Tool-Time, Revisited: A Riveting Column
Last time we talked, we were in the garage, and the subject of power tools came up. Many who use them have, like me, their favorite brands, well-known names such as DeWalt, Milwaukee, or Makita.Â
 All three are great and offer many options. Makita products are terrific for me in the kind of work I do, and they’re light in weight and versatile. These are the top-shelf brands — with price tags reflecting that status. Ryobi and Ridgid come in at a lesser price price point. Priced just below those are Bauer and Hurcules.
Most, if not all, can be cordless which is what we want for our kit. With cordless, we’re must also not forget a battery and a charger. We’ll get to that in a moment.
Cordless Makita impact driver and angle grinder.
Photo by Sidney Pearce.
As a commercial lock-and-security tech, my cordless set — Makita — consists of a heavy-duty drill (with a metal chuck); two impact drivers; two grinders; s hand-held bandsaw.
I also use a Dremel rotary tool with cutting wheels from time to time, for specific applications; and my work necessitates having a fine-detail belt sander, a jigsaw and, of course, power vacuum and blower for cleanup.Â
Demel 3000 cordless rotary tool with 38 milimeter cutting wheel.
If you’re including any of these in your Ultimate Home Tool kit — which I predict you will because they’re fucking awesome — what do they allow you to do?Â
This month we will focus specifically on the cordless drill. That is a must-have: you can’t consider your tool kit a full one without it.
The very first form of this implement dates back approximately thirty-five-thousand years early man, who opened holes in rock by rotating a sharp stick between their palms. The first machine drill, however, The Bow Drill, was invented some ten-thousand years back. This ingenious device converts back-and-forth motion into rotary motion.Â
Ink drawing of an Arctic bow drill. artist unknown.
The more recent core drill — developed in ancient Egypt around 3000 B.C. — was used for boring holes in various materials (like, just maybe, the fucking pyramids?!)
Of course, we all remember with our parents’ hand-held, egg-beater-style drill which, compared with the current state of the art seems more akin to the old bow drill than the modern power drill.Â
A Soviet hand-powered drill. Photo by JrawX.
 The first electric version didn’t arrive until Arthur James Arnot, a Scottish electrical engineer first invented it in 1889. It utilized a DC (direct current) electric motor, marking a significant advancement in drilling technology. The cordless drill, Introduced by Black & Decker in 1961, made drilling more accessible for consumers and DIY enthusiasts.
We all know what a drill does: it helps make a hole or shaft in something, right? Is that all? What else can a drill be used for? Let’s find out.
In the bathroom, for example, a machine-handled nylon scrubber brush can be inserted to remove soap scum and hard-water residue in showers or bathtubs, and much faster than doing it by hand.
For the car, a soft buffer with wax kit can be inserted to buff and shine the outside of the vehicle after a wash. Don’t forget to soak up the remaining water with absorbent chamois towels before you wax.
A cordless jigsaw for use exclusively in the bedroom.
Photo by Bordoolal.
The drill can… well, if desired — also double as a sex toy, a drilldo, with the right bit from the adult store (or, you could 3-D print it yourself). Use the drill trigger like a gas pedal in a car and adjust your speed accordingly. The drill spins and… well. If an up-and-down motion is preferred, well, it apparently works with a cordless jigsaw, too. Look, I’m just the messenger but, those these aren’t required for your Ultimate Home Tool Kid, don’t knock it ’em you’ve tried ’em.
But back to batteries. I use an 18-volt, 5-amp hour Makita, and I possess two dual-battery chargers for commercial work. You won’t need that for the Ultimate Home Tool Kit: for that, one dual charger is enough, regardless of the brand you choose. That way your cordless power tools are always ready with charged batteries.
About the Author
Matt Coddington is an award-winning commercial locksmith. He currently works and writes in San Diego. He is a former paperboy; a former avid collector of baseball cards, and a former musician and Drum Corps International world champion. He is sixty-three, single, and has no children. His next chapter—whatever it may be—is set to commence soon.
About the Images
Frontispiece by Oussama el Haloui.
Background image by Frankie Lopez.
