staff@slashgear.com (Daniel Trock)
2024-05-06 12:15:24
www.slashgear.com
Between hammer drills and rotary hammers, the former is closer in design and utility to a traditional power drill. Hammer drills can be compact enough to comfortably hold in one hand (though you should use two hands to stabilize), as well as stash on a tool belt when not in use. Many hammer drills from brands like Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt, and Ryobi offer models that use battery packs instead of power cords, making them much more portable. While there are some rotary hammers with the same power options, they’re less common than battery-powered hammer drills.
So, what do you actually use a hammer drill for? These tools are intended for small, precise drilling into thick, hard materials like concrete. The bit on a hammer drill rotates in much the same way as a power drill, but as it spins, the bit also rocks back and forth, adding a percussive effect. This extra penetrative vibration allows the bit to pierce materials that would be too resilient against rotation alone. As an extra bit of convenience, some hammer drills may also have multiple modes for percussive and non-percussive drilling, allowing them to double as a traditional power drill if you don’t need the extra force.