What is the attraction of Hammer Drills

[dnschmidt]

Every time HD has a sale it's for Milwaukee's Fuel Hammer Drills. Why? Hammer drills ****. If you need to drill holes in concrete you use an SDS hammer. I like drill/drivers not hammer drills but you never see these featured or on sale and I wonder why.

 

[Bad Habit]

Exactly why they are trying to get rid of inventory

 

[liliysdad]

Hammer drills work just fine for the limited amount of concrete drilling I do. I have zero desire to store an SDS for the once or twice a year I need one.

 

[Rusted Nut]

Hammer drills don’t work well for concrete. If you need to drill ceramic tile, a hammer drill is the best; roto-hammers will break the tile, no mattear how light a pressure you use.

 

[mike93lx]

Hammer drills work just fine for the limited amount of concrete drilling I do. I have zero desire to store an SDS for the once or twice a year I need one.

I have a hammer drill, sds plus, sds max, and a jackhammer... All serve different purposes.

I don't often use the hammer drill but it it's a tapcon screw or two, I'll likely use it over the much larger sds.

@dnschmidt for most homeowners, the all in one capability is a significant benefit.

 

[liliysdad]

Hammer drills don’t work well for concrete. If you need to drill ceramic tile, a hammer drill is the best; roto-hammers will break the tile, no mattear how light a pressure you use.

I’ve drilled enough holes with my cordless hammer drill to mount my gunsafe four different times, and bolt a couple walls to the floor. Worked good enough for me.

 

[mike93lx]

Hammer drills don’t work well for concrete.

Huh?

 

[AEAdam]

Every time HD has a sale it's for Milwaukee's Fuel Hammer Drills. Why? Hammer drills ****. If you need to drill holes in concrete you use an SDS hammer. I like drill/drivers not hammer drills but you never see these featured or on sale and I wonder why.

I agree! And with my mill running, 90% of the hand drilling I'm doing is wood and countersinks. For real torquey stuff like hole saws I use my hole hawg. As my work shifts from exteriors and structural work to interiors I may switch to a 12V drill.

 

[rust in the eye]

Hammer drills work just fine for the limited amount of concrete drilling I do. I have zero desire to store an SDS for the once or twice a year I need one.

Or pay for

 

[willf650]

I have 3 sds rotary hammers one of which is a cordless M18 fuel. They do go on sale frequently, probably almost as much as the combo kit hammer drills. At Home Depot they pop up as a deal of the day.

I picked the fuel rotary hammer with a fuel grinder for $10 less than just the rotary hammer sold for by itself. Don’t know how that math works. When the rotary hammers go on sale they generally aren’t discounted in themselves but do a package deal as the sale.

As far as the hammer drills not drilling concrete they are fine for me for 1/4” holes but more than that I’ll use something else.

I suspect the fuel hammer drills may go on sale more regularly is due to the fact they are packaged with batteries and they are trying to clear out the old batteries.

 

[545_days]

Huh?

It all depends on the aggregate in the concrete. Where I live the aggregate is frequently crushed limestone, so hammer drills absolutely rip through concrete.

With harder rock aggregate your mileage may vary.

 

[rlitman]

It all depends on the aggregate in the concrete. Where I live the aggregate is frequently crushed limestone, so hammer drills absolutely rip through concrete.

With harder rock aggregate your mileage may vary.

Quartz here. Hammer drills laugh at concrete, though I do use them for pilot holes, and when I don't want to blow out the back-side of block.

 

[dscheidt]

Every time HD has a sale it's for Milwaukee's Fuel Hammer Drills. Why? Hammer drills ****. If you need to drill holes in concrete you use an SDS hammer. I like drill/drivers not hammer drills but you never see these featured or on sale and I wonder why.

People work in the real world, not the magical world of dnschmidt where the right tool for the job is always at hand.

I've drilled a 1/2" hole through 14" thick concrete, using a m12 fuel drill. Did it ****? Did it take forever? Did it use a battery and a half? All yes. Was it better than the alternatives available? Also yes.

Say you're an electrician, doing service work. You need to mount one box to a concrete wall. Would you rather climb down, walk to your truck, dig ourt the sds, walk back, climb the ladder,drill three holes, climb down, walk back to the truck, walk back to the job, or just drill your three holes with the drill you already have on your belt?

