The Power Drill Hack That'll Extend Your Tool's Reach In A Pinch
There are few tools in your toolbox that get as much use as a power drill. It might seem like a simple piece of machinery, but whether it's made by Ryobi or Milwaukee, the power drill is one tool that no household should ever be without. The swappable bits and options for adjustable speed and torque give it a variety of uses beyond simply boring holes. It can be a drill, a driver, a paint mixer, a buffer, a pencil sharpener, or any number of other spinning devices.
One limitation that many may have encountered, however, is the tool's reach. Most driver bits only stick out about half an inch past the chuck. That's fine most of the time, but you will occasionally encounter circumstances where you might need to get to a screw that's just a little bit out of reach. So what do you do then? Use a conventional hand screwdriver? Never!
However, you may be interested to know there is also a hack that you can use if you're just looking to get through a project or two without having to make an extra trip to the hardware store. All you need is a drill and a four-way hand screwdriver. Together, these tools can give you the power and reach you need to finish your project.
How to extend your drill's reach with a four-way screwdriver shaft
This hack is great if you're ever in a situation where you need to extend the reach of your drill and going out to buy a proper extension is either not an option or simply too much of a bother. These four-way screwdrivers come equipped with a removable shaft that typically has a large and small flat head bit which is magnetically held on one side, and a large and small Phillips head on the other.
To use this with your drill, simply remove the shaft from the handle and insert whichever side you don't need into the drill's chuck. You can then tighten the chuck like normal and voilà! You have an extended driver bit that should be sturdy enough for most basic home needs.
Of course, the four-way screwdriver shaft wasn't exactly built to withstand the kind of torque that can be forced on it by a power tool. It's also possible that the chuck might not be able to get the same clamping pressure that it would on a bit that was actually designed to go inside a power driver. It's possible, however, that the driver shaft might be damaged, so it's definitely not recommended as a permanent solution. Still, a hack like this could really come in clutch on a job site where you don't have any other options available.