How to choose the right hammer drill for your home

Selection rules

When determining how to choose a perforator, it is necessary to say about the presence of a certain functionality for each individual model.

• Depth gauge, which will not allow drilling deeper holes.
• Possibility to regulate the rotation speed. Drilling thin holes requires a higher speed than making thick holes. Automatic speed control is a fairly convenient option.
• Switch for changing the direction of rotation. It may be required in cases where the drill gets stuck in the wall.
• Switch from chiseling to drilling, and vice versa.

The ideal option would be equipment equipped with all the functions listed above. However, how to choose a perforator if there is not enough money for a full ammunition load? There are certain tricks here too.

You should turn on the instrument and listen to how it works. During switching on, it should make even sounds, which should not rise or fall, and should not be accompanied by knocks. Next, you need to put the device at maximum speed. As soon as the tool picks up the required rotation speed, you should turn it off, and then watch how the speed will decrease. This should be very smooth and you should hear all the pieces of equipment stop working.

It is difficult to say how to choose a hammer drill for the job without paying attention to the package bundle. It is worth considering as a purchase those tools that are equipped more than others. Their cost is slightly higher, but it will save you money. Ideally, if you receive with the device:

• an adapter that allows you to install drills for a conventional drill on a perforator;
• spare brushes for the engine;
• basic set of drills.

When determining how to choose a hammer drill, you need to focus on all of the listed recommendations. And it is most correct to buy a device from a well-known manufacturer, and not a Chinese copycat.

How to choose the right hammer drill for your home

Repair is a rather expensive undertaking that entails a number of problems.

It does not matter in what result in terms of financial costs all this will result, but it is only significant that all materials and tools used should be of the highest quality.

And the perforator in this case plays an important role. However, buying a high-quality device quite often leads to certain difficulties.

That is why it is worth understanding the question of how to choose a puncher. And for this you should know as much as possible about this device.

Additional functions

Before choosing a hammer drill, you should pay attention to the presence of the speed switching function, which is quite convenient, since holes of different depths can be obtained at different speeds.

Some models are equipped with an automatic speed selection function, with the help of which the device itself selects the necessary parameters, taking into account the peculiarities of operation.

If you are wondering how to choose the right puncher, then you need to know that before buying a certain brand or model, you can pay attention to one more feature.

The bur of the device can sometimes get stuck in the material with which the work is carried out, and it is rather difficult to pull it out. Some manufacturers have devices equipped with a vacuum dust removal system, which can be built-in or removable. The depth measurement option is also pretty interesting.

How to choose a hammer drill for long-term work with it? It is worth paying attention to the switch stopper, which will allow you not to constantly hold the shutdown button.

Power

This characteristic for rock drills is one of the main ones, since the speed and quality of the tool, as well as the thickness of the drill, through which the tasks of drilling and drilling walls will be solved, directly depend on it. Naturally, the higher the power value, the better the device works, however, there are also negative aspects: more powerful perforators weigh more, which significantly complicates the work.

Cartridge types

Modern devices are equipped with two types of cartridges: SDS-max and SDS. The first type is usually used on professional models, and the second on ordinary household ones. Before choosing a perforator for concrete, you should know that any device of this category is capable of working only with nozzles and drills of a certain type, therefore, to attach a drill from a screwdriver or drill, you will need a special adapter.

Number of strokes

This indicator cannot be called particularly important, since all modern hammer drills in the hammer drilling mode are capable of producing 2000-3000 beats per minute, which is quite enough. Otherwise, you can always pay attention to professional models, characterized by a higher rate.

Impact energy

This parameter is quite important, since it is responsible for the efficiency and productivity of work in dense building materials, for example, in concrete. The average indicator is 1.5-4 J. Professional models are characterized by a greater size. Rare low-performance work can be limited to a conventional impact drill. Typical models do not allow adjusting this parameter, so it cannot be changed during operation.

Cost is an important factor in any purchase. The price of a hammer drill depends on all the characteristics described above, as well as on its features. Typically, consumers prefer devices from brands such as Makita and Bosch, which have proven themselves positively due to the quality of the equipment produced and its reliability.

Rotary hammer types

Conventionally, all devices in this category can be subdivided into professional and household ones. The second option allows you not only to hammer and knock out walls, but also to drill and screw in screws. Naturally, household models do not last as long as professional ones, but since usually professionals know exactly how to choose a tool for themselves, the features of household models will be described below.

