When I needed to drill a concrete wall using my standard drill, I realized it was impossible. Then I searched for an option. I could find there are special drills for specific materials. I realized a hammer drill is really good for hard material. So do you know what is the difference between a hammer drill and a regular drill? This guide will help you to understand it properly.
The difference between a hammer drill and a regular drill is the hammering mechanism. More than that drill bit structure, drill bit material are other things. Because of these, hammer drills are used for drilling hard materials like concrete, and regular drills are used to drill soft materials like wood.
So when you use these tools, you should know these things well. I have prepared a post including all in-detail about hammer drill and regular drill. So keep reading on!
Hammer Drill and Regular Drill Mechanism
Hammer drills have hammering and spinning mechanisms. Regular drills have a spinning mechanism. Hence hammer drills are used for hard materials such as concrete, brick, stone etc. And regular drills are used for drilling soft materials (compared to stone) such as wood.
Regular drills, which have smaller motors, are used for lighter tasks. These devices produce less power and work well on wood, soft walls, plaster, and other types of softer materials. You won’t be able to bore through thick walls and hard materials. There is only a spinning mechanism with different speeds. Wood can be drilled with sharp and high accuracy.
A hammer drill which is known as the percussion drill or impact drill, is ideal not only for making holes in any materials but also for heavy-duty jobs. As the name suggests, there is an internal hammering mode that you can switch into and the hammering portion can be turned off, and the hammering portion can be turned off, and you can use it as a standard drill.
Simple, there are both hammering and rotational movements. When the chuck is spinning, it can move forward and backward a thousand times per minute. This is called Blows per minute (BPM). This mechanism can crush the hard material into small parts and remove with using the drill bit.
The hammering mechanism makes it an easy way to drill hard materials. It is a more efficient method.
For What Tasks Do We Use a Regular Drill and Hammer Drills?
Every drill is used for a particular purpose. The first thing you should identify before purchasing a drill is the need you want to fulfill. If you are hoping to engage with lighter household tasks such as drilling holes and making holes in plywood, you should go with a regular drill, as using a hammer drill consumes a lot of energy, power, and money.
Hammer drill also can use to do pretty much everything like a regular drill. But if you want to drill hard materials such as bricks, cinder blocks, concrete, masonry, or any other job involving lots of wood screws, investing in a hammer drill is a wise decision.
Can I Use a Hammer Drill instead of a Regular Drill?
A Hammer drill can be used as a regular drill with a switch off the hammering function and using the woodworking drill bit instead of the hammer drill bit. If you use a hammer drill bit, the drill hole will be untidy, and there will be cracks.
You can find in-depth detail about Can a Hammer Drill Use as a Regular Drill Here
Suitable Drill Bits for Hammer Drills and Regular Drills
As machinists and fabricators, choosing the correct drill bits is an important task when you use a drill because using the wrong drill bit can cost more than you think and hinder production.
Drill bits are the cutting tools used to create holes and remove materials. They are in many sizes and shapes, which is always work in a circular- cross-section. By attaching a drill bit to a drill, you can create holes in different materials in different shapes.
Drill bits are made with steel as well as properties improved coatings. Steel such as low carbon steel, high carbon steel, high-speed steel, and cobalt steel are used as steel materials. That end is more powered by adding carbide. The carbide tips can hold more temperature and resistance. Hence these can use for concrete and stones drilling purposes.
Other materials such as tungsten carbide and polycrystalline diamond are also used for better sharpening drill bits. In order to resist heat and abrasion, black oxide and Titanium nitrite, Titanium Aluminium nitrite, and titanium carbon nitrite are also used as a coating.
Power Consumption, Price, and Application for the Regular Drill and Hammer drill.
The average power consumption for the hammer drill and regular drill will be 600 – 900 Watt. If you use it for one hour, it will be 0.6-0.9 KWh. Power consumption can be varied with the brand available in the market. But overall, hammer drills use more power than regular drills.
The regular drills are very cheaper than the hammer drill for the same power and battery. As well as regular drill only uses for woodworking, and hammer drills can be used for both with the switch of the hammering function. If you are not able to buy it, you can rent it.
Considering all the above factors, the regular drill is low power, low cost, and low applicable option available in the market. So the wise idea is to buy a hammer drill for all purposes.
Related Topic
- How to Use a Drill? Step-by-Step Guide!
- What Kind of Drill Can You Use For Concrete?
- How to Drill Through Tile Without Cracking Them?
- 7 Ways to Cool Down Drill and Drill Bit for Speed Drilling
