I’ll add more to this post later, but I want to share some quick tips and disclaimers about drill use.
Electric Brake Warning
Modern cordless drills typically have an “Electric Brake” installed. This means that when you pull your finger off the trigger, the drill stops spinning immediately.
Corded drills, however, typically do not have an electric brake. This means that when you pull your finger off the trigger, the drill spins down gradually over the course of 5-10 seconds.
Why You Should Avoid Electric Brakes
If at all possible, please do not use drills with an electric brake. It can be bad for the drill and bad for the wheel. You have tons of momentum and centrifugal force created from the spinning wheel. The second that the drill stops spinning, the braking system in the drill takes a huge amount of force to stop the wheel from spinning. AND, once it does stop it, it transmits a ton of undue stress onto the wheel.
Our Recommendation
At VascuVive, we really like the Makita 6408K 3/8 in. drill. It’s low speed and quiet, and doesn’t have an electronic brake.
You can find it at Home Depot and other hardware stores.