Hammer Drill
What are the uses of hammer drills?
DIYers and construction workers alike use hammer drills to pulverize holes in concrete, marble, brick, granite, and other tough materials that a regular drill cannot get through. These specialized drills come equipped with a hammering mechanism that pounds the drill bit forward, and recurring blows happen in the direction of the hole being drilled. Some hammer drills have the option to turn off the hammer function and act as a regular drill, which you can then use on softer materials such as cutting metal and wood.
What are the types of hammer drills?
- A regular hammer drill is most commonly used by DIYers for home construction. They easily and quickly pulverize tough materials.
- Rotary hammers are more heavy duty and used for professional construction work. They have variable speeds, more blows per minute (bpm), and create larger holes than regular hammer drills. If you constantly drill holes 3/8 in or bigger, it is worth it to buy a rotary hammer drill.
How are hammer drills powered?
Just like with other power tools, hammer drills have electric and pneumatic, or air options. Use an air hammer if you know there is no electricity at your worksite. As long as you have a source of compressed air, you can use the pneumatic tool as much as you need to without charging anything.
Electric drills are divided into 2 options: corded and cordless.
Corded hammer drills:
- useful at worksites where there is a constant power source
- highest RPM and the most power
- work well in tight spaces
- most portable type
- downsides: even 20 volt max batteries don’t last long and they are not as powerful as corded drills.
Rotary hammer drills use electro-pneumatic, or EP, power, which combines air and electricity. Electric power rotates the crank, which moves the drive piston. The compressed air creates a pressurized air cushion between the pistons.