Of all the tools made specifically for boring holes, there are only two when it comes to drilling a screw into concrete — a hammer drill and a rotary hammer. The hammer drill is an enhanced version of the standard drill, and is usually used on relatively softer material like light-duty concrete or masonry, or where drilling only requires holes up to 3/8” diameter. The rotary hammer has a rotary part to move the hammer in a more circular motion, resulting in a more powerful drill or bore of larger holes into a masonry or concrete surface. This is the tool you want to drill through harder concrete, or for a hole larger than 1/2-inch.
1. Mechanism and Impact
Both a hammer drill and rotary hammer pound its bit while spinning and pulverizing concrete, but the pounding mechanism works differently in the two tools.
A hammer drill is quite similar to a drill a typical non–professional or DIY homeowner might own, and features mechanisms that drive drill bits forward as it rotates, resulting in a high-speed pulsing hammer-like action. The power of a hammer drill is generated by rotating ribbed clutch plates, and impact happens as the two ribbed metal discs click in and out against each other. The hammer added to the drill takes the same straight-shank bits as a regular drill. The generated torque from drilling concrete may cause bits to slip in the chuck. This type of hammering is useful for projects that have use for drilling into brick, block, concrete or other masonry surfaces. The harness speeds of a hammer drill are much higher compared to that of an ordinary corded drill, making it useful for non-ordinary applications.
A rotary hammer uses a more piston hammering-type action — a cylinder of air is compressed by a piston in a rotary hammer, which results in beating the bit. Because of this action, the rotary hammer not only generates more power, it is also much easier on the hands in spite of being heavier, larger, and bulkier. Because of this mechanism, rotary hammers ease through harder material jobs like concrete or strong masonry.
References
1)https://www.diffen.com/difference/Hammer_Drill_vs_Rotary_Hammer
Post time: Jul-13-2021