When to Use a Hammer Drill

If you work in the construction sector or are just doing work around the house, you may require the use of a hammer drill. A hammer drill, or rotary hammer, is a drill that has a hammering action built into it. This rotary drill will provide a quick hammering action which will destroy any weak material in its path.

HAMMER DRILLS: ROTARY AND PERCUSSION

There are a few different types of hammer drills; however, they can be broken into two distinct categories. With rotary hammer drills, the chuck allows the drill bit to move backwards and forwards, creating the hammering effect. This type of tool allows the drill to be used in hammer-only mode, giving you a pneumatically powered hammer. 

Alternatively a percussion hammer drill has the hammer motion tied into the rotation of the chuck. Because of this you will always have the hammer drill used in hammer mode.

THE USE OF A HAMMER DRILL

More often than not you will be using your hammer drill in conjunction with stone masonry. The hammer drill is ideal for creating holes in heavy and dense material. The hammer drill is used here to create holes that are then used to pin concrete forms, or sink them for wall framing. This is, however, not the only use of a hammer drill.

Any hard substance that you need to drill through is perfect for the hammer drill. You can also use the hammer-only portion of the drill to sink wood studs or anything else you need a hammer for without needing to switch between drill and hammer. This tends to save a lot of time and keeps the worker productive.

A WARNING

You should be aware that it is not recommended that you use the hammer drill with wood or metal, as the hammer motion may damage the material you are trying to drill through.