What is the attraction of Hammer Drills

[finn]

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

Yup. Mine also worked fine in my basement floor in Mi, but drilling into the poured wall in our Illinois house was an ordeal. I suspect the aggregate was different.

I broke down and bought an SDS drill for my lift installation though. I think I used it once in the last nine or ten years for another project.

 

[Ditchdigger]

Here is the thing. HD is a big box store that sells most of their inventory to home gamers who are.... let's say, less savy and will assume that more features equals superior product.

I accidentally bought a dewalt with the hammer drill feature and I absolutely hated it. It made the primary function of the drill worse. The fact that the chuck was able to move in and out was infuriating and made any sort of accuracy impossible, and drilling into materials that tended to be grabby like brass was near uncontrollable.

I keep it in the back of the drawer for the few times a year I need to run in a tapcon

 

[sparky 1971]

I have a M12 and M18 SDS+, Bosch Bulldog SDS with a cord, Bosch SDS Max, and an old Milwaukee Thunderbolt spline drive. I still use my M18 hammer drill when it's only a few holes for some Tap-Cons. I will also use the drill to drive those tap icons instead of getting an impact driver.

I put in about 50 tap Tap-Cons today; for that I used the M12 SDS and the M12 impact drivers.

 

[KnurledNut]

and an old Milwaukee Thunderbolt spline drive

Nice. Back when the Milwaukee name on a tool actually stood for something quality.

 

[dscheidt]

Here is the thing. HD is a big box store that sells most of their inventory to home gamers who are.... let's say, less savy and will assume that more features equals superior product.

I haven't seen a non hammer drill in the hands of a tradesperson in a long time. (I don't inspect every tool, but I do pay attention.) There's very little downside to a hammer function in a cordless drill. There's no price penalty (it's often cheaper, even), there's little extra weight, and if you think the accuracy of the chuck matters to a carpenter or plumber, you live on a different planet than I do.

 

[dnschmidt]

I haven't seen a non hammer drill in the hands of a tradesperson in a long time. (I don't inspect every tool, but I do pay attention.) There's very little downside to a hammer function in a cordless drill. There's no price penalty (it's often cheaper, even), there's little extra weight, and if you think the accuracy of the chuck matters to a carpenter or plumber, you live on a different planet than I do.

That explains it. I'm neither a carpenter nor a plumber. That's probably why I hate them.

 

[GeoBruin]

I bought my cordless dewalt drill over 15 years ago. At the time, the hammer drill equivalent was much larger. I assumed for a long time that they were always larger but I've seen recently how compact they have become. There are hammer drills available now that are slimmer and shorter than my non-hammer drill. If I had to replace my drill, I would consider one.

 

[Ditchdigger]

if you think the accuracy of the chuck matters to a carpenter or plumber, you live on a different planet than I do.

We all see the world through the lenses of our experiences, so to some I suppose a drill is just a carpentry tool. Here is the thing. I work in a fabrication and machine shop where accuracy DOES matter. We use drills too. Nothing like having a bit grab and the chuck jump forward a quarter of an inch when you are trying to make a clean hole in 16ga steel. It is a mess and a hammer drill is not fit for purpose in this environment.

A quick peek at the home depot website shows that, of the first 6 dewalt cordless tool kits listed, 5 of them include hammer drills. They are certainly pushing them towards the consumer more

 

[KnurledNut]

What is the attraction of Hammer Drills?​

If ya have to ask, ya probably don't need one...

 

[jar944]

What level of accuracy are people trying to achieve with a hand held cordless drill where the hammer function causes (accuracy) problems

 

[pbon]

Obviously down to the millimeter. I love my M12 and M18 hammer drills and find the very useful for what they are. I have an M12 SDS and Bosch corded SDS as well, but do not always have them with me when I need to put a small screw in concrete. I always don’t always have a drill press with me ….

 

[DGersic]

We all see the world through the lenses of our experiences, so to some I suppose a drill is just a carpentry tool. Here is the thing. I work in a fabrication and machine shop where accuracy DOES matter. We use drills too. Nothing like having a bit grab and the chuck jump forward a quarter of an inch when you are trying to make a clean hole in 16ga steel. It is a mess and a hammer drill is not fit for purpose in this environment.

