Hammer Drill vs Rotary Electric Drill

Electric Drills are tools used for boring holes into materials wherein you need to attach a screw or nail, or simply to produce a hole. The electric drills use a rotating cutting tool, known as the drill bit. Drill bits come in many sizes; the size ultimately determines the width of the hole created. The tip of the cutting tool slices off thin shavings or bits into the material and thus produces the hole. The most common areas wherein electric drills are used are in woodworking, metalworking, construction and home improvement projects.

There are several types of electric drills available for use; the type used depends on the type of material in which you would be drilling a hole. Types of drills include the cordless drills, drill presses, and the geared head drill press. The most common electric drills, however, are the hammer drill and the rotary electric drill. Each of these types has their own advantage over the other.

The Rotating or Hammering Action

The hammer drill is a common electric drill. The hammering action of the hammer drill is perfect when drilling holes in hard surfaces such as masonry. The pulsing hammering actions measures to at least ten thousand blows per minute. The rapid hammering makes easier procedures in drilling holes in concrete and masonry. For larger holes to drill, the hammering action also gives better results than rotating action.

The rotating action of the rotary electric drill on the other hand uses a rotating action with a hammering force or push, which produces results faster. The rotary electric drills are also equipped with oil-filled gearboxes that enable the drills to durably handle large forces and shocks.

Which is Better?

Both tools have their own specifications. Hammer drills and rotary drills are also perfect for drilling into masonry, stone and concrete. The better choice, however is the rotary electric drill or sometimes known as a rotary hammer. The rotary hammer is a more powerful tool that bores holes in harder surfaces at lesser efforts and pressure. The spinning action of the drill bit in the rotary electric drill moves the broken material upward; thus, making it move freely when continuing its rotating action. The hammer drill, on the other hand uses the pounding motion to force a hole into the surface.

What, When, and Where

The option for the use of the electric drills are limitless, whether to simply install shelves or wall decors, to create holes in concrete for support materials and others. The hammer drill is a perfect tool for doing simple home improvement actions. The reason for this is that the objects in your home have softer surfaces. Take for example, creating or installing wall shelves with brackets. You can effectively use the hammer drill for the installation of the brackets.

On the other hand, the rotary electric drill is great for hard-work constructions and are versatile. With specific bits, they will drill into concrete and masonry. With wood bits, they are great for anything from hanging pictures to framing an entire house. Rotary electric drills are also useful for building furniture, making fence repairs, and as a replacement for a screwdriver.