Drills and hammer drills, pros and cons

What is a hammer drill and what work is it intended for?

A hammer drill is an electrical device that is used to drill holes in concrete and brick. It has more power and functionality than any impact drill and will help you cope with construction and repair tasks much easier and faster. With it you can:

• lay wires making grooves;
• drill walls for installation of sockets and switches;
• fix windows, doors, profiles;
• dismantle floors and tiles;
• install plinth;
• install a lock;
• mix solutions, putty, glue.

A modern hammer drill is a universal multifunctional device, thanks to which you can perform a large number of different jobs quickly and efficiently.

Using a rotary hammer

When choosing a hammer drill, you need to determine in what area it will be used. The tool is mainly used for making holes in concrete, brick and stone, in various building structures. In a word, in a material that has a solid structure.

The tool has several main operating modes. It can be used in the “drilling” mode, similar to the operation of an electric or conventional drill when drilling metal and wood.

Another mode of “impact and rotation of the drill” of the hammer drill is used to produce round holes in materials of increased hardness.

“Impact without rotation” is advisable to use for gouging holes, as well as when carrying out dismantling work - destroying concrete partitions, ceilings, screeds.

Among other things, the hammer drill can also be used to organize grooves for electrical wiring; for this purpose, special crowns equipped with pobedite soldering are attached to the tool. For greater productivity, different types of peaks and blades are used, which allows you to abandon the use of traditional tools. A cordless hammer drill is quite convenient for finishing and repairing buildings and other outdoor work.

What modifications are there?

The shape of rotary hammers is straight, with a horizontal, as well as a lower, vertical, electric motor arrangement. They can be industrial or for home use, for medium-skilled use. They can be divided into the following types:

Festool cordless hammer drill

Rechargeable . This tool allows you to perform work where there is no access to the electrical network. It usually has low power and can work without recharging for a short time. This does not apply to a professional expensive instrument. It effectively carries out drilling and drilling and other work. There are compact 18 V models and high-performance 36 V models on sale. Thanks to high-capacity battery packs of 4.0-5.2 Ah, combined models combine the advantages of mobile tools and the power of network ones.

With chiselling mode . This function makes it possible to dismantle floors, tiles, and asphalt. Thanks to this mode, you can deliver powerful, fast, frequent blows to any surface. To do this, you need to insert a chisel, chisel, or peak into the chuck.

With reverse . This function allows you to switch from right to left rotation. If the drill gets stuck in the wall, you need to turn on the reverse mode, and it almost always easily comes out of the hole. Using a special adapter cartridge and a bit, you can screw in and unscrew the screws.

With vibration protection . Such a hammer drill allows you to avoid many troubles. Constant vibration has a harmful effect on humans. It can be extinguished by installing a special rubberized handle mounted through special gaskets, or by making design changes. With such a function, it is profitable to buy a tool if it will be used daily. It helps protect the internal mechanical and electrical filling from destruction.

Bosch rotary hammer with SDS-plusGBH chuck

With SDS-plus cartridge . This type of fastening allows you to securely hold the drill and use it effectively. It is used in most instruments weighing up to 4 kilograms. This chuck can accommodate a drill with a diameter of up to 30 millimeters. This must be taken into account when choosing. On its lower part there is a special type of groove, cutouts that allow you to firmly hold the drill or auger and transmit vibration as efficiently as possible. The shank of the equipment for this type of fastening is made with a diameter of 10 mm.

Hammer drill Caliber Master EP-1500/40M with SDS MAX chuck

With SDS-max cartridge . In such a hammer drill you can use a drill with a diameter of even 52 millimeters. A cartridge of this type is usually equipped with a professional tool weighing 8 kilograms or more. The shank diameter of the equipment is 14 mm.

How does a hammer drill work?

The hammer drill operates on the principle of conventional rotation. But often it is necessary not only to drill, but also to chisel hard materials, then the push maneuver of the nozzle is used. A hammer drill can replace a conventional drill, but not where the solid object is completely destroyed during drilling.