If I’m drilling anything needing any accuracy better than 1/8”, I’m not doing it with a hand held drill.

 

[whateg01]

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

I have a DeWalt hammer drill and a non-hammer version. The non-hammer is a little lighter. Not always an issue, but doing a lot of stuff overhead, weight matters

 

[whateg01]

... I always don’t always have a drill press with me ….

I hate trying to hold my drill press up to the wall to drill more accurate holes than the handheld drill can do!

 

[pbon]

It is your own fault for not going outside to your fully equipped mobile workshop service van to get the best tool for the job.

 

[tarbellb]

It is your own fault for not going outside to your fully equipped mobile workshop service van to get the best tool for the job.

What would be the best tool for a onsite job requiring a accurate hole?

 

[dr_clyde]

What would be the best tool for an onsite job requiring an accurate hole?

That is wildly dependent on the job, materials and budget.

Tons of portable machine tools exist for when accurate work is needed in the field.

Just look at line boring setups. They’re designed to hold a tolerance within thousandths of an inch on a construction site outside in the elements.

Mag drills can put holes in metal extremely precisely.

Pocket hole jigs and fixtures allow cabinets to be made on site accordingly.

 

[AEAdam]

What level of accuracy are people trying to achieve with a hand held cordless drill where the hammer function causes (accuracy) problems

Good question!

In my experience, I use these to install some sort of insert to mount an electrical box or..... First hole can be aywhere. Second hole with the now dulled drill bit is the problem. Hammer drills walk. The holes are hard to control exact locations. An SDS drill is not only easier to use but holds better accuracy in terms of putting a hole where you want it.

What I wasn't thinking of earlier are all the europeans who tend to have masonry houses. Basic non hammer drills would be virtually useless for to them.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

- Start the hole without hammering. Doesn’t matter if rotary hammer or hammer drill. And especially with rotary hammers, make sure the drill bit is seated against the anvil before starting the hole. No issues with wandering. This even works with the 4 cutter carbide tipped drill bits.

- If the drill bit is dull(ed) after one hole so it won’t make a clean start/cut but wander, get a higher quality drill bit. Do not use drill bits not suitable for hammer drills in hammer mode, that will eventually kill them.

- Non-hammer drills are not useless in brick. I wrote it before, with quality two cutter carbide tipped drill bits that actually cut, you can drill brick without hammering. Hammering is a benefit to overcome an “obstacle” inside the brick when needed. I never start out with hammer drilling for accurately located/placed holes in brick.

- Accuracy with hand held drills. Obviously a hand held drill is not a drill press. Experience with multiple different hammer drills show: Some have a really excessive amount of slop/wobble and very noticeable run out. To me that disqualifies these drills. This is not about machine shop accuracy. My hammer drill drills accurate holes, in the location I need them to be. I have used hammer drills that, because of bad QC/ bad engineering make that a challenge. As always, choose the tool according to the quality you need.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[pbon]

What would be the best tool for a onsite job requiring a accurate hole?

Usually takes me 3 tries to get the hole in the right place so I am not qualified to answer.

 

[JohnX14]

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.

Maybe it depends on the job site. I'll take a quick walk to the van every time to put in one 4" square box with a 1/2" conduit and 2 clips. 4 screws. And the screws (tapcons)are in the cordless SDS kit with the drill and bits. I also put away the powder actuated shots and pins for mounting a 2x4 or anything to concrete. I use tapcons and the cordless sds. YMMV.

 

[finn]

I haven't seen a non hammer drill in the hands of a tradesperson in a long time. (I don't inspect every tool, but I do pay attention.) There's very little downside to a hammer function in a cordless drill. There's no price penalty (it's often cheaper, even), there's little extra weight, and if you think the accuracy of the chuck matters to a carpenter or plumber, you live on a different planet than I do.

There are a couple of subsets of what could be generalized as drill users, and each subset would probably have a different preferred drill.

a mechanic or metal fabricator wouldn’t have much use for a hammer drill, nor would a cabinet maker.