So, speaking about how to choose a good hammer drill, it is worth saying that, depending on the weight, all these devices can be divided into light (weighing 2-4 kilograms), medium (about 5 kg) and heavy (their weight exceeds 7 kg). There are several modes of operation: impact, drilling, impact drilling. The first option is required to make holes. Drilling allows you to make a hole in soft material: wood, drywall and others. And hammer drilling is a function that is appropriate when working with concrete, brick and similar structures. The device can be one-, two- and three-mode.

Understanding how to choose a perforator for concrete, you can note the type of drive. it can be electric or battery. The second option is much more convenient, since it does not require a nearby outlet, however, the operating time with such a device is limited by the battery capacity. There are also pneumatic and gasoline models that belong to the class of professional equipment.

How to choose a hammer drill for homework?

Perforators are divided into professional and household. The main differences between these categories are the time of uninterrupted operation before overheating and the time of operation without interruption. For professional models, these parameters are much higher.

A household punch is also suitable for home. In most cases, such designs have a small number of additional functions, perforators are lightweight, and much easier to operate and maintain. These devices are not very expensive when compared with professional punchers.

An important parameter of such a design is weight. It is quite difficult to work with a heavy device. By weight, rock drills can be divided into the following categories:

Technical characteristics of rock drills with different internal volumes.

• Lightweight device. The weight of this rock drill is less than 4 kg.
• Medium weight tool. The weight of such a structure is in the range from 5 to 8 kg.
• A device with a lot of weight. Such a device weighs more than 8 kg.

Devices of the first two categories in most cases are used for drilling small diameter and shallow holes. The device of the third category can even be used as a jackhammer.

The switch stopper is a must-have item on the hammer drill. It is a special button that is able to fix the switch in a certain mode, without the need to constantly hold the switch with your fingers. This feature will be especially useful during long-term drilling of holes in hard materials. In this case, the hands will not be very tired, therefore, you will need to take fewer breaks when working.

Depending on the features of the location of the engine, there are 2 main types of rock drills in the housing: horizontal and vertical. In a horizontal type device, an electric motor is placed parallel to the impact axis. Such structures are used to work in narrow openings. In a vertical type device, the motor is located perpendicular to the impact axis. In this case, the motor cools faster.

How to choose the right hammer drill for your home?

The hammer drill is a must-have tool when performing construction work. Such works include home repairs, in which a hammer drill is used quite often.

Therefore, in the case of home repairs, you will need to choose the right tool.

Operating modes and power

A large number of household appliances have several operating modes. The main function is hammer drilling. It is available on all models. Some devices can also work in conventional drill mode and chiselling functions.

The principle of operation of the hammer hammer mechanism.

All rotary hammers for the home are equipped with standard collector motors, and therefore, among all the parameters of structures, power is the main one. The performance of the tool will depend on the shaft power, and the power used is irrelevant. This parameter in most cases is indicated in the passport of the electric tool.

Knowing the approximate efficiency of a standard motor, as well as the frictional losses in the perforating gearbox, it is possible to approximately determine the power on the shaft of the device, taking into account the exclusively used power, which is indicated in the passport.

Consequently, the motor losses at high voltage (maximum possible shaft revolutions for structures without a gear structure or high shaft revolutions at high speed for devices with several speeds) can be taken as 30%. For household needs, you can use rotary hammers that have a shaft power of less than 500 W.

The maximum usable power for a non-geared home rock drill is approximately 714 W (500100 / (100-30)). For household appliances with this type of mechanical device, the maximum usable power will be approximately 735 W (500 100 / (100-30-2).

The number of revolutions and strokes

Punch operating modes.

For high-quality hammer drilling (the main function), high rotations of the shaft are not required, therefore, most often builders prefer devices with low rotations (less than 1000 rpm).

High revs will be needed if you plan to use additional functions. In this case, the hammer drill will be used as a tool with many functions. There could be the following approaches:

• Multi-speed device with mechanical gear design.
• Acquisition of an external gear structure for a rock drill that operates at the same speed.
• Selecting a fixture with high rpm and high usable power.

You should not be guided by the number of strokes, since all modern models of devices in the functions of chiseling and hammer drilling can produce at least 2500-3000 strokes / min. It is worth noting that this amount in the house will be quite enough. If a large number of punches are required, professional tools are the best choice.

