Do I really need a Hammer-drill?

[Don Morris]

I recently contracted to have a 7' X 4' metal trellis made which will be attached to, but about 3" to 4" from my brick chimney. The Clemitis vine there has outgrown the #10 electrical wire I hung a couple years ago. When I called the fabricator to see if the trellis was done, he said the installation is pretty straight forward, but he used a hammer-drill. I was anticipating using my standard woodworking DeWalt drill with a Masonry bit to put about 2 or 3 Masonry anchors in the brick chimney and stabilize the trellis to the Masonry anchors. Do I really need to rent a hammer-drill? I've never used one. I've only once needed to drill into the mortise of a brick wall with a Masonry bit. It wasn't easy, but I got the job done.

[Jamie Buxton]

Drilling a couple of holes into soft material like brick, you can do -- slowly -- with a masonry bit. Where the hammer drill shines is making lots of holes quickly into harder materials, like old concrete. After you've struggled with a masonery bit or a rotary hammer, the hammer drill seems like magic.

[David G Baker]

I have drilled masonry with a standard drill with a masonry bit, it works but is considerably more labor intensive than a hammer drill. I don't use mine often but when I do it is sure great to have it on hand.

[john bateman]

For something like a trellis I think you could put your expansion anchors into the mortar, rather than the brick. That should be easy to drill with a decent masonry bit.

[Tom Ganz]

I was recently in the same situation of having to put anchors into brick, and rather than shell out more money on a drill I wouldn't use very often, I tried a masonry bit in my impact driver, and it worked like a charm. Obviously a problem if you don't have an impact driver, but I can think of a lot more uses for an impact driver over a hammer drill, so it might be worth a look. One caveat: I drilled into the mortar, not the brick.

[Will Overton]

Use a hammer and;

http://doitbest.com/Masonry+Drill+Bits-Dasco+Pro+Inc-model-3621-0-doitbest-sku-304744.dib

[Prashun Patel]

If it were me (and it was) I'd buy a $25 noname rotary hammer from ebay. They work good enough for those once-every-two-years-I-gotta-make-4-holes-in-concrete jobs.

An impact driver might work, but bkz concrete does not compress like wood fibers to, you risk splitting yr bricks. You really need to drill out and blow out the dust (or drill deeper than necessary) b4 you drive an anchor or a tapcon or what have you.

[Dave Gaul]

You can get cheap corded hammer drills just about anywhere. I used to have a skil branded one that I got for $20 at wally world years ago. Lost it somehow/somewhere, but it did the trick when needed...

If you are looking for an excuse to buy a new tool, then I say yes, you need one!:D

[Matt Day]

I remember trying to drill holes in a concrete floor for a door threshold with a regular drill and it was like watching grass grow. This was in old very hard concrete, so mortar might be different.

[Rod Sheridan]

Don, both clay brick and mortar are extremely soft, you will not need a hammer drill for this task.

A carbide tipped drill bit, an electric drill and you're away to the races.

Regards, Rod.

[Lee Schierer]

Use a hammer and;

http://doitbest.com/Masonry+Drill+Bits-Dasco+Pro+Inc-model-3621-0-doitbest-sku-304744.dib

It really isn't a good idea to be pounding on a hole chisel in a brick wall. Doing so is a really good way to crack the brick.

I've drilled holes in Brick with a regular masonry bit, it can be done it just takes longer than with a hammer drill. Remember if you are using Tap-Con screws you want the right size hole and it needs to be deeper than the screw is long and clean all the dust out of the hole first.

[Greg Portland]

I've drilled holes in brick using a good 1/2" chuck corded drill (Milwaukee). For 2-3 -screw- holes in brick I see no reason to buy a hammer drill. Now, if you were drilling all the way through concrete block or brick (deep holes or hard material) then a hammer drill rental would be warranted.

[David Thompson 27577]

I recently contracted to have a 7' X 4' metal trellis made which will be attached to................

Do I really need to rent a hammer-drill? I've never used one. ...........

As others have noted...... no, you don't REALLY need to rent a hammer drill.

And also note this: If you DO rent one, you'll want to BUY one on the way home from returning it. A hammer drill is really a cool tool.


(Edited for spelling)

[Tom Esh]

Aside from the speed and ease of drilling, a HD makes better holes. With a regular drill the bit can wander more when it encounters harder material and you end up with an oblong or oversized hole. The hammer action really helps break through it without so much side-slipping. Even an el-cheapo is much better than straight rotary.

