COMMERCIALS!!!

That's so boring to watch. Just guys smashing into one another.


Seems like you could just ease your pull on the trigger if you don't want to over drill/ screw. A setting for ham fisted idiots maybe?

[BradC]

A setting for ham fisted idiots maybe?

If you try and explain which part of the answers you've received you don't understand, we can try and explain it to you.

[ebastler]

Seems like you could just ease your pull on the trigger if you don't want to over drill/ screw.

There is a difference between torque and speed. Determining which of them is controlled by the "trigger", and which of them defines the strain put on the screw and workpiece, is left as an exercise to the reader.

[james_s]

The best way to figure it out is to pick up a cordless driver with an adjustable torque clutch and drive some screws into a block of wood. The value of the torque clutch will become immediately obvious after using one. If you are doing something like building a deck that requires driving many dozens of screws the clutch is a huge time saver. You can zip the screws in at nearly full speed and they stop when properly driven. It takes far longer to slow it down and gingerly snug it up by careful modulation of the trigger. With a powerful drill/driver it's very easy to overdo it and snap off a screw or drive the head all the way down into the wood.

[Red Squirrel]

Great for doing drywall or plywood where you don't want the screw head to go too deep.

Of course they do make "screw guns" for drywall that have a different mechanism so it always lands the screw flush.

[Beamin]

The best way to figure it out is to pick up a cordless driver with an adjustable torque clutch and drive some screws into a block of wood. The value of the torque clutch will become immediately obvious after using one. If you are doing something like building a deck that requires driving many dozens of screws the clutch is a huge time saver. You can zip the screws in at nearly full speed and they stop when properly driven. It takes far longer to slow it down and gingerly snug it up by careful modulation of the trigger. With a powerful drill/driver it's very easy to overdo it and snap off a screw or drive the head all the way down into the wood.

True but I fear that would mess up my nails.  Takes so long to make the paint come out still looking wet after it is dry.

[james_s]

In that case why do you care? If you have no interest in using a power driver then it's irrelevant what the various features do.

[Beamin]

In that case why do you care? If you have no interest in using a power driver then it's irrelevant what the various features do.

Not at all. I just learned all about this and ways to use it next time I do have to use a drill. Tis is how I know so much about so many things I have never used before.

First time I flew I could work the VOR just from reading about as a kid. That impressed the pilot.

[Monkeh]

The best way to figure it out is to pick up a cordless driver with an adjustable torque clutch and drive some screws into a block of wood. The value of the torque clutch will become immediately obvious after using one. If you are doing something like building a deck that requires driving many dozens of screws the clutch is a huge time saver. You can zip the screws in at nearly full speed and they stop when properly driven. It takes far longer to slow it down and gingerly snug it up by careful modulation of the trigger. With a powerful drill/driver it's very easy to overdo it and snap off a screw or drive the head all the way down into the wood.

For driving lots of screws like that you use an impact driver anyway. More efficient on the battery, less work for the wrist, and no need for torque control (you learn to do that without slowing down, it's easier when the driving comes in audible, discrete steps).

[james_s]

Sure but not everyone has an impact driver, and if you can only have one tool a cordless drill or power screwdriver is probably going to be more useful. I you're going to build a whole house then it probably makes sense to get an impact driver, but for doing household repairs or minor remodel jobs it isn't really necessary.

[Cyberdragon]

Sure but not everyone has an impact driver, and if you can only have one tool a cordless drill or power screwdriver is probably going to be more useful. I you're going to build a whole house then it probably makes sense to get an impact driver, but for doing household repairs or minor remodel jobs it isn't really necessary.

Beware of power screwdrivers with no torque settings. Some of them are strong enough to drive small screws in sideways into metal and snap the heads off like butter if you aren't super careful to avoid cross threading.

That would be an interesting torture test for drivers to see which ones cross thread or snap screws/bolts the easiest.

[Monkeh]

Sure but not everyone has an impact driver, and if you can only have one tool a cordless drill or power screwdriver is probably going to be more useful. I you're going to build a whole house then it probably makes sense to get an impact driver, but for doing household repairs or minor remodel jobs it isn't really necessary.

Beware of power screwdrivers with no torque settings. Some of them are strong enough to drive small screws in sideways into metal and snap the heads off like butter if you aren't super careful to avoid cross threading.

That would be an interesting torture test for drivers to see which ones cross thread or snap screws/bolts the easiest.

Yep. I've used one as a screwdriver. It was quite fun.

[Cyberdragon]

Some of the innocent looking little ones are nasty.

This little punk is a menace!

Strong enough to drive in deckscrews!

Yes, but snap small screws right off! Once screws crossthread in metal, well, they're screwed alright, and will snap if you try to remove them.

[Bassman59]

Sure but not everyone has an impact driver, and if you can only have one tool a cordless drill or power screwdriver is probably going to be more useful.

“If you can only have one tool ...” 

Hah, only one tool ...