Impact energy and multi-speed capability

Punch vibration damping.

In typical models of devices of this type, this indicator in most cases is not regulated, therefore it will not be possible to change it during operation.

If you plan to work for a large amount of time in hammer drilling mode, then you should purchase a hammer drill with low revolutions of the electric motor shaft, the power of which is less than 1 kW.

The use of a mechanical gear structure built into the perforator body allows it to be used as a multifunctional tool. The main disadvantages of such a gear design are a high noise level, a relatively high cost, large weight, considerable dimensions, the need for additional maintenance of the gearbox, a high probability of breakage of the gear structure and the entire tool.

Maximum diameter and protection clutch

Varieties of attachments for rotary hammers.

In most cases, the drilling diameter is indicated in the data sheet of the rotary hammer. In order to drill wood and steel, you will need to use a drill bit, which most often comes with a hammer drill. The nozzle is installed in a special cartridge. If the hammer drill is used for the home, then the SDSplus type chuck must be installed on it. Consequently, the maximum hole diameter during the drilling process will depend on the parameter of the nozzle and the chuck.

However, the main purpose of such a tool is to work with concrete. For concrete, the most common hole diameters are 14-26 mm, which is sufficient. If you plan to perform other work, then you should pay attention not to the maximum drilling diameter, but to the mass and dimensions of the purchased device, since it is most convenient to drill holes of any diameters in the case of using small-sized perforating structures.

The least important parameter is the safety clutch, since the likelihood of injury to the hands during the jamming of the drill is negligible when using the tool at home, due to the fact that in this case there is a low torque of the electric motor shaft. In devices where there is a large torque (professional devices), most often the overload clutch is included with the device.

Punch kit for home

In the process of choosing such a tool, it is recommended to pay attention to its packaging. It can vary significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer. It should be noted that some of the elements will be necessary in the process of performing some types of work. An important device, for example, is the adapter cartridge. It is used to mount an ordinary drill, which is intended for an electric drill. The seat of the electric drill and the perforating design is slightly different. Without such an adapter, it will not be possible to fix the drill in the hammer drill. In such a case, the bump off mode may become useless. It is not recommended to buy such a cartridge separately, as it is not cheap.

A good addition to the purchased tool can be a set of basic nozzles and drills. Individually, the attachments are quite expensive and require only a short amount of time to use. Therefore, when purchasing, you need to give preference to models that are equipped with a standard kit. When carrying out repair work at home, such a kit will be quite enough.

Speaking about how to choose a hammer drill for the home, it should be noted that the device must first of all be chosen based on what kind of work is planned to be done most often. For concrete work, select devices with low speeds, the power of which is less than 1 kW. Impact energy should be maximized.

If in most cases you plan to drill, while there is no electric drill available, then you should choose a small high-speed perforating structure with a low weight, low torque and the maximum possible hole diameter in the mode of drilling wood and steel.

For powerful, high performance chiseling, it is best to use demolition hammers. If such work is planned to be carried out using a perforator, then from the parameters you need to pay attention to the high energy and the number of blows.

Rotary hammer or impact drill?

All modern electric drills have a hammer drilling mode. Can a drill compete with a rotary hammer in the processing of hard materials. concrete and stone? Our answer is unequivocally negative. The fact is that the blow of the drill is very weak, its strength is not even indicated in the technical characteristics.

Ratchet wheels jump over each other

The picture shows how the drill works: ratchet wheels that jump over each other while rotating give the chuck a reciprocating motion. When drilling, it feels like a slight vibration from the tool. To get at least some effect, you need to press the drill into the wall with an effort of 10-15 kilograms.

A perforator is another matter. He drills a hole in any concrete, like in wood. It’s all about the impact force, which reaches tens of joules. Helps to develop that kind of strength. pneumatics.

Air pressure increases impact energy

The diagram shows one of the options for the design of the perforator. The electric motor rotates the shaft, on which the swinging bearing is installed. it is also called “drunk”. The bearing is connected to the wall of the air cylinder. Inside the cylinder, an air gap separates the flying piston from the wall, to which the firing pin is attached, which acts on the tool. Due to the swinging of the bearing, the pressure in the cylinder increases and decreases. Due to the air pumping, the impact force on the striker is significantly increased.

