Hammer Drills for Home Use?

[BDFan1981]

I have seen hammer drills marketed for household use, but I wonder if, considering how rare exactly how many homeowners actually use them (as opposed to the heavy duty commercial versions and its target market, where there are a lot more buyers), selling a tool of this variety to this kind of market is really necessary?

A lot of times when hammer drills like this are used, they seem to spend a lot more time in drill-only mode than in drill/hammer mode.

Examples of home-use hammer drills:
(Corded)
Black & Decker 7928
Black & Decker 7926
Black & Decker 7932
Black & Decker 7192
Black & Decker 7277
Black & Decker 7194-1 "Blockbuster"
Black & Decker Quantum BD1500
Black & Decker Quantum BD1600
Skil 599 & 600 "Xtra Tool"
Skil 6425 "Slugger"
Sears Craftsman 1811

(Cordless)
Black & Decker Quantum BD2020
Black & Decker Quantum BD2520

~Ben

 

[619DioFan]

I have the Ryobi hammer drill ( also can be used as a non hammer ) just used it yesterday to bolt a work bench to the floor. gets used pretty often as it has dual modes.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

I think it is. I don't have enough use to buy a professional one but enough to make renting one not worth it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dngrmse]

I live in a brick house. Used mine many times throughout the years. I replaced an old porter cable 14.4 with a new Ridgid when the batteries started going on the PC. The hammer action is much better on the PC than the new Ridgid, so a bit of a disappointment there.

 

[kabinenroller]

I have a Bosch 1/2" chuck, reversible hammer that works fine for home owner use. I bought it at one of the big box stores for under $100.
It is not as powerful as the Milwaukee SDS hammer I used when I was still working but it handles everything I have tried with it.

 

[padroo]

It used to be they made a lot of junk tools for the home owner. Remember when they made all those cheap plasic tools with six inch chords. Lol I don't have a hammer drill but when I buy tools I like to either buy the good stuff or the cheap stuff. The good stuff is usually worth fixing and the cheap stuff I throw away. The tools in the middle aren't worth fixing and are too expensive to throw away. This is my philosophy on power tools. Whether I buy the good stuff or the cheap depends on how often I plan on using it. I always buy good drills.

 

[6PTsocket]

I have a 1/2" corded Milwaukee pistol grip with selectable hammer drill. It is definitely not home owner grade. I paid 180 bucks for it way back when. I have used it to drill concrete block for anchors. I almost smoked it once drilling a 1" hole through 15" of concrete floor to bring an air line up from the basement in my friend's auto repair shop.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[bry@n]

I had a few hammer drills given to me from jobs that finished. That's what I use. I sold my hilti because it was too big and kept a smaller dewalt sds drill.

 

[gungatim]

considering how many homes have concrete foundations, concrete basement floors, and concrete garage floors, I would imagine there is plenty enough demand for a homeowner grade hammer drill, thus all the models available for sale.

I've burned up a few, my current go-to is the HF in the case. used it for installing my lift.

also have a Ryobi like new a guy gave me that quit (cheap brush holder broke, not worth fixing). ironically another guy game me a brand new Milwaukee with the exact same problem. $35 for new brush holders but still haven't fixed it yet...for some reason people overheat them and the brush holders get too hot and the spring loses it's temper.

so to answer the OP: yes, it's really necessary.

 

[txvwnut]

I've got a Ryobi corded 1/2" drill/hammer drill that has actually been a great drill. I've used in an everyday construction job and it did great. Ran about 1500 feet of compressor piping in an all concrete building drilling holes for wedge anchors and didn't give me any problems, actually smoked two drill bits.

I've also got a Bosch SDS Max that's a little on the large side of a homeowner as its considered a demo hammer.

Then I've got a Milwaukee M12 1/2" drill/hammer drill, haven't used this one in hammer yet but as a drill its really good.

Does a homeowner need a hammer drill? most of the time no. But when you do you do so why not get a dual function drill so when you to drill into some masonry you got whatcha need on hand.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Didn't you just ask this very similar question.... what you getting at?

Personally I rarely use my big Milwaukee corded drill... large holesaws, mixing mud, thinset, etc... My cordless hammer drill can tackle brick/block easily, but large holes in concrete it struggles. I'll usually bring out the corded Makita rotary hammer if I need to drill anything 3/8" or larger in concrete.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

My cordless drill has a hammer drill function which I never use. I use my Bosch Bulldog SDS for any hammer drilling. I'd consider it a homeowner grade rotary hammer, definitely not as tough as Hilti or the higher end Bosch.

