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How to use a Bosch combi drill

Updated: 22 October 2026

A new Bosch combi drill usually stalls because the collar is still on a clutch number while you drill, or on the drill symbol while you try to stop a screw. This is how to use a Bosch combi drill for screws, for timber or metal, and for a plug hole in ordinary brick. The mode logic follows UK combi guides, Bosch’s gear description and the review themes in the [Bosch cordless combi drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/bosch-cordless-combi-drill), checked on 20 October 2026. There was no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. If you do not own the drill yet, use the [buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/bosch-cordless-combi-drill/sub/bosch-cordless-combi-drill-buying-guide) first.

A new Bosch combi drill usually stalls because the collar is still on a clutch number while you drill, or on the drill symbol while you try to stop a screw.

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Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1 x 1.5 Ah

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Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1 x 1.5 Ah
8.9/10about £64.97
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Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 2 x 2.0 Ah

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Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 2 x 2.0 Ah
9.2/10about £75.23
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Bosch Bosch GSB 18V-65, body and L-BOXX

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Bosch Bosch GSB 18V-65, body and L-BOXX
6.3/10about £84.99
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On this page
  1. 1.The three positions on the collar
  2. 2.Driving screws without burying them
  3. 3.Drilling wood and metal
  4. 4.A plug hole in ordinary brick
  5. 5.When to stop

The three positions on the collar

The collar has three jobs, and only one is a number. The numbers are the clutch: they stop a screw when the clutch rattles. The drill symbol bypasses that clutch. The hammer symbol is percussion for masonry bits, not a higher clutch setting and not an impact driver. Set it before the trigger. A hole that clicks halfway is often still on a number. A screw that sinks is often on the drill symbol. On GSB-style combis, gear I is slow, for screws and larger diameters, and gear II is fast, for small diameters. Change gear only when the chuck has stopped.

Driving screws without burying them

Start low, in gear I, and drive a practice screw into an offcut. If the clutch rattles before the head is flush, move up one or two numbers. If the head sinks and the clutch never speaks, move down. A chipboard hinge often sits in the lower half of a 20-step collar. A coach screw into a joist needs a higher number, or the drill symbol and a hand finish, not hammer mode. Pozidriv has ribs between the cross arms, and a Phillips bit climbs out of it. Seat the bit on the shank. Near a board end, drill a pilot narrower than the screw core, then return to a clutch number.
Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1 x 1.5 Ah

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Bosch Bosch EasyImpact 18V-40, 1 x 1.5 Ah
8.9/10about £64.97
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Drilling wood and metal

Turn the collar to the drill symbol so the clutch cannot trip. Use gear II for a small twist bit and gear I for a large diameter or a hole saw. A 30 mm hole, the wood figure on the EasyImpact 18V-40, is a slow gear I job. Metal needs gear I. The 18V-40 states 13 mm in metal. The 18V-38 and the GSB 18V-25 state 10 mm. Clamp the piece. If the bit grabs, release the trigger. Hammer mode stays off for wood, metal and plastic.

A plug hole in ordinary brick

For a few Rawlplug holes in ordinary brick, use a carbide masonry bit of the diameter on the plug packet. A 6 mm plug wants a 6 mm masonry bit. Set gear I. Start on the drill symbol so the tip beds in, then switch to the hammer symbol. Homebuilding describes that pattern: hammer mode is enough for most ordinary brick. The EasyImpact 18V-40 and AdvancedImpact listings with a 13 mm chuck are the green tools aimed at that class. UniversalImpact reviews say the hammer wording overstates heavy brick, so a struggle after a clean start is a reason to change tool. Dust is normal. Smoke or a glazed hole means stop.

When to stop

Release the trigger as soon as the bit jams. The GSB 18V-65 listing states switchable KickBack Control. The EasyImpact listings here do not, so your hand is the cut-out. Before any hole in a wall, look for cables and pipes. If you do not know what is behind the plaster, stop. A chuck that loosens, drops the bit and then will not release it is a fault, not a setting. UK reviews describe that on the UniversalImpact 18 and the GSB 18V-110 C. Stop using it above your head and use the warranty line on that listing.

Common questions

Which number should I use for a screw into chipboard?
Start low, around the first third of the collar, in gear I, and raise the number only if the clutch rattles before the head is flush. There is no universal Bosch number. If the head sinks with no rattle, you are too high or you are on the drill symbol.
Why does the drill click and stop in a hole?
The collar is still on a clutch number. Those numbers stop screws, and in a hole they trip as soon as the bit meets resistance. Turn to the drill symbol for wood or metal, or to the hammer symbol only after a masonry hole has started. If it still clicks, turn the collar fully onto the icon.
Should screws be in first gear or second?
Use first gear for screws. It is the slower range, so the clutch can work before the head tears the surface. Second gear is for small drill bits, with the collar on the drill symbol. Change gear with the chuck stopped.
Can I use hammer mode in timber?
No. Hammer mode is for masonry bits in brick and block. In timber, metal or plastic it widens the hole and can snap a twist bit. For a pilot, use the drill symbol, then a clutch number for the screw. The hammer icon is not a more-power setting.
Phillips or Pozidriv?
Use the bit that matches the screw. Pozidriv heads have small ribs between the arms of the cross. Phillips heads do not. A Phillips bit in a Pozidriv screw slips and ruins the recess. Most UK cabinet screws are Pozidriv.
What if the bit jams, or the chuck will not hold it?
If the bit jams, let go of the trigger and ease it out in reverse only once the tool is still. If the chuck drops the bit and then jams closed, treat that as a defect. Reviews describe it on the UniversalImpact 18 and the GSB 18V-110 C. Stop, and use the warranty line on that listing.

Related pages

Bosch combi drill or SDS for brick

Best Bosch cordless combi drill

Bosch cordless combi drill

Bosch cordless combi drill buying guide: kit first

Bosch green vs blue combi drill: pack compatibility

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.

  1. Bosch DIY: cordless drills and combi drills (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Bosch DIY: 18 V POWER FOR ALL (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. POWER FOR ALL alliance FAQ (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Bosch Professional: AMPShare (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Bosch Professional: GSB 18V-110 C (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. B&Q: EasyImpact 18V-40 kit (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. HSE RR1182 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Homebuilding: drilling into brick (retrieved 22 October 2026)