A Quick Review of the History of Cordless Power Drills

Countless brands of power drills are in the UK market today, consumers are finding the guide on the cheapest cordless drill quite useful. Power tools, particularly power drills have evolved through centuries as simple devices first invented by Egyptians 3.000 years ago. It’s quite interesting that manually driven drills for boring holes on stones and granite slabs were already in use by the ancient civilizations.

How the Drill Technology Came To Be in the History of Mankind

The history of how the ancient Egyptians came up with the drill technology remains a mystery up to this date. Reports have it that even eminent Egyptologists are unable to offer clarity about the drilling procedures used to bore holes in hard stones like quartz and granite. The contention is that it’s not enough to base answers to questions about ancient Egyptian technology. It’s unclear how holes were drilled in quartz and granite materials used in building some architectural palace doors and gates of the pyramids.

Apparently, drills have taken different forms, sizes and uses during the Roman times through the mediaeval ages. These were the eras when construction of churches and castles necessitated boring holes in different building materials.

The Advent of Electric Drills

The electrically-powered drill came about in 1889, when Australians William Brain and Arnold Arnot came up with the idea of attaching a drill to an electric motor. After five years, Germans Carl and Wilhelm Fein developed a portable electric drill that was compact enough to fit in a user’s hand. During those early years of being a portable tool, the electric power drill, albeit corded, found varied use in the construction industry. The device had evolved into a versatile tool to which different attachments had expanded its functionality beyond creating holes but also in driving and hammering screws.

In 1917, the bright minds of Duncan Black & Alonzo Decker came up with the idea of giving the power drill a pistol-like trigger. The design, of course, made the power drill easier to handle and use. Portability is not complete if a user cannot bring it to places without electrical outlets. That is why in 1961, Black & Decker came up with the first cordless power drill using nickel-cadmium batteries as sources of electrical power.

In 1978, Japan’s Makita did something better, by using a removable and rechargeable 7.2 V nickel-cadmium battery pack. This made owning a cordless power drill affordable for many DIY enthusiasts. However, nowadays, there are numerous brands to choose from, all claiming to be the cheapest and best. It would be wise therefore to refer to the online guide published by ToolPick UK.