 

[cajunfirehawk]

Use my Milwaukee hammer drill often too, drill into bricks and cement more than I thought. YMMV

 

[BDFan1981]

Didn't you just ask this very similar question.... what you getting at?

Personally I rarely use my big Milwaukee corded drill... large holesaws, mixing mud, thinset, etc... My cordless hammer drill can tackle brick/block easily, but large holes in concrete it struggles. I'll usually bring out the corded Makita rotary hammer if I need to drill anything 3/8" or larger in concrete.

The last time I asked was about if most hammer drills (aside from "rotary" hammers) sold year-by-year were corded or cordless.

This time, it's about whether or not I think it would be good from a financial viewpoint to continue selling hammer drills for household use.

~Ben

 

[CrazySanMan]

I have a Craftsman hammer drill that I use several times a year to repair the shifting concrete slabs around my house, drill into the brick siding, etc. I'll be using it in a few days to anchor my new workbench to the garage floor.

 

[honcho]

I have a DeWalt cordless hammer drill which I don't think I've ever used in the hammer mode. I also have a Bosch corded 1/2" hammer drill and a Bosch Bulldog SDS hammer drill. The Bosch corded 1/2" drill serves great for my typical homeowner needs in concrete block and brick. I picked up the Bosch SDS unit on a great clearance deal at Lowe's. I've only used it once but my brother has used it extensively boring through concrete footings for some sort of work he did to his house. Downside of the SDS unit is it is much longer and bulkier than the pistol-grip style DeWalt and Bosch hammer drills.

Just like with any drill, quality bits make the job easier.

A long time ago I watched a contractor installing aluminum sills on concrete drill all the holes for tapcon screws using a 9.6V Makita cordless (the one with the stick batteries). I was impressed at the speed he was able to drill without a hammer drill.

 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I want to buy the Ryobi SDS when I get a few nickels to rub together and a need for one.

I'd have to think about that one for a while. MIght be worth it to get corded one for that.

 

[ScottsGT]

I bought a corded Milwaukee 3/8 hammer drill when I moved into my house 20 years ago. Used it one weekend and have not touched it since.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I got a new 3/8" Milwaukee M12 drill for Christmas. Even though I can count the number of time I needed a hammer drill on two hands over the past 40 years, I made sure the one Santa brought had that feature.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

The last time I asked was about if most hammer drills (aside from "rotary" hammers) sold year-by-year were corded or cordless.

This time, it's about whether or not I think it would be good from a financial viewpoint to continue selling hammer drills for household use.

~Ben

You selling them? Reality is cordless is gaining and gaining. Seems more R&D goes into cordless than corded, at least on a consumer level.

Better question, how many still use a corded drill period....

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Even better Q, whose using B&D tools?

 

[Finky198]

My hilti 18v hammer drill will drill block, concrete, brick, it'll mix wall mud and mortar mix, run a 2.5" hole saw thru pressure treated and I use it to frame with screws and lags. We have a medium sized hitachi spline drive and a hilti te70, but my cordless dill and screw gun have the most hour by a long shot. If you will use them a lot the cordless is excellent . If this is a once an a while tool buy the corded and it'll last you la lifetime I would bet most of the better name brands would perform some where in the same neighborhood. I just like hilti as they are super tough and my stuff get used and often so the cost is justifiable.

I think in today's market even your average joe is much more educated on the issues of quality, price, availability, of whats out there. thus they spend their money differently.

 

[gungatim]

You selling them? Reality is cordless is gaining and gaining. Seems more R&D goes into cordless than corded, at least on a consumer level.

Better question, how many still use a corded drill period....

I thought about that a bit, and I rarely use a hand drill for drilling. most is done on a drill-press, which is a corded drill right?

I pretty much use cordless for screws and occasional drilling for wall anchors and the like. anything that needs more time or power I use the air drill if it won't fit on the drill press...

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

I thought about that a bit, and I rarely use a hand drill for drilling. most is done on a drill-press, which is a corded drill right?

I pretty much use cordless for screws and occasional drilling for wall anchors and the like. anything that needs more time or power I use the air drill if it won't fit on the drill press...

Yup, but I think he's referring to around the house projects, remodel, construction, etc...

 

[pennsylvaniaboy]

I have a Dewalt DWD525K, but I have a brick how, do steel tube notching, mix drywall mud, just cut a 4" access hole thru a 3" solid floor, etc. Buy once, cry once.

 

[BDFan1981]

Yup, but I think he's referring to around the house projects, remodel, construction, etc...

Exactly!

~Ben