 

[lund]

SDS is certainly better than small hammer drills for large holes ... especially if many or larger holes in old and very hard concrete. However, for an occasional small number of holes when drilling in other stuff mostly, being able to switch a drill to hammer mode is convenient.

I have a DeWalt "Atomic" hammer drill. What really bothers me is the beast makes my ears ring even with ear protection on. It is ridiculously loud. So I almost always go for my compact SDS drill (a corded Hilti TE -7C type SDS Plus) which also drills way better. I pretty much only use the cordless drill for larger diameter wood bits. Small ones work better in high speed 1/4 hex impact drivers which do not generate as much torque and start hammering if you try to use them with larger diameter bits. Hilti SDS drills are great but pretty pricey. But if you are drilling a lot of holes, they are worth it. Honestly, the DeWalt hammer drill is so loud I worry about hearing damage using it. It is hard to understand what the engineers and product developers were thinking when they designed it and must not have regarded it as an issue. It is THAT extreme. I don't recall my prior battery hammer drill being that loud when hammering so maybe this is a specific design flaw. The Hilti SDS is relatively quiet and no issue with even light ear protection.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

I like drill/drivers not hammer drills but you never see these featured or on sale and I wonder why.

It's usually the first and only power tool most people need to buy. Market for them must be huge.

 

[lolaetype]

I suffered with masonry bits and a corded or cordless drill for years. Slow and disappointing.

When I installed the MaxJax I rented a rotohammer. It did the job quickly and painlessly.

For what I generally do around the house I've found the corded Bauer hammer drill I bought at HF does everything I need it to do; mainly drilling holes in sidewalks, brick faced stairs, and patio slabs to set anchor bolts for handrails and patio cover supports. Everything I've had to drill is near the house so the need for an extension cord is not an issue for me. At this point in my life I can't imagine I'll need a rotohammer again. In the unlikely event I need one I'll rent one.

 

[Steve_P]

Hammer drill works fine, and plenty fast, for me in concrete for my very, very, occasional use anchoring something. But apparently all of us that it works for are imagining that it actually worked, because it couldn't have, and we need to run out and buy an SDS to use twice a decade .

 

[Sal Bandini]

Hammer drill works fine, and plenty fast, for me in concrete for my very, very, occasional use anchoring something. But apparently all of us that it works for are imagining that it actually worked, because it couldn't have, and we need to run out and buy an SDS to use twice a decade .

"If it saves me money by doing it myself then I don't care how much I spend."

GJ mantra

So if it would cost $400 to have someone come out and mount some hardware, heck, just spend $350 on a SDS drill you might use once. Never mind that the $40 HF hammer drill would get it done too.

smh

 

[jar944]

Every time HD has a sale it's for Milwaukee's Fuel Hammer Drills. Why? Hammer drills ****. If you need to drill holes in concrete you use an SDS hammer. I like drill/drivers not hammer drills but you never see these featured or on sale and I wonder why.

Just don't turn it to hammer and it's a normal drill..

 

[mike93lx]

"If it saves me money by doing it myself then I don't care how much I spend."

GJ mantra

So if it would cost $400 to have someone come out and mount some hardware, heck, just spend $350 on a SDS drill you might use once. Never mind that the $40 HF hammer drill would get it done too.

smh

This is why I own a propress tool. It's fantastic

 

[mike93lx]

Just don't turn it to hammer and it's a normal drill..

I hate how much movement the chuck has.

I want a premium level drill that isn't a hammer drill, but it seems like it's a default on the nicer ones

 

[d.mcfarland]

A good hammer drill works quick and easy in brick for tapcons.

 

[CoogarXR]

A good hammer drill works quick and easy in brick for tapcons.

That's pretty much what I bought mine for back in the day. Tapcons, wall anchors, small holes for wires, etc. Plus, it's a decent 1/2" "regular" drill too, if my old 1/2" drill ever croaks.

 

[MongoTA]

Is it simply the Fuel hammer drill that doesn't perform?

I've had a Milwaukee heavy duty corded hammer drill for maybe 30 years. I've drilled well over a thousand holes in concrete with it, most have been tapcons. I think the largest diameter was 3/4" when I had to put 40 or 50 holes in the pool patio for the pool cover anchors. Worked like a champ.

