Five Creative Ways to Use Your Cordless Drill

If you have a cordless drill at home in your toolbox, you might think it’s only good for drilling—and maybe driving some screws. But there are all kinds of weird and wonderful things you can do with your drill that I bet you’ve never thought of. Here are a few of the most creative ways you can use your cordless drill for more than just making holes.

A note on safety

Although most of the uses for your drill discussed here won’t necessarily take place in your home shop, a spinning drill can still send particles and projectiles into the air and also into your eyes. Remember to wear eye protection to prevent injury and tie long hair back to keep it from getting sucked into your drill.

Use your drill as a power scrubber

A drill spins fast enough to be used as a power scrubber if you have the right attachments. You can use the attachment brushes to clean your grout; scrub crevices that are hard to reach with your sponge; detail your car; or break up old, set-in spills. The spinning brush allows you to scrub faster, saving you time and energy on your cleaning chores. Be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions to avoid damaging delicate surfaces like natural stone or paint.

Restore metal

To use your drill for restoration, first start with a wire brush attachment and rust remover or deoxidizer to remove as much rust and dirt as possible. Follow up with a buffing attachment to polish your metal, using a buffing compound to give your metal surface a shiny, protective finish. For smaller parts, it’s a good idea to use a vise or a clamp to hold your parts still rather than getting your fingers close to the spinning wire wheel.

Dig a post hole

You can use a large auger bit and your drill to dig post holes for a fence. Keep in mind that fence post holes need to be about a third of the height of the fence in order to be secure, so consider the finished height of your fence when choosing your bit. A taller fence that’s more than five or six feet tall will require a bit that’s larger than a regular drill can accommodate safely, so you’ll need a larger tool for a taller fence. Always remember to call 811 before you dig.

Use your drill as a mixer

While cooking might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of getting out your power drill, its spinning motion makes it perfect for use as a hand mixer if you don’t have one—or if, like me, you just like using power tools for everything. When choosing a mixer attachment for your drill, make sure to find one that’s food-grade. If you don’t have an attachment you can try wedging a whisk or a fork into your drill’s chuck for a quick-and-dirty attachment in a pinch.

Wind some yarn

If you’re a crafter, you’ve probably already used your drill for some DIY projects, but did you know you could use it to wind yarn? To spool some fibers, place a dowel, knitting needle, or spindle into the chuck of your drill and tighten it. Then, tape the end of your yarn (masking tape will do) to your chosen spooling core. With your drill on its lowest setting, begin turning your spindle, removing the tape once the yarn is wrapped a few times securely. Then, continue turning until all of the yarn is wound at whatever spooling speed you’re comfortable with.