Why do pros "jig" the trigger on a drill?

[Ole Anderson]

This is just a casual observation from looking at many home improvement shows: When pros drive in a screw with a power tool, they often "jig" the trigger quickly full on and off as they finish setting the screw instead of just letting off on the trigger slowly taking advantage of the VS built into virtually all drills and impact drivers. Doesn't look any faster to me. Is that just how "pros" do it? It just kind of bugs me as it makes no sense. Am I missing something? Do I need to change my technique?

[Phil Thien]

Slowing down at the end of a drive can prevent splitting, especially in narrower stock, and stripping-out, especially in softer stock.

[ray hampton]

when I cycle my trigger , its purpose is to not break the screw BUT I not a pro so my answer may be different

[Charles R Johnson]

To prevent over tightening of the screw. All the drivers have ratcheting tension adjustments but I don't use them very often as wood varies so much from one location to another. "Jigging" the trigger gets the tightness desired without over doing it.

[Bill Orbine]

It's one of my peeves when it comes to "jigging " the trigger. It's one of those little habits that slows things down a little bit, especially on a project requiring lots of screws. I prefer to drive the screws straight in and I use the clutch when the occasion calls for it. Sometimes I'll have to remind myself I'm doing it AGAIN!:cool:

Think of it this way.... In NASCAR, do you see tire changers jigging the air gun?

[Mark Bolton]

It has always been my position that its to give the bit a chance to re-seat in the head of the screw. If you remember the times of non-impact (or if you still use it) if you simply try to power the screw all the way in you will eventually cam-out the fastener. As your driving a fastener, the contact faces between the bit and the fastener begin to distort. They tend to slope which is then trying to eject the bit from the fastener. Every time you trigger the drill it gives the bit a chance to re-seat fully in the fastener.

If you notice, unless someone simply triggers the drill out of ritual (same for the guy who starts a chainsaw and has to throttle, throttle, throttle, very annoying), when people drive with an impact driver they naturally trigger the drill less. This is because the action of the impact is doing the very thing triggering the drill does. Every blow of the impact allows for a brief chance for your pushing on the drill to keep the bit fully seated in the fastener.

If you really pay attention whenever you drive a screw with a non-impact, every time you let off the trigger, the bit seats back in the fastener ever so slightly.

This has always been the reason in my world... If a board is going to split, easing into it isnt going to help. No different than snapping the head, easing into it may give you a bit to judge how tight you are but triggering isnt going to let you get it any tighter than the fastener is capable of.

[Mark Bolton]

It's one of my peeves when it comes to "jigging " the trigger. It's one of those little habits that slows things down a little bit, especially on a project requiring lots of screws. I prefer to drive the screws straight in and I use the clutch when the occasion calls for it. Sometimes I'll have to remind myself I'm doing it AGAIN!:cool:

Think of it this way.... In NASCAR, do you see tire changers jigging the air gun?

I thought the nascar lug nuts, or the drive socket, had some sort of technology where they just run them on and the driver either releases, or there is some type of engineered torque break off deal on the nut so that you simply run the nut on til the hex part snaps off and each nut is precisely torqued?

This would be akin to running drywall screws with a drywall gun. There is no triggering the drill because you simply lock the trigger wide open, and have a depth limiting nose piece.

I am not a fan of clutches myself because the material we work with is so variable. You can set the clutch and then you hit a dense/soft area and either over/under drive the fastener. Other than non-wood applications I have never found a clutch (mechanical or electronic) to be of any value.

[Bill Orbine]

I thought the nascar lug nuts, or the drive socket, had some sort of technology where they just run them on and the driver either releases, or there is some type of engineered torque break off deal on the nut so that you simply run the nut on til the hex part snaps off and each nut is precisely torqued?

This would be akin to running drywall screws with a drywall gun. There is no triggering the drill because you simply lock the trigger wide open, and have a depth limiting nose piece.

I am not a fan of clutches myself because the material we work with is so variable. You can set the clutch and then you hit a dense/soft area and either over/under drive the fastener. Other than non-wood applications I have never found a clutch (mechanical or electronic) to be of any value.

