With 90+ cool tools covered; you would think we would have already explored power drills. Without further delay…a battery powered drill is a handy device that can help with a ton of different jobs on the farm.
Drills are primarily used for making circular holes in materials from drywall and wood to metal and masonry. They might create a hole for an anchor or fastener, or a passage to feed a spout. We are using a drill with a spade bit to create a space to inoculate the birch log with mushroom spawn.
A spade bit is flat, with a sharp point in its center and material flaring out to either side, like a pair of bat wings. Spade bits remove a large section of material. Purpose built spade bits are available for mushroom growing. The spade bit is kept clean during the process to reduce chance of contamination.
A twist bit (sometimes called a fluted bit) is by far the most common type of drill bit, due to the large number of uses. A twist bit gets its name from the spiraled grooves, called flutes, along its body. It is also handy to have depth markers on a twist bit.
A modified version of a twist bit is available for tapping maples trees. It has a 90 degree cutting head with deep, sharp flutes to ensure a clean cut. This helps to prevent bacteria from invading versus a not so clean cut that could be ragged and easily harbour bacteria.
Finally in our power drill discussion are screwdriver bits. The magnetic bit holder is an indispensable part of using screwdriving bits. It is a hexagonal steel bar, with one end gripping the chuck. The other end has a chrome steel cylinder to fit any screwdriver bit. A magnet prevents the bit from dropping out. Another advantage of the bit holder is that standard steel screws (not stainless) are also magnetized and will ‘stick’ to the end of the bit; a feature that’s particularly useful when working in confined spaces.
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