SDS? I could end up wth one down the road. Just no firm need, but it's a nice want.

 

[d.mcfarland]

That's pretty much what I bought mine for back in the day. Tapcons, wall anchors, small holes for wires, etc. Plus, it's a decent 1/2" "regular" drill too, if my old 1/2" drill ever croaks.

Agreed. I have a Metabo drill that is great in normal or hammer mode.

 

[JohnX14]

I have SDS battery drills in each of myh 3 vans. We use them weekly to mount electrtical panelboards to concrete. But to the OP, the hammer drills often have a lot more power and torque in drill mode, than the drills that come in the drill/ driver kits. We use these types of drilll to drill studs with 5/8 or 3/4 auger bits. Daily. I have a hammer drill in each van, but we don't use them for hammer drilling.

 

[dnschmidt]

Just don't turn it to hammer and it's a normal drill..

Not really. Hammer drills always have some back and forth slop between the chuck and the drill body to allow for the hammer function. I don't want that slop when trying to drill out a broken bolt in a cylinder head.

 

[richfinn]

Every time HD has a sale it's for Milwaukee's Fuel Hammer Drills. Why? Hammer drills ****. If you need to drill holes in concrete you use an SDS hammer. I like drill/drivers not hammer drills but you never see these featured or on sale and I wonder why.

Aimed more at the DIY/Home improvement market than professionals

I had a Makita Combi drill years ago and hated it, it got relegated to the house tool bag for putting shelves/mirrors up

 

[mike93lx]

SDS? I could end up wth one down the road. Just no firm need, but it's a nice want

Both of my sds's have been used for demo more than drilling holes. If you ever need to remove tile, grab one

 

[Crazyjake8493]

There's a reason they're always on sale. Looks nice on paper, but they're never a great option. My 10-year old M18 drill is a hammer drill and I think I've drilled two holes in concrete with it. If I need to drill concrete, I'm using my SDS every time.

 

[DGersic]

Every time HD has a sale it's for Milwaukee's Fuel Hammer Drills. Why? Hammer drills ****. If you need to drill holes in concrete you use an SDS hammer. I like drill/drivers not hammer drills but you never see these featured or on sale and I wonder why.

My DeWalt 18V hammer/drill/driver has been more than adequate for drilling concrete for tapcons. It’s also great at drilling small holes in plaster for hanging pictures and such. I cut the head off of a nail, chuck it in the hammer drilll, and run it in. Doesn’t crack the plaster.

 

[tarbellb]

Ive had projects that the concrete laughed at the best hammer drills we had, smoked a M18 Fuel and burned up bits.

Theres different grades of concrete, SDS is mandatory for the harder stuff. Not to mention the speed.


Now if Johnny homeowner doesnt mind wasting most the day, burning up bits, and poor quality, hammer away!

 

[mikedodge]

Hammer drills don’t work well for concrete.

They work fine for concrete, that's all I ever use mine for.. well very rarely ill also use it as a normal drill since it's bigger then others I have.

Probably they're on sale all the time to get people to buy them because it's a limited market.

 

[mike93lx]

Ive had projects that the concrete laughed at the best hammer drills we had, smoked a M18 Fuel and burned up bits.

Theres different grades of concrete, SDS is mandatory for the harder stuff. Not to mention the speed.


Now if Johnny homeowner doesnt mind wasting most the day, burning up bits, and poor quality, hammer away!

And here I have never having fried a bit or spending all day drilling holes

 

[dr_clyde]

Hammer drills aren’t great for drilling concrete. An SDS drill is far better.

Hammer drills are much, much better at drilling block and brick. When you’re drilling a small hole for a tapcon, hammer drills are just what the doctor ordered.

My electrician buddy loves his hammer drill because he has to drill a lot of holes in block walls to mount boxes and conduit. He only has to carry one drill on his belt, and an SDS drill is wild overkill for a 3/32” hole on a block wall.

Drilling holes in poured floors for wedge anchors? No thanks. A rotary hammer will literally drill circles around a hammer drill. But when you’re holding it above your head up on a scissor lift and drilling holes for uni-strut in brick? I’ll take the light and compact hammer drill, thanks.