A general construction tradesman, one that deals with both concrete and framing, might prefer a hammer drill.

A concrete guy would probably opt for an SDS drill.

A homeowner can get by with a conventional rotary drill, or a hammer drill.

Depends on what you’re working on.

 

[Firebrick43]

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.

A plain drill motor works best for ceramic tile with a diamond bit. Every sds works just fine for that because the hammer can be shut off and spin only but why not use just a plain drill?

 

[Firebrick43]

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.

They don't use limestone aggregate in concrete as far as I have seen, and we are surrounded by limestone pits.

 

[jar944]

They don't use limestone aggregate in concrete as far as I have seen, and we are surrounded by limestone pits.

They certainly do.

 

[dscheidt]

They don't use limestone aggregate in concrete as far as I have seen, and we are surrounded by limestone pits.

limestone is used as concrete aggregate, but it has problems. Concrete with limestone aggregate is not very hard, and isn’t as weather resistant. Some limestone has some inclusions that make it unsuitable for concrete use, if causes cracking. It's also possible to use finely pulvarized limestone as an additive that reduces the amount of portland needed.

 

[Firebrick43]

limestone is used as concrete aggregate, but it has problems. Concrete with limestone aggregate is not very hard, and isn’t as weather resistant. Some limestone has some inclusions that make it unsuitable for concrete use, if causes cracking. It's also possible to use finely pulvarized limestone as an additive that reduces the amount of portland needed.

I have seen fine ag lime added in small quantities for flow if being pumped, but Indiana is the “Limestone capital of the world” and its interesting they pay more for washed fluvial rock here.

None of the 4 local plants here that I have purchased from personally or help family/friends with their projects has it nor did any of the slabs or foundation my father demoed with his excavator/hammer did either.

 

[lbhsbz]

I have a Makita hammer drill I bought years ago when I was pouring a curb and needed to set 30 or so anchors in an existing slab. I fail to see the attraction....it works the same as my non-hammer drill, which works just fine doing 5/8" holes in concrete. I've drilled plenty of concrete, and can't say I've ever had a hammer drill work any better than a normal drill, it just makes more noise.

 

[mike93lx]

I have a Makita hammer drill I bought years ago when I was pouring a curb and needed to set 30 or so anchors in an existing slab. I fail to see the attraction....it works the same as my non-hammer drill, which works just fine doing 5/8" holes in concrete. I've drilled plenty of concrete, and can't say I've ever had a hammer drill work any better than a normal drill, it just makes more noise.

You drilled 5/8" holes in cured concrete with a regular drill?

How many bits did you go through?

 

[lbhsbz]

You drilled 5/8" holes in cured concrete with a regular drill?

How many bits did you go through?

One bit, still have it and occasionally use it 15 years later. Slab was probably 40 years old, I did about 30-40 holes 4" deep. Each took about 30-40 seconds if I had to guess.

 

[mike93lx]

One bit, still have it and occasionally use it 15 years later. Slab was probably 40 years old, I did about 30-40 holes 4" deep. Each took about 30-40 seconds if I had to guess.

That doesn't make sense. Drilling concrete isn't the same as wood or metal... The bit doesn't cut. The hammering chips away material and the rotating brings the carbide to new spots while clearing the debris

Your experience is completely different than mine and what is common. Or your measure of just fine is well off what a real sds can do

 

[MOS3522]

The first time I used an SDS it was like a religious experience. I never would drill concrete or masonry again without using one.

The hammer drill is used for normal drilling, with the hammer off.

 

[lbhsbz]

That doesn't make sense. Drilling concrete isn't the same as wood or metal... The bit doesn't cut. The hammering chips away material and the rotating brings the carbide to new spots while clearing the debris

Your experience is completely different than mine and what is common. Or your measure of just fine is well off what a real sds can do

Dunno what to tell you. Steady pressure and high speed eats right through it. Slower obviously that drilling a hole through a 4x4 piece of wood, but again, it wasn't slow by any means. I've drilled lots of holes in concrete for various anchors and whatever over the years, and I've always just used a regular non-hammer drill, up to 5/8 (for 1/2" anchors that accept a piece of all thread or a bolt). I just drilled some 1/2" holes in the garage floor a few weeks ago to mount a tire changer....took maybe 20-30 seconds per hole or so with a conventional type carbide tipped masonry bit, 3" deep with my cheapo Dewalt 20V drill that came in the set 10 years ago lol.