This tool is universal: it can be used both as a screwdriver and a jackhammer, and it also has many interesting and useful attachments. However, its main purpose is to split the walls, for example, you can make an arch between rooms yourself, that is, remove the door.

It should be noted that the hammer drill has three operating modes:

• normal drilling
• drilling plus impact,
• just a blow.

There are classes of hammer drills, there are also three of them:

• heavy,
• average,
• easy.

The heavy class includes instruments weighing more than eight kilograms . They are capable of punching large holes.

The middle class includes hammer drills from five to eight kilograms , which have a powerful blow; they can hammer concrete with metal formwork.

Light instruments include instruments weighing up to four kilograms . With the help of such hammer drills you can make small holes, for example, for dowels.

What to look for when choosing

When choosing the most suitable hammer drill, you need to decide why and how often it will be used. By class this product is:

• domestic;
• semi-professional;
• professional.

A lot depends on the type of tool, characteristics, functionality and other indicators. A modern household hammer drill is inexpensive, performs few functions, and may not have reverse or vibration protection.

It usually has low power and cannot be used for more than 15 minutes without a break, especially in chiseling mode. If you work only a few times a year, for example, in order to make a hole for a picture or remove 3/5 squares of tiles, then it is ideal for such purposes.

Semi-professional models have a weight of 5-8 kilograms, greater power and impact force. They are made from higher quality materials and components and are able to withstand medium loads. It is beneficial to purchase such models when it is necessary to carry out construction and repair work several times a year.

Perforator device

A professional hammer drill of any power or size is made from the best and most reliable components and materials. With daily use, it can last for several years without requiring special attention or maintenance. Such a tool usually has the highest price, but it is worth it.

When choosing a hammer drill, you need to pay attention to its weight. Heavier home models are inconvenient and unjustifiable to use. To drill several holes, a 4 kilogram tool is enough. A powerful power tool weighing 11 kilograms is used by air conditioner installers to drill holes in load-bearing concrete walls.

It will be needed when repairing road surfaces, laying communications, sewerage, water, and for other professional purposes.

Which tool to choose based on shank type: SDS-plus or SDS-max

The equipment is fixed using special oval grooves. Each of these systems has two, but the shank diameter is different. It will be 10 mm for SDS-plus, and 18 mm for SDS-max. There is also a type of fastening SDS-top - 14 mm. To transmit torque, long slots are made. The SDS-plus system has two of them, both symmetrical, while the SDS-max already has three asymmetrical ones. Both of these types of drill mounts are reliable; they can be used to drill holes of different diameters, which must be taken into account when choosing. SDS-plus – 30 mm, SDS-max – 52 mm.

Power

The power of the hammer drill is another important indicator. It affects the speed of work, how much effort a person will expend. The size of the housing, motor, mechanical part, and the number of engine revolutions depend on it. With SDS Plus, power tools are produced with a rating of 400 to 800 W. A hammer drill with SDS Max produces 900-1500 W or more.

Maximum impact force

This indicator is measured in joules. This is an important characteristic, so it is important to take it into account when choosing. For home use, the hammer drill should produce 1-3 J. The modification with SDS Max has an impact force of 8-20 J.

This indicator depends on the power, weight of the striker, the distance of the working stroke, the amount of impacts and some other parameters and qualities. If you choose the wrong hammer drill according to this indicator, this will lead to rapid wear of its mechanisms and breakdown. If the impact force is small, drilling will be ineffective and productivity will be weak, you will have to strain, waste time and nerves.

Maximum drilling diameter with a crown and concrete drill

If you need to frequently install sockets, switches, or lay pipes, then these indicators are very important to take into account. These characteristics are affected by the power and type of cartridge. There are sets of diamond bits of different diameters and they can be used on almost any hammer drill, the main thing is that there is enough power. If it is not enough, then the drill or drill will simply stop. Crowns can be 68, 72 mm, drills - 30, 52 mm maximum. They perform dry cutting in just a few minutes.

