Three tools that turn a bit
| Feature | Drill/driver (DEWALT DCD777) | Impact driver (DEWALT DCF887) | Drill press (Powermatic PM2800B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made for | Drilling and screwdriving | Impact screwdriving | Drilling with the work clamped to a table |
| Holds | Shanks up to 13 mm in a keyless chuck | 1/4 in hex accessories only | Shanks to 5/8 in in a keyed chuck |
| Speed | 0–500 and 0–1750 rpm in two gears | Three modes, to 0–3250 rpm | 250–3000 rpm, variable |
| Changing speed | Gears only when stopped | Mode selector | Only while running |
| Torque control | Clutch collar, screwdriving only | Mode selector; no clutch described | No clutch; a depth stop limits travel |
From each tool's own manual. The DCD777's 42 Nm and the DCF887's 205 Nm are not a like-for-like comparison: one is a drill's rotating torque, the other an impact tool's.
Equipment notePaid link
20V 1/2-in drill/driver, tool only
DEWALT DCD777B
DEWALT's DCD777, sold as the bare DCD777B: a 13 mm chuck, two gears of 0–500 and 0–1750 rpm, and 30 mm in wood, by its manual.
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The chuck
A drill/driver's keyless chuck closes three jaws on the shank. Its capacity is the largest shank it can hold — 13 mm on the DCD777 — not the largest hole the drill can bore. DEWALT's instructions for fitting a bit: remove the battery, open the sleeve, insert the shank about 3/4 in, and tighten the sleeve by hand while holding the tool. It warns against tightening a bit by gripping the front of the chuck and running the motor, which can damage the chuck and hurt the user, and to check the bit is secure before starting, since a loose one can be thrown out.
The clutch and the drill setting
The numbered collar behind the chuck is a clutch for driving screws: the higher the number, the more torque before it slips, and the larger the screw it can seat. DEWALT says to start low, practise on scrap, and use the lowest setting that seats the screw at the depth you want. For drilling, the collar goes to the drill symbol — the clutch is engaged only in screwdriving mode, so it gives no protection while a bit is in the work.
Two gears
Gear 1 is slow and high-torque, 0–500 rpm on the DCD777; gear 2 is fast, 0–1750 rpm. DEWALT says to choose the gear to match speed and torque to the job, and to shift only when the drill has come to a complete stop. The rule is the reverse of the variable-speed drill presses whose manuals were reviewed: Powermatic and WEN both say their speed may be changed only while the machine is running.
What the drill can bore
DEWALT rates the DCD777's maximum drilling capacity in wood at 30 mm. That is the maker's figure for that drill; another drill has its own. A bit larger than the rating, or a bit its maker lists for another tool, is the wrong pairing however well it fits the chuck. Which bits belong in which tool is set out in the guide to wood drill bits.
When another tool fits better
- An impact driver is designed for driving fasteners. It takes only 1/4 in hex accessories; DEWALT's manual says to use impact accessories only, and Milwaukee's that its driver is intended for drill and driver bits. See impact drivers.
- A drill press holds the bit square to the table and stops at a set depth, for holes that must be straight or repeated. See the drill press guide.
- For technique, using a drill covers holding and feeding, and drilling clean holes each kind of bit.
Safety— The DCD777 manual's cautions
Use the auxiliary handle if one is supplied. Clamp the work: holding it by hand or against the body is unstable. Hold the drill by its insulated grips where the bit may meet hidden wiring. Wear eye protection. Expect a stall and grip firmly, because an overloaded drill twists.
Before drilling with a drill/driver
- Battery out while the bit goes in, shank seated about 3/4 in
- Collar on the drill symbol
- Gear chosen with the drill stopped
- Bit within the drill's rated capacity
- Work clamped, a two-handed grip
- Eye protection on
Sources
Figures and instructions are DEWALT's for its DCD777 and DCF887, Milwaukee's for its 2953, and Powermatic's and WEN's for their drill presses; other models' manuals may differ. Torque figures are not compared across tools, because the makers measure them differently. No tool was tested.
- 1.
DCD777 Cordless Drill/Driver instruction manual (English). DEWALT.
Used for: The DCD777's no-load speeds (0–500 and 0–1750 min⁻¹ in its two gears), maximum torque of 42 Nm hard and 24 Nm soft, 13 mm chuck, maximum drilling capacity of 30 mm in wood; intended use for drilling and screwdriving; a clutch collar engaged only in screwdriving mode, numbers for torque and a drill symbol; gears changed only with the tool stopped; accessories inserted about 3/4 in, never tightened by gripping the chuck and running the tool, battery removed when changing; auxiliary handles if supplied; work clamped, not held by hand or against the body; insulated grips where hidden wiring may be hit; eye protection; stalls that twist the drill; the lowest torque setting that seats a screw, after practice in scrap.
- 2.
DCF887 Cordless Impact Driver instruction manual (English). DEWALT.
Used for: An impact driver designed for impact screwdriving, with a 1/4 in hex quick-release chuck that accepts hex accessories only and a maximum torque of 205 Nm; impact accessories only.
- 3.
M18 FUEL 1/4" Hex Impact Driver 2953-20 Operator's Manual (as hosted by a distributor). Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: An impact driver intended for use with drill and driver bits, with three speed modes.
- 4.
Operating Instructions and Parts Manual, 18-inch Variable Speed Drill Press, Model PM2800B (Rev. E1, 04/2019), as hosted by Purdue University. Powermatic, 2019.
Used for: A drill press with a keyed 5/8 in chuck whose speed is changed only while it runs; work clamped to the table.
- 5.
Model 4214 12-inch Variable Speed Drill Press manual (2015), as hosted by a retailer. WEN Products, 2015.
Used for: A drill press whose variable speed must not be changed with the machine turned off.
About this guide
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