Drilling Concrete: Hammer Drill = happiness

[Ben Hatcher]

Here's my PSA on hammer drills:
If you are planning to finish your basement, or have any need to drill multiple holes in concrete, do yourself a favor and buy a hammer drill. Holy cow, what a difference! After destroying countless masonary bits, lots of swearing, and generally slow going using a traditional drill, I finally bought one. I got the Makita HP1640 from the borg. It was in the middle of their low end models and cost $80. I'm in love. This thing drills through concrete as fast as a regular drill goes through maple. Granted, I'm just drilling small holes for tapcons, but the difference is incredible.

[Mike Henderson]

Yep, I agree. I've had to drill holes in concrete both ways and the difference is amazing.

The only problem you may have is if you hit one of the rebars. It doesn't hurt anything but you slow down quite a bit.

Mike

[Anthony Whitesell]

These hammer drills are nice (I have a Big Lots $20 version), but I have to admit the SDS-style rotary hammer drills (the ones without the rotation only mode) are even better and equally more expensive.

[Izzy Camire]

I am really happy to hear this I need to drill about 16 holes in concrete. I have a hammer drill so it should go good.

[David Keast]

Wonderful things, mine puts 1" holes through 30" thick granite walls in about 5 mins. Does stress the elbows a bit though.

[Jeff Monson]

I have a cheapo Bosch electric hammer drill and it does work quite nicely on concrete, equally noisey though!! My nephew is a commercial electrician and I've borrowed his Dewalt hammer drill, (not sure of the model but a dedicated hammer drill with the quick change bits) it is very impressive to say the least. I'd rather freehand, straightline rip on a tablesaw, than try to drill multiple holes in concrete with a normal drill.

[Tony Zaffuto]

What is as important as a hammer drill, is using good bits (think SDS).

[Anthony Whitesell]

Absolutely right! I typically use the Bosch bits for my hammer drill for the tapcon holes. I have also switch from the phillips head tapcons to the hex head and use an impact driver to drive them home.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Umm, why would you ever think of using masonry bits in a non-hammer drill? They're designed for hammer action; the tip chips out the material.

[Jerome Stanek]

I just did a display for Drebo they make SDS bits for all the manufacturers Makita, Bosh, Milwalkee, Matabo.

[Matt Meiser]

Mark, I don't think most of us knew better.

I know I was amazed the first time I used my first cheapo hammer drill. I'd previously fought drilling holes for tapcons to mount things on the basement walls, etc to the point where some things just never got done, like attaching the sill of a partition wall in our basement to the floor. Once I tried the hammer, that all changed. I was actually looking for things to drill holes for. That drill died after I mixed mortar with it for our bathroom and I replaced it with a Bosch which is really nice even though I rarely use it. I finally found a good deal on the Milwaukee M18 cordless a few weeks ago which I think would more than meet my hammer drill needs (virtually always Tapcons) so I'm debating going ahead and selling the Bosch. The only thing holding me back is the ability to use it as a heavy duty corded drill.

If you really want some fun, get a powder-actuated driver for attaching walls to concrete. I bought one when I built my finishing room because the guy who did my floor recommended that over tapcons in the new concrete. Firing nails into concrete with a .22 shell. What couldn't be fun about that (when used safely that is?)

I've also used a rotary hammer when my brother and I ran a subpanel to his garage. We drilled a 2" hole in cinder block like it was nothing. Got to play with hydraulic cement too!

[Tony Zaffuto]

With freshly poured concrete (think 24 hours), you can drive a 16 penny common nail, though 2X material, into concrete. Helps to be swinging a 22 oz. framing hammer!

[Larry Browning]

Umm, why would you ever think of using masonry bits in a non-hammer drill? They're designed for hammer action; the tip chips out the material.
Well, because drill bits go in drills I suppose. We put all sorts of drill bits in drills, twist bits, brad point bits, Forsner bits. I have even been known to put router bits in my drill. Why not a masonry bit? Seems logical. They actually seem to work fine in masonry. It's that pesky concrete that gives trouble. I guess we're just idiots.