Reverse

This function is performed in different ways. There are modifications in which this possibility is provided by rotating the brushes. A more innovative electronic version. Some power tools do not have this functionality, but this is rare. The reverse switch can be located on the body or on the power button, in which case it is made in the form of a small lever. It is convenient to turn on the reverse with a slight movement of your finger.

Length of cable

Of course, you can use an extension cord, but in this case an additional heating point, sparking, will appear at the connection point. It is best to choose a model with a long, protected, thick power cord. It can be 1.5-6 meters. It is recommended to choose rotary hammers equipped with a cable length of at least 3 meters.

Safety clutch

It is very necessary although many people do not use it. It allows you to protect the cartridge from debris getting inside it and breaking. It is installed when drilling holes in the ceiling. It collects fallen parts of concrete, brick, and dust. It is made of soft rubber and has a round shape. To use the coupling you need to put it on the drill. It will help protect your eyes from dust.

What is included

The power tool is packed in a suitcase for ease of storage and transportation. Some types of cases can be locked. The kit often includes:

• handle for comfortable operation;
• coupling;
• limiter;
• lubricant, brushes;
• drills, peaks, blades;
• quick-change cartridge;
• instructions, warranty card, list of service centers.

What equipment will be determined by the manufacturer, which affects the cost.

How to choose a hammer drill

Before choosing a rotary hammer for your home and buying it, we advise you to pay special attention to the following characteristics:

• number and type of modes;
• power;
• impact energy;
• number/frequency of impacts;
• cartridge type;
• engine location.

Number of modes. The main mode of any hammer drill is hammer drilling (drilling). However, the vast majority of modern models allow you to turn off the impact mechanism and use the tool to drill holes (drilling mode) in soft materials. Three-mode rotary hammers also have a chiseling mode, otherwise called a “jackhammer”. The more modes, the wider the functionality of the tool, and the more types of construction work can be performed with its help.

Power. The power of the hammer drill itself for household and semi-professional models ranges from 0.8 to 1.8 kW. This is a rather conditional parameter, since depending on the design features its efficiency may vary. At the same time, it indirectly affects other important parameters: impact force, speed and torque. The higher the power, the greater the productivity of the hammer drill, but at the same time, the greater its weight. For home use, it is better to look for a middle ground - from 700 to 900 W.

Impact energy. This parameter, also sometimes called “impact force,” characterizes the force created by the drill when using the impact mode. Light and medium hammer drills, which are usually purchased for home use, generally have an impact force of 2 to 7 Joules, and in powerful professional ones it can start from 7 and reach 20 J (1 Joule is the energy generated when a body falls from a height of one meter weighing 1 kg). The higher the impact energy, the larger the diameter of the holes that can be drilled. This characteristic is also very important when using the chiselling mode.

Number/frequency of impacts. This characteristic indicates the number of times the bike touches the drill per unit of time. Like impact energy, it determines drilling performance in impact mode. Manufacturers usually try to compensate for the lack of power of lightweight models with the number of blows, the number of which can reach 7000 per minute. In heavy models, their frequency is significantly lower - no more than 3000 per minute.

Cartridge type. The vast majority of modern rotary hammers use SDS-plus or SDS-max fastening mechanisms. The first is designed for the use of drills with a length of 110–1000 mm with a 10 mm shank, allowing you to drill holes with a diameter of up to 25 mm. SDS-max type chucks are designed for installation of drills with an 18 mm shank, designed to punch holes with a diameter of 20 mm. Such cartridges are used in more powerful professional tools. In addition to the diameter of the installed drills, the cartridges also differ in their retention system. SDS-max systems are designed for more severe loads due to the larger contact area of ​​the wedges (212 mm² versus 75 mm² for SDS-plus) and allow the drill to move with a greater amplitude along its axis.

Engine location. Depending on the location of the engine, L-shaped and straight hammer drills are distinguished. In the first, the motor is located vertically, that is, perpendicular to the drilling axis, and in the second, horizontally. The advantage of models with a horizontally mounted engine is the ability to use in limited space, however, due to the greater load on the electric motor and its ineffective cooling, the power of such models is limited. L-shaped rotary hammers do not have such disadvantages, have higher productivity, but at the same time are heavier and bulkier.

