Help with sittings on the cordless drill.

[rick kiot]

I have a question:  I own am 18 Volt cordless Ryobi drill.  I use a lot of 3/4 plywood or I use a lot of 1 1/4 course screws.  What I need help with is: what is the best sitting for the drill. I use 15 out of the 22 for the tork setting but it doesn't always seem to be the best.  Any idea's?

 

 

[R. E. Woods]

If you are concerned about strip-out try the settings on a test piece first. Setting the clutch on a drill is not an exact science as the numbers on the clutch vary from brand to brand and I would guess even among different models from the same brand.

[Ken Darga]

Rick,

I'd suggest making sample test pieces, using scrap---

same material you plan to use to make your stuff.

Set your drill at the lowest torque setting---

install the intend screw.

Reset to the next higher setting position,

and install another identical screw into a new location, a short distance from the 1st screw.

Continue thru all the drill settings, with a new screw.

Mark the drill setting at each screw you've installed.

Observe the depth that each screw entered into the material.

Note and record the setting at which the screw that gave the optimum clamping results.

Note: the direction the screw enters the wood---

a.  with the grain, and 

b.  cross grain.

 

TIP:  install the screw so that it's tight---do no over-tighten.

Follow-up with giving the screw another 1/4 turn to snug it up.

Over-torquing will result in strip-out.

You need to find the optimum torque for the material and the fastener being used.

[Jason Watkins]

I had my dewalt cordless drill set at 9 i think, and it was still stripping out screws when i would drive them in. Rather than simply lower the torque and continue with construction, I got mad and redid the project with dados lol. 

I still need to adjust the drill for the proper torque though. As has already been said, start low and keep adjusting upward until the joint is tight. Overdriving will lead to a stripped pocket hole.