 

[Rusted Nut]

Huh?

Hammer drills work in concrete, but not very well; slow as a tortoise. Maybe back east with limestone aggregate, but not in the PNW with our aggregates.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

For what it’s worth, my take on this:

My main 18V drill/driver is a hammer drill, not only that but also a 4 speed/gear model that goes up to 3.800rpm. When I bought that, it was one of only very few models that could go there. Today that is a little different.

The vast majority of holes I drill are 6mm (approx. 1/4”) be that for regular wall plugs, what you guys call TapCons, the push-in electrical installation materials I use. For ProFix electrical installation screws it’s even only 4mm (5/32”) and for some other stuff 5mm (13/64”). Most of that is going into brick. Some have a single hollow chamber, some have multiple hollow chambers, (…).

Going in there with any of the current “bigger, harder, faster” 2kg class rotary hammers (SDS-plus) ends up being pure carnage you’re destroying the chamber system in modern bricks. The carbide tipped four cutter drill bits don’t really cut, they smash, and rotation is used to transfer debris only.

The way around it is switching off the hammer, using a classic 2 cutter carbide tipped SDS-plus drill bit and just drill. Or use the fairly recently released SDS-plus “Wallster” (Diager) drill bits with shorter slot on the SDS-plus end for reduced hammering action. (Or use a machine like my Hilti TE 2–M that has a setting for reduced hammering action.)

Most of the time you will be fine with just drilling at fairly high speeds and with a 2 cutter multi-material carbide tipped or brick/concrete carbide tipped bit suited for higher speeds - but then comes this one hole that just won’t finish like this. It is then, when I flick the switch on my 18V drill/driver to hammering to overcome that little obstacle. And I do most of this drilling with the drill/driver in first place - and don’t get any of the other tools out because it’s not needed. Don’t forget that not all two cutter/ carbide tipped bits like the hammering action!

For me the hammer drill has a real life application and makes my life a lot easier.

I have used it in concrete, and yeah, compared to a rotary hammer that ***** balls obviously. It’s not that it isn’t possible, for all of my childhood all we had was Dad’s hammer drill and it did it all … But today there are far better options available with rotary hammers - but not for every application and not without having the right consumables/ drill bits and knowledge.

I said that before, the “bigger, harder, faster” approach of tool manufacturers is ill-suited when it comes to these small 2kg class rotary hammers because the 4, 5 and 6mm drill bits have a very hard time coping with mostly the energy/force but sometimes also the speed, especially when going through rebar. It used to be that rotary hammers run well below 1000rpm and with about 2 to 2.2J impact energy, which was kind of a sweet spot. But because now people want to run diamond core cutters and other stuff on their rotary hammers (with hammering switched off), they ramp up the speed to well above 1300rpm and close in on 3J impact energy. Which is way too fast & strong for going through reinforced concrete and hitting rebar with a 5 or 6mm bit - they just melt if you’re not quick enough to realize/ lack experience.

End of the day, classic hammer drills still have a place in today’s world and it’s probably what gets most (non-GJ membership) people by in their DIY efforts.

Still, I wouldn’t trade one for the other, ever. Both are far too useful in my opinion.

The one argument I obviously understand is that for some tasks you want as little moving parts as possible in your drill and that’s fine. I also have a classic fixed chuck drill/driver among my tools.

Sometimes, drill/driver with hammering mode will be longer than their counterparts without. Also something to consider, if clearance is important.

Metabo was one of the last manufacturers to have a classic drill, complete with Euro style collar, lock for the switch, and exceeding 2.*** rpm in their line-up until a few years ago. Exactly for those people who wanted a rather “classic” battery powered drill.

Since evolution is unstoppable as we all know, there’s a steady flow of “new approaches“. Armeg makes an masonry bit with depth stop for impact drivers, for example: https://armeg.com/products/twister-impact-masonry/

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[Dagny]

I think they are made better.

 

[mike93lx]

In this thread there are people that are convinced all hammer drills **** and there are people that have used them and know their place

 

[Steve_P]

It seems that a lot of DIYers here must relocate their anchored air compressor and bench grinder weekly.

For sure, probably no one is drilling anchor holes in a factory floor with a hammer drill because it's frequent and time is $$.