[Matt Meiser]

With freshly poured concrete (think 24 hours), you can drive a 16 penny common nail, though 2X material, into concrete. Helps to be swinging a 22 oz. framing hammer!

Where's the fun-factor in that???? :)

[Mark Ashmeade]

Didn't mean to cause offence. Coming from Europe, where pretty much ALL buildings are brick, stone or concrete, pretty much all drills have the hammer function, and you'd use the hammer function only for that purpose. Every day a school day, it seems.

[ian maybury]

In a similar vein. A hammer drill isn't bad at all as long as you don't run into too many hard pebbles in the concrete. It's worth saying though that a top professional quality SDS hammer drill and bit like those done by Hilti http://www.us.hilti.com/holus/page/module/product/prca_catnavigation.jsf?lang=en&nodeId=-59123 while not cheap is as least as big an improvement again over a stock DIY/entry level professional hammer drill like my very decent De Walt http://www.my-tool-shed.co.uk/p22297/DeWalt_D21721K_240_Volt_Impact_Percussion_Drill_65 0_Watt/product_info.html as the De Walt is over having no hammer at all. Not to mention that the good SDS drills last many times longer than the DIY quality types do.

I got to use a Hilti belonging to a plumber friend as I was struggling to use drilled holes as a low dust method of cutting out a hole in a 4in solid block wall. Like a knife through butter....

[David Larsen]

If you are impressed taking the leap from a regular drill to a hammer drill then you are going to be blown away if you step up to a rotary hammer! You won't go back to the hammer drill after that.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Because not all masonary bits are designed for use in a hammer drill.

Before I purchased my el-cheapo hammer drill, I opted to attempt to drill the holes with a standard drill and bits designed "for use only in a standard drill, without hammer action". An even cheaper option if it worked. That was the first joke on me. The second was after I purchased the hammer drill and a proper bit it cut great. Then the bit broke and having only one, I decided to try using the non-hammer drill bit in the hammer drill. Guess what? The hammer drill destroyed the bit in seconds. I guess the instructions were right. They may not have worked well in the standard drill, but they didn't work at all in the hammer drill.

[Bruce Wrenn]

As the owner of two Red Head drills, two Bosch rotary hammers drills, and an AEG spline drive hammer drill, I can tell you there is no substitute for them. Once on a job with a 36" thick slab, with #4 rebar 4" O.C. each way, and four layers thick, I rented a rock drill and compressor to do that job. Took less than an hour per hole. But we did have to get a straight torch to melt the rebars.

[Will Rowland]

I purchased the Harbor Freight SDS Hammer Drill a couple of years ago. I think it was around $55 with the 20% coupon. I normally only purchase "top-shelf" tools, but I have been very pleased with this tool for occasional use, especially considering the $250 savings vs. the Bosch version. I do however use Bosch bits in it. It has been quite invaluable for a few building projects.

From various reviews I read before the purchase many folks seemed to agree that the SDS drill is one of the best Harbor Freight tools (I know that is like saying the cleanest pig in the pen, but I have to admit it has been an impressive product).

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

If you are not a plumber or contractor, the HF rotary hammer is a step up from a Dewalt/Bosch hammer drill. For the price of renting a Hilti for a chisel job I needed to do in my 70 yr old basement floor, I decided to try the HF SDS rotary hammer from the recommendation of a co-worker. I figured I had nothing to lose. The rotary hammer worked better than I expected.

Since them I have drilled several hundred holes in very old concrete for various jobs - not bad for $70 out-the-door. It blows away my Dewalt hammer drill. I actually only use the Dewalt for the smallest bits.

For one large project use or very sporadic usage, I would definitely recommend it - mine has paid for itself. However I do not think it would hold up to daily use. If mine breaks I will most likely pick up a Bosch or Metabo rotary hammer as a replacement.

[Kevin Presutti]

Ben,
I have 3-Milwaukee (conventional chuck), Makita, and DeWalt both SDS. I wouldn't be without one. I remember the days I tried drilling with a regular drill motor and a carbide bit........uuugghhh. Some days I look forward to fastening something to the basement wall just so I can blow the dust off the boxes and remember that having them in their boxes under the shelf is "A good thing!" when you need them.