The point of my NASCAR quote is that "jigging" wastes time regardless torqueing or running off whatever technical babbling you're getting into. Drive the screw in and done! Another in and done! In and done! Very rarely I have splitting issues. when it comes to hardwoods, predrill with countersinks. And if the bit is unseating, then you either need a new bit. hold the drill straight, blah blah blah.

[Mark Bolton]

The point of my NASCAR quote is that "jigging" wastes time regardless torqueing or running off whatever technical babbling you're getting into. Drive the screw in and done! Another in and done! In and done! Very rarely I have splitting issues. when it comes to hardwoods, predrill with countersinks. And if the bit is unseating, then you either need a new bit. hold the drill straight, blah blah blah.

I agree about the bit and straight... Thats one of my major pet peeves with my guys. They simply often times cant see that they are not even close to lining up the bit axis with fastener.

I wasnt questioning the speed issue, I agree fully (hence drywall driver), but I have to say that there are many times even with an 18v impact driver that I still have to trigger the drill slightly to get the fastener in. Im with you 100% that I avoid it at all costs because its a time waster. I am often holding the next screw in position while Im driving the current screw (decking for instance) and there is zero triggering. Its all about speed.

I was more just interested in the technology behind the nascar thing. The off part is simple, but I assumed there was something to the nuts going back on. But having watched a couple videos that doesnt seem to be the case ;-). Looks like they just run them.

Speed is king.

[Paul Girouard]

I think it's more than likely a old habit from years of using drill motors , then older screw guns , to todays impacts. Old habits die hard.

At the guys who are "wasting time" due to "jigging" the trigger, settle down, LOL, your both probably guys who give two hour talks to your crews about "working efficiently" while wasting 10 man hours that can NEVER be made up giving the long winded "efficiency" lecture!! LOL

[Phil Thien]

Sometimes it is a waste of time.

Other times it is just being cautious.

Decking, who cares?

Entry door, well, I'm not going to rely on the clutch on any driver to tell me when the butt screws are right. I've watched guys just crank them right down to the butt and spin them. Great, now there is nothing holding that screw.

Then they say, "huh, I'll adjust the clutch." Then they do the next one, same thing. "Woops, still too tight."

Not me. I'll typically adjust the clutch so I have to finish the screws by hand. Other times I'll "bump" the screw in (especially if I know the framing is nice dense lumber).

But there are many times when you get one shot at an important screw or two, and the time to bump screws in pales in comparison to the time it takes to fix a stripped-out hole.

[Mark Bolton]

while wasting 10 man hours that can NEVER be made up giving the long winded "efficiency" lecture!! LOL


Nah :-).. any more I just let them suffer it out. They can either try to figure out why I drive 10x the screws they do or just blame it on the bit, drill, air, sun, wind, planetary alignments, experience, whatever. Either they pick up the beat or they finally quit.

;-) There is a trick to running something as simple as a leaf rake or a shovel. If people are too pigheaded to realize that, there is no helping them.

[Paul Girouard]

;-) There is a trick to running something as simple as a leaf rake or a shovel. If people are too pigheaded to realize that, there is no helping them.


You got that right, some peeps just don't have the eye hand coordination , nor the common sense God gave a chicken! LOL

[johnny means]

As a professional, I must say, I'm more precise and flexible than any drill out there. My eyes, ears and hands will adjust for variables faster and better than any machine ever will.

[Peter Quinn]

Ditto, and this is why I jigger the trigger. The variable speed isn't all it's cracked up to be, the receiving end varies in density considerably, so my rapid fire trigger finger is on auto pilot, compensating for the vagaries of wood products. I can't stand there all slack jawed and silly with my finger just barely on the trigger staring at the screw head waiting for the perfect seat. Often I'm looking not at the screw head at all but at the joint the screw is connecting anyway, so the trigger is a feel thing....pulse, feel the torque, pulse, adjust, pulse. The long slow burn of the slow variable speed trigger causes me to lose that feel. On decorative hardware where the screw depth matters I use a 7V metabo installers drill and don't pulse, very slow speed and very accurate clutch purpose made for delicate work. And there it's quality that matters, not speed. So trigger jigglers of the world unite!