What does quick-release chuck and quick-change chuck mean?

Main types of hammer drill chucks
A quick-change chuck can be installed in the SDS+ system. It will make it possible to use conventional drills designed for drills instead of drills. They are much cheaper and expand the range of applications of power tools. As a result of such a quick and simple modification, the hammer drill will practically no longer differ from the drill.

The quick-change chuck allows you to make high-quality holes in metal and wood, use feathers, and crowns for wood.

The quick-release chuck ensures quick replacement of accessories. To do this, just pull part of the rubber coupling back and insert a drill or pick or chisel. Fixation occurs instantly, the equipment holds tightly, but it is better to be on the safe side and do not forget to check how the drill sits and whether it falls out. There are two sleeve chucks; to insert the drill into them you need to use the force of two hands at the same time.

What is better to choose - a hammer drill or a drill?

Even an impact drill does not cope as well with the task of drilling concrete as a hammer drill. It can be used to work with brick, wood, and other soft materials. The hammer drill quickly and effortlessly uses a crown to cut a hole in strong reinforced concrete. Any of its models is more powerful and functional than the most expensive drill.

What is better to choose depends on the specifics of the work and the frequency of use of the power tool. One hole a year can be drilled with an impact drill, but it will still take much more effort, time, and nerves than using a hammer drill. A good multifunctional, high-quality, reliable power tool is always expensive.

Operating a rotary hammer

GOST

For different types of rotary hammers, the following GOSTs are provided with a description of technical conditions:

• GOST R 51246-99 – for pneumatic portable hammer drills.
• GOST 31562-2012 – for pneumatic core drills.
• GOST R 55778-2013 – for cumulative rotary hammers.

Also, GOST IEC 60745-2-6-2014 regulates test methods and safety of hand-held electrical machines, where, in fact, Part 2-6 specifically applies to rotary hammers.

Marking

According to GOSTs, the marking of a rotary hammer is a sequence of the tool designation, standard size, modification letters, climatic version (if required), as well as the designation of this standard.

In reality, the marking of rotary hammers is carried out by manufacturers based on their own preferences.

It may contain the type of cartridge installed, the symbol of the country of manufacture, power, and so on.

For example, a Makita tool supplied legally to Russia additionally has the HCN designation, which confirms that it has passed control.

Models of this company, made in Romania, are marked with the letter R, Japan - E. 4 more countries are marked this way.

Instructions for use and care

1. When operating a rotary hammer, you need to monitor how hot the engine is. The chiselling mode cannot be turned on for more than 15 minutes without a break. It puts the most strain on the motor, armature, brushes, and cartridge, and they wear out quickly.
2. You can drill holes in the wall and ceiling with a professional hammer drill throughout your entire work shift.
3. Power tools need to be cleaned and lubricated. This especially often needs to be done with a cartridge. Periodically you have to change the brushes. Depending on the intensity of use, once a year or more often it may be necessary to disassemble the housing completely and lubricate the internal mechanism and piston.
4. It is recommended to periodically diagnose the performance of all systems, mechanical and electrical, by sending it to a workshop.

A correctly selected and operated hammer drill is guaranteed to last for many years.

Design and principle of operation

The hammer drill function is realized through a pneumatic mechanism that drives a piston, which, in turn, acts on the firing pin. In the process of performing a working action, the impact force is transmitted to the equipment with reciprocating movements. As a result, the working part comes into contact with a solid base, which leads to destruction of its structure. It should be noted that the best hammer drill with the most effective impact has a power of about 2000 W. However, for home purposes, the optimal tool would be not so much a powerful one, but an ergonomic one. Such models are the closest to traditional screwdrivers, since they also cope with drilling tasks in non-solid building materials. Professional hammer drills are rarely used for such needs.

Popular brands and best-selling rotary hammer models