The first hammer drill was invented in the middle of the 19th century for miners. A hand-held drilling machine was chipping away pieces of rock in the mine. The electric rock drill appeared in 1932.

Although the drill and rock drill are similar in appearance, they are completely different tools. The DIYer’s closet, of course, should have an electric drill for drilling holes. But, if you are renovating an apartment with concrete walls, you plan to install sockets, hinge shelves and chisel grooves, we recommend taking a puncher. you will spend ten times less effort on putting the apartment in order.

The disadvantage of a puncher is a loud rattling sound that spreads throughout the house so that the source cannot be localized.

A hammer drill is more expensive than a drill, but your doubts will disappear as soon as you make the first hole and feel what this powerful machine is capable of.

Budget tool. for rare jobs

It is advisable to choose inexpensive perforators if the prospective small works are not permanent. In this case, the efficiency of use and the service life of the tool will delight every hobbyist.

Additional functionality of rotary hammers

Many models of modern rock drills are equipped with additional functions. Among these are the following:

• Soft start (this option is a control system in the engine of the starting current value);
• Reverse (the function allows you to make changes in the direction of rotation of the chuck);
• Automatic speed control (such a system helps maintain constant shaft speed with load changes);
• Drilling (drilling) depth limiter (designed to limit the depth of the hole with a metal rod-ruler);
• Vibration protection (vibration damping mechanism designed to protect the worker’s hands);
• Protective sleeve (prevents the body from jerking in a jammed drill situation).

We use the puncher correctly

These few simple rules will help your lovingly chosen tool last a long time, avoiding annoying breakdowns.

So:

• It is advisable to use only “native” cartridges, drills and lubricants, which are provided by the manufacturer.
• Maintenance, cleaning and lubrication are recommended regularly. Pay particular attention to the lubrication of the SDS-shank of the tool for working.
• Do not work with the device for a long time without stopping. It is necessary to periodically give him time to cool down.
• When drilling a deep hole, the work must be done in several stages, each time pulling out the drill and thereby cleaning the hole. This will happen by removing drilling waste.
• If you press on the tool, the impact mechanism will wear out prematurely. It is also fraught with overheating of the engine armature.
• Use the chiseling mode for a short time. stir it with a rotary mode, for at least 2 minutes. This will allow the device to cool down, and will also allow the lubricant to be evenly distributed in the right places. Thus, the forced lubrication system will work.
• In order not to break the chuck, it is necessary to work strictly perpendicular to the axis of the hole being punched, avoiding distortions of the tool.
• The dust cover and brushes of the electric motor should be periodically inspected, tidying up and replacing if necessary.
• Do not wait until a small malfunction turns into a major breakdown. It is better to immediately contact the service center. it will be much cheaper this way.

Thus, we believe that the answer to the question of how to choose the right puncher, you got from this article.

And yet: household model or professional?

expensive and powerful professional devices are equipped with many functions. They are reliable and durable. It is easy to distinguish them: as a rule, all manufacturers’ models for professional use are painted in a different color than household ones. And there are corresponding inscriptions on them. But the most important difference between them is the time of continuous work, which in terms of duration is 7. 8 hours, that is, the entire working day. However, why at home is a heavy and bulky device for the “pros”? Super tasks, as a rule, do not have to be performed, and for the most ordinary repair or hanging shelves, a middle-class model is quite enough.

Let’s list the optimal characteristics of a hammer drill that you plan to use for home use. With similar parameters, you can easily and quickly drill holes in concrete with a diameter of 1.6 to 2.8 centimeters, as well as perform other types of work. So, a good hammer drill has the following parameters:

• Power. from 0.5 to 0.9 kilowatts.
• Impact force. from 1.2 to 2.2 joules.
• Operating modes. three (except for drilling, also chiselling and drilling).
• Shaft speed adjustment.
• There must be a protective sleeve. it will protect the device from jamming.
• The drill must be secured with the SDS plus system. no wrenches are required to clamp or unclamp the chuck.

Then see for yourself. hold the tool in your hands, try to make a test hole. If you feel that it will be convenient to work, take it. In general, the answer to the question of which rotary hammer is better to choose is obvious. Of course, the one that will be most suitable for your tasks. Just keep in mind that when performing these tasks, the device must be handled carefully. on this below.