How to Use a Hammer Drill?- 10 Step Guide (Safe – Durable)

When I started to drill concrete, I did not know how to do it properly. Even I did not know about the drill functions and types of drill bits. I had to learn so many things about functions, tools, materials, and many more. Then I could prepare a guide, How to use a hammer drill properly. That will help you who don’t have proper knowledge about drilling. So follow the below steps.

Let me explain step by step to you How to use a hammer drill properly?. You can have a completed guide after referring to this. So let’s keep reading on.

Step 01 – Unpack and Read the User Manual

User Manual
Carefully Read the User Manual

This is the most important thing. After you buy it, you should read the user manual. And check the power source voltages are enough, types of drill bits, using temperature, expecting problems and solutions, best-using methods, troubleshooting, and safety guide for the tool.

Most of using information is included in the user manual. So before you run the tool or charge, check the user manual carefully.

If you have bought a used drill, you can download the user manual online.

I have prepared some informational topic, that will help you, when you use a drill first time.


Step 02 – Charge the Drill Battery Properly

Charged Drill Battery
Use Always Properly Charged Drill Battery

A brand new tool should not use without fully charging the battery.

Normally it will take 30 min to 5 hours to fully charge the battery. The charging of the battery depends on the charger capacity, battery capacity, and technology.

Normally If you use a fast charger, it will be 1 hour and ultrafast; it will take 11 mins. Most probably, charging time will depend on the charger, charter current, technology, and many more.

When you charge after the first time, you must charge 10-90%. Because if you charge 0-100%, your charging cycles will be spent rapidly. Sometimes there may be charging problems due to this. The battery can be dead due to 0 (zero) discharging. Save the battery charge cycles. It will increase durability.

Step 03 – Setup The Dust Removing Method

Drill Dust Removing Methods
Drill Dust Removing Methods

When you drill, dust is the main output. Those are tiny, and if there is a small winding, it can spread much. Therefore if there is another person, ask him to vacuum the dust while drilling. Else there are some components such as dust catchers that can mount to the tool. When you run the machine, it is also switch on, and automatically dust will be removed.

These 08 Smart Ways for Drill Dust Collecting systems will help you to remove the dust easy and quickly.

Step 04 – Select the Suitable Drill Bit

Hammer Drill Bits
Hammer Drill Bits

When you are using a hammer drill, you need a proper drill bit. You can use hammer drills on wood, concrete, brick, and sand. While you use these, you should change the drill bit. Using wood will not need an HSS bit. But when you move to the concrete, you will need a carbide tip.

MaterialDrill Bit
ConcreteCarbide tip drill bit
StoneCarbide tip drill bit
BricksCarbide tip drill bit
Concrete + Steel (rebar)Tungsten carbide drill bit
Hammer Drill Bits and Material

You can find a concrete tip easily. Because its end has special tip and there are dual or squad fluates on the drill bit.

When the thickness of the drill bit is increased, it can use in a wide range and durability.

Step 05 – Set the Depth and Mark the Center

Depth marking Source: Porch.com

When you are drilling, you should know how much depth you should drill the hole.

Therefore you must set the depth using a depth gauge or pasting a tape on the drill bit. There might be rebars and plumbings inside the wall. If you know the depth, you can do safety drilling if you set the drilling depth.

First, paste the tape and then mark the point by using a pen. Then you can mark it a punch. It will make it easy to keep the tool and start the drilling without moving here and there. When you are angle drilling, you can hold to tool easily if there is a punch.

Some tools include a depth gauge. You can adjust it, according to the depth requirement.

Step 06 – Set Up the Hammer Drill Position

Use Hammer Drill Properly
Use Hammer Drill Properly

When you use a hammer drill, you must keep the drilling position perpendicular to the drilling surface. Do not move or angle here and there when you are hammer drilling the concrete or any other hard material. It will break the drill bit, and some time tool will be damaged due to this.

Make sure to position the drill as you can force to the drill. Using a single hand is not a proper way of hammer drilling. When activating the hammering action, you will need to hold the position continuously.

I have prepared a guide, Why is My Drill Overheating? – How I Fix It! to identify and fix the all the overheating problems during the drilling process.

Step 07 – Adjust the Speed and Torque

Speed and torque it very important factors in the drilling process. When the speed is high, it can break the drill bit. In hard drilling, the tool will be more heat if you use more speed. So adjust the speed and torque according to the material.

For the wood, speed drilling is not a problem. But concrete, it is a problem. There are rebars inside the concrete, and when the rebar meets the drill bit, it can break due to speed. So don’t use high speed. Drilling needs continuous torque. So when you select the proper speed, you can have the proper torque also.

Step 08 – Activate the hammer Action For Drilling

Hammering Action for SDS Drill and Regular Drill
Hammering Action for SDS Drill and Regular Drill

Hammer action is the essential drilling action. Hammer action act like a hammer along the drill bit. When there is a hammer action, it can crush the material and then remove out. Hammer action is measured with the Blows Per Minute (BPM). When the BPM is high, it can crush the material in a high rating.

So when you are using the hammer drill, you should know what the hammering noise is and what the drilling noise is. So it would be best to push enough pressure until you can hear the hammer action. That is enough pressure for the tool. Suppose you pressure more, then that action will not occur. Hence push enough when you use a hammer drill.

Hence push enough to the hammer drill.

Step 09 – Cool Down The Drill Bit

Use Water to Cool the Drill Bit

While you are drilling, you can feel the drill bit more heated. So you should take out the drill bit and let it cool. Sometimes you can keep the water cup nearby you when you are drilling. You can immerse the drill bit when you are drilling. It can stop the drill bit damage.

This 7 Ways to Cool Down Drill and Drill Bit guide will help you to keep the drill and drill bit in a low temperature.

As well as you can pour the water into the drill hole while you are drilling. That will be a solution for the dust as well as solutions for the heating. But this is really working for the downward drilling processes.

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Tom Mackency

Tom Mackency

Hi, I am Tom Mackency. It has been 10 years that I have been working as a professional woodworker since 2013. I am really enjoying my carrier by creating many kinds of projects in my workshop. But mostly I like for home improvement projects. Home improvement and DIY projects are the most interesting things for me. More than that, the coolest things are power tools. Those are very precious and efficient than a decade ago. So I try to introduce so many things about power tools, woodworking, DIY projects, home improvement and many more interesting topics here.