 

[dr_clyde]

Dunno what to tell you. Steady pressure and high speed eats right through it. Slower obviously that drilling a hole through a 4x4 piece of wood, but again, it wasn't slow by any means. I've drilled lots of holes in concrete for various anchors and whatever over the years, and I've always just used a regular non-hammer drill, up to 5/8 (for 1/2" anchors that accept a piece of all thread or a bolt). I just drilled some 1/2" holes in the garage floor a few weeks ago to mount a tire changer....took maybe 20-30 seconds per hole or so with a conventional type carbide tipped masonry bit, 3" deep with my cheapo Dewalt 20V drill that came in the set 10 years ago lol.

Something isn’t adding up here. Concrete doesn’t cut a chip, it needs hammer action to shatter the aggregate and make a powder that is removed with the flutes of the drill.

I don’t doubt that you’ve drilled these holes, but there has to be something else here you’re not telling us or not seeing.

I’ve tried to drill concrete without a hammer function. The drill just spins on the surface. It may make a small indentation but for sure not drilling a hole.

The old school way to “drill” holes by hand was literally a star shaped chisel, rotated and hit with a hammer. If you could easily and efficiently make holes without hammering, hammer drills simply wouldn’t exist in the capacity they do.

 

[mike93lx]

Dunno what to tell you. Steady pressure and high speed eats right through it. Slower obviously that drilling a hole through a 4x4 piece of wood, but again, it wasn't slow by any means. I've drilled lots of holes in concrete for various anchors and whatever over the years, and I've always just used a regular non-hammer drill, up to 5/8 (for 1/2" anchors that accept a piece of all thread or a bolt). I just drilled some 1/2" holes in the garage floor a few weeks ago to mount a tire changer....took maybe 20-30 seconds per hole or so with a conventional type carbide tipped masonry bit, 3" deep with my cheapo Dewalt 20V drill that came in the set 10 years ago lol.

I'd love to see a video of this

 

[lbhsbz]

I'd love to see a video of this

I need to bolt my compressor down, so I'll try and get one this weekend

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

My local big chain supply store has this for $260. Why would anyone buy it, vs. a cordless or an SDS type?

1100W
40 Nm max torque
16mm in steel , 24mm in masonry, 40mm in wood
Non SDS chuck

 

[mike93lx]

My local big chain supply store has this for $260. Why would anyone buy it, vs. a cordless or an SDS type?

1100W
40 Nm max torque
16mm in steel , 24mm in masonry, 40mm in wood
Non SDS chuck

Sds doesn't work for non-masonry drilling and is even heavier. But it really depends on use case.

Corded can last a lot longer than cordless

 

[sparky 1971]

Nice. Back when the Milwaukee name on a tool actually stood for something quality.

It was a good tool back in the day but in all honesty it's a POS compared to the SDS Max. The spline drive has a zip tie around the trigger and is used exclusively for driving ground rods.

 

[545_days]

That doesn't make sense. Drilling concrete isn't the same as wood or metal... The bit doesn't cut. The hammering chips away material and the rotating brings the carbide to new spots while clearing the debris

Your experience is completely different than mine and what is common. Or your measure of just fine is well off what a real sds can do

Not all concrete is created equal. I have successfully drilled holes in concrete with an old Craftsman corded drill without a hammer function because it was all we had. It sucked and took forever, but eventually we had a hole. The size is lost to memory but was probably only 1/4" or so. The aggregate was River Rock and hard to drill. I recall that we cooled the drill bit with water while drilling.

I have also demolished 60 year old concrete steps poured with oyster shells for aggregate. The sledge hammer left dents in the steps. I was boggled, as I never expected concrete to dent without cracking. I suspect that drilling holes in that particular concrete would have been super easy.