[Jamie Buxton]

I have two drills. One (Hitachi) has a mechanical clutch. The other (Festool) has an electronic clutch. The Hitachi hits the clutch limit, and stops immediately. The Festool hits the clutch limit, and takes a second or two to stop. Because of this, it can overdrive a screw. I've developed a habit of jigging the Festool to compensate for the dumb clutch.

[Bill Orbine]

The size of the drill does come into play. Another one of my peeves is seeing those damn peach fuzz faces come into the shop with these big huge humongous 24volts or more drills for a simple cabinet assembly. Those jigging drills are for construction site and unnecessary in most finish carpentry/cabinetry. I use 12 volt and light duty 18 volt drill and/or driver and always have two going on a job. Everybody has there favorite color and mine is Bosch blue

When I use my clutch, I'll set it light at first and increase pressure to suit with out stripping all those damn butt hinge screw holes.... does that help Phil ?

[Mark Wooden]

To the OP and others it "bugs"-
Relax
Who's watching to see how long it takes to put a screw in anyway?
Have a cold drink and put yer feet up.............

[Art Mann]

I have seen more professional deck installers do it that not. I do it too. I just wonder when you amateurs will learn to do it the correct way like the pros. :D

[Bill Orbine]

To the OP and others it "bugs"-
Relax
Who's watching to see how long it takes to put a screw in anyway?
Have a cold drink and put yer feet up.............

As soon as my buddy at the other end of the cabinet quits jiggering around we'll call it quits and have a cold one!:D

[Ole Anderson]

Wow, never thought I would get that many replies. Installing decking with a standard drill/driver or an impact gun comes to mind as you really get into screw production. I like my deck screws to sit perfectly flush, particularly with composites or clad boards and I now use the small pan head style stainless with Torx heads. Full speed until you are about a quarter inch proud, then just let off on the trigger a bit at a time until it sits flush. No jigging. I tried my drywall gun, but could never get it to work as well as just doing it by feel and eye. 4000 rpm's is too much for a 2 1/2" deck screw IMHO. I hate bugle head screws someone buried a half inch into the deck board.

[Charlie MacGregor]

Tough crowd of screw gun ninjas here. When did it become acceptable to watch other people screw? And what's with the name calling and judging your workmates based on the size of their tools? Just sayin.

[johnny means]

Tough crowd of screw gun ninjas here. When did it become acceptable to watch other people screw? And what's with the name calling and judging your workmates based on the size of their tools? Just sayin.

Actually, watching other people screw has been big business since the advent of film :cool:

[Todd Burch]

I'm still trying to visualize actuals "pros" on a home improvement show.

[Mike Cutler]

Ole

I'm not a "pro", but here's a test;

Pick two pieces of material, ie. a piece of 1x4 and some cabinet ply. Set the very first screw with the clutch to the perfect depth, now drive twenty more and see how many of those drive to the perfect depth without fiddling with the clutch.
I rarely use the clutch to be perfectly honest. Peter's example of hardware is one. Generally I drive the screw just enough, and go back with a screwdriver to finish it, primarily because of the limitations of my drills. ( I don't have multiples of them)

[Ole Anderson]

Ole

I'm not a "pro", but here's a test;

Pick two pieces of material, ie. a piece of 1x4 and some cabinet ply. Set the very first screw with the clutch to the perfect depth, now drive twenty more and see how many of those drive to the perfect depth without fiddling with the clutch.
I rarely use the clutch to be perfectly honest. Peter's example of hardware is one. Generally I drive the screw just enough, and go back with a screwdriver to finish it, primarily because of the limitations of my drills. ( I don't have multiples of them)

I agree, you can't use the clutch to set depth, never said you could, but a good one will keep you from twisting off a screw.