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    HOME CLINIC Fixing The Portable Electric Drill - The New York Times

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    HOME CLINIC Fixing The Portable Electric Drill - The New York Times

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    Drill maintenance and others

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    HOME CLINIC;Fixing the Portable Electric Drill - The New York Times

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    Drill maintenance and others

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    HOME CLINIC Fixing The Portable Electric Drill - The New York Times

    Uploaded by

    detrusitol
    Drill maintenance and others

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 3

    ARCHIVES | 1996

    HOME CLINIC;Fixing the


    Portable Electric Drill
    By EDWARD R. LIPINSKI APRIL 14, 1996
    About the Archive
    This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of
    online publication in 1996. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The
    Times does not alter, edit or update them.

    Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems.


    Please send reports of such problems to [email protected].

    THE portable electric drill is the most useful and versatile of all the power
    tools. With it you can drill holes, drive screws, sand wood, polish metal and
    mix paint -- provided, of course, that the drill is in good working order.
    What do you do, however, when your drill is not working properly? Some
    people assume that it is not worth fixing; they drop the tool in the trash and
    buy a new one. There are times when repairs can cost as much as a new
    drill, but often a little maintenance and a few inexpensive parts may be
    enough to restore the tool.
    There are a few repairs, like replacing gears, bearings or motor parts,
    that should be left to professionals. But replacing a cord, switch or brushes
    are not difficult tasks, but there are basics you should understand before
    you attempt them.
    First, remember to unplug the tool before working on it. Work in a
    clean, well-lighted area. Take the time to assemble the proper tools before
    you work. In most cases, you won't need more than a pair of needle-nose
    pliers and a few screwdrivers. For some drills, you may need hex or Torx
    screwdrivers.
    Most
    $1 apeople
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    notes and sketches of the tool before you remove the pieces. It also helps to
    label small parts and wires with masking tape. As you remove each part,
    place it in a tray so you won't lose it.
    Finally, be sure to use replacement parts made for your drill. You may
    be able to buy these from a local service center (look in the Yellow Pages
    under Tools, Electric, Repairs) or else contact the manufacturer.
    The common power drill malfunctions are power loss and intermittent
    operation or failure to run at all.
    When a drill runs intermittently, the problem can be traced to a bad
    cord or worn brushes (sometimes the switch may be defective, but usually
    the switch fails in the "on" or the "off" position). The best way to check out a
    power cord is with a continuity tester or an ohm meter. If you don't have
    these tools, you may be able to isolate a cord defect with a little
    experimentation.
    With the power cord plugged in, squeeze the trigger switch to the "on"
    position. Grip the cord a few inches from the plug and flex it back and
    forth. If the drill goes on and off, there's a loose connection in the plug.
    Most tools have a molded plug, so you'll have to cut it off and attach a new
    one. If the flex test has no effect, try it again; only this time flex the cord
    near the drill housing. If the drill cuts on and off, the cord is defective near
    the switch. To make the repair, you'll have to get inside the drill housing.
    There are two types of housing. The first, and most common, is the
    clamshell housing. It consists of two identical halves joined together by side
    screws. The other housing design is called a "stacked" housing. It consists of
    four distinct parts: the gear housing, motor housing, switch housing and
    handle. These are held together by long screws that run through each part.
    Once the housing is opened, you can examine the cord for breaks or
    loose connections. If the cord wire has broken away from the switch, it's a
    simple matter to strip away a half inch of insulation to expose more wire
    and make a new connection.
    Be careful when attaching the wires to the switch. Simple switches
    have a four-wire hookup: two wires, labeled "load," run from the switch to
    the motor, and two wires, labeled "line," that come from the power cord to
    the switch. Most switches have openings called "stab-in" connectors. The
    wire is inserted into the opening and held in place by a metal spring. To
    4make a$1"stab-in"
    a week, plus Cooking and Crossword
    connection, insert a small finishingVIEW
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    into the opening and move the spring back. Insert the wire and release the
    spring.
    Intermittent operation or power losses may also be caused by worn
    brushes. Electrical brushes are graphic blocks that transmit power to the
    tool's motor. As the blocks wear down (from contact with the motor's
    rotating commutator), a gap develops and power is diminished. You can
    usually see evidence of this gap by looking in the cooling vents while the
    drill is running. Large blue sparks flashing around the motor commutator
    indicate worn brushes. They should be replaced with new ones to maintain
    proper contact.
    With most drills you'll have to open the housing to get at the brushes.
    Then you can remove the brush holders -- they may be held in place with a
    screw or a wire spring -- and pull out the worn brush and replace it. Be
    careful not to lose the spring that's also in the holder. There are two
    brushes in each drill; always replace both brushes.
    If the drill doesn't run at all, the problem is probably a bad cord or
    switch. It's difficult to isolate the defective component unless you can make
    a continuity test with an ohm meter. If the cord looks good and hasn't been
    misused, then the switch is the likely suspect. Sometimes you can bypass
    the switch by wiring the line wires directly to the load wires. If you try this,
    be sure to wrap the connections with electrical tape and replace the
    housing before plugging in the tool. If the drill runs when you plug it in,
    then the switch is defective and should be replaced.
    A version of this article appears in print on April 14, 1996, on Page WC13 of the National edition with the
    headline: HOME CLINIC;Fixing the Portable Electric Drill.

    © 2018 The New York Times Company

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