[Will Overton]

It really isn't a good idea to be pounding on a hole chisel in a brick wall. Doing so is a really good way to crack the brick.



Surprised to hear that. I grew up in an all brick house. All we ever used, cause all we ever had, were star bits. Never had a problem, and never heard about neighbors having problems. The house was built in the 1940's. Maybe bricks back then were not the same as ones used today. :confused:

[David Cefai]

This is intriguing! Can you actually buy non-hammer (corded) drills in the US?
Just about all drills here (in Malta) have a hammer switch. I do have one no-name non hammer drill which I bought recently in a clearance sale for 10 euros ( $11) purely as a real emergency and disposable tool.

However anything for over $25 is a hammer drill, almost by definition.

[Will Overton]

Sure, here's a sampling from Milwaukee;

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/ProductCategory.aspx?CategoryName=SC%3a++3%2f8+in. +Drills

[Rick Akl]

I think they are indispensable if you live in a concrete home but...
When I was visiting a friend in MA we opened a hole in concrete with a regular drill and a masonry bit and sprayed WD40 on the bit/ in the hole. It worked like a charm. Thanks for the tip random Home Depot shopper!

[Glen Butler]

Surprised to hear that. I grew up in an all brick house. All we ever used, cause all we ever had, were star bits. Never had a problem, and never heard about neighbors having problems. The house was built in the 1940's. Maybe bricks back then were not the same as ones used today. :confused:

You are right. The brick can't crack if there is no where for it to crack to. I could see breaking one if it were loose, but in a wall your chances are slim.

[Dave MacArthur]

Home Depot sells a 1/2 inch Ryobi corded hammer drill for like $60, which actually I've been pretty impressed with. Every other hand-tool I own is DeWalt or Bosch. I've stirred thinset for 3 whole-house tile jobs, 6000 sq ft, and installed 5 pool fences (about 40 concrete anchors each fence), it takes a beating and I don't have any complaints. It's ALWAYS good to have one "beefy" drill around IMO. But don't rent one!

[Rich Engelhardt]

Yes!

+1 to all the comments above about why having a hammer drill &/or a "beefy" (1/2") drill around is a good thing.

IMO - it's akin to having an 18ga air stapler around.

It's something you'd never seem to have any use for until the day comes that you need it for one or two quick things.

After using it, you'll find yourself looking for things to do with it - simply because it works so well and so easy.

Then, after having it for a year, when someone else asks - "Do I really need a hammer drill (or an 18 ga stapler)?"

You can chime in about how you can't imagine life w/out it! ;)

[Brian D Anderson]

To me, this is one of those instances that is screaming for a cheap Harbor Freight hammer drill. Find it on sale and use a coupon and you're probably under $20.

I've had mine for years and use it maybe one or twice a year. They're great.

-Brian

[Joe Leigh]

I have a brick and concrete house and I'd be lost without my Hilti TE22.
Paid for itself a hundred times over..

[Mike Harrison]

They are without a doubt THE answer to drilling masonary. So fast, in fact, that you want to drill a few more holes just to get your money's worth.

[David Nelson1]

I bought a 3/8 hammer drill a few years back. It also servers as a regular drill. The additional cost was minimal since I was already in need of a drill. I have used it many times as a hammer drill because my garage is completely made of block. What it didn’t help me with was chopping a 2 1/2 hole thru the basement hall and then one into the side of the garage to add electric. Amazon has one for 35.00 +/- shipping and possible tax.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000HI102M/ref=nosim/8685595-20

[Alan Lightstone]

Living in a cinder block home, I can't imagine living without one. I once melted several drill bits trying to drill into a 30yo concrete ceiling with a masonry bit and a conventional drill. Still have nightmares over that one.

If you'll rarely use it, the HF option may make a lot of sense. If you live in a cinder block home, buy one.

[Paul McGaha]

Don,

I see you live in Rockville, MD.

I live not too far from you in Ashburn, VA (Near the Dulles Airport).

You can borrow my Rotary Hammer and Bits if you need to.

A Rotary Hammer is a great tool for any kind of masonary. If its soft you can drill slow and if it's something like concrete it can handle that too at full speed.

PHM

[Don Morris]

My son lives in Chantilly, also near Dulles. I think I'd like to try my DeWalt first, but if it looks like it's a bummer, I may be making a trip to Ashburn.