Multifunctional drills are always a professional’s pick, therefore, how about using the hammer drill or rotary hammers as a conventional one? You might have budget issues or don’t want to invest in a new drill, so you choose to adjust the hammer drill into a regular one. But Can A Hammer Drill Be Used As A Regular Drill?
In most cases, the drill and drive for both tasks are incorporated into a hammer or rotary drill. By choosing the drill setting that deactivates the clutch and the hammering action, a hammer drill can be used as a regular drill. Therefore, choose from drill mode without a hammer, drill mode with a hammer, or hammer mode with rotation.
But how to use the regular drill by altering the hammer one? If you want to learn, take a look at the middle of the content. We have more to tell you about hammer-type drills.
Can A Hammer Drill Be Used As A Regular Drill: Things to Know
Usually, we use hammer drills to bore holes through surfaces. These kinds of drills are nearly the same as traditional ones but much more powerful with chucks, triggers, and speed controls. Just before we start sharing about the hammer and regular drill and their functionality, let us share the various modes that we prefer to have on our powerful, versatile hammer drill.
However, a high-end hammer drill commonly includes three modes:
Hammer Drill and Three Modes
- Hammer Mode: Harder materials, including concrete and brick, can be hammered by employing the hammer mode. The bit rotates and hammer blows are applied at the drill axis’ end while the clutch is disengaged in this method.
- Drill Mode: To use a hammer drill as a standard drill where only the spinning action is required, we employ the drill mode. The clutch will be disengaged to offer the most rotational torque. For having accurate holes, this mode should be activated.
- Drive Mode: You may need to screw in the bolts after drilling the material. Therefore, drive mode should be activated, which engages the clutch and sets the torque-adjustment option, letting screws be driven to a fixed depth.
Can A Hammer Drill Be Used As A Regular Drill?
We prefer to share some differences and similarities between these two types of drill machines. So, keep yourself ready to enjoy the warlike comparison game since we will mention some facts that will clarify your confusion about whether you should use a hammer drill or the cordless conventional one or if you have any restrictions regarding the use of a hammer drill as a regular tool.
Hammer Drill Features
If you know what the features included in the rotary drill are, you can effortlessly change the mode and utilize it according to your purpose. Therefore, let’s take a look at the common features of a hammer drill machine.
- Hammer mode
- 1/2 inch Keyless chuck
- Dual-speed motor
- Variable speed management
- A minimum of 20 clutch settings
- At least 500 in. lbs. of max torque output
- Option for molded rubber hand grips
- Impact rating of 32,000 blows per minute at least
- Screwdriver Bit
- Accessory and tool-carrying case.
Hammer Drill vs Regular Drill
What is a hammer drill used for? Do you really know? The hammer drill, also known as an impact drill, rotary drill, or percussion drill machine, has the ability to cut through hard materials, particularly light masonry, as well as drill holes in mortar, concrete, or bricks. They differ from any conventional one by having a hammering motion.
In contrast, conventional spinning drills are used to drill holes and drive screws. The easiest job can be done with a cordless drill, which is merely rotating and devoid of any additional force. Furthermore, they require less power yet offer considerably more control when drilling soft materials like wood and plastic.
Hammering Action
The hammering option is the feature that makes the hammer drill stand out from the traffic of regular drills. The hammering mode applies pulsating pressure axially in addition to rotational movement. Professionals like plumbers or electricians utilize the rotary drill in materials like concrete or masonry to make holes for anchor bolts, pipes, dowels, or wiring in masonry walls since conventional ones are insufficient.
When you compare the front ends of a regular drill and a comparison with a hammer action, you’ll see that the chuck protrudes more from the base on the hammer mode because of the hammer function.
Size and Weight
While hammer drills are often a little bit bulkier, it is easy to get non-hammer drills with hex chucks to reduce the length of the tool and make it appropriate for usage in small spots. Hammer drills are large, strong, and have a great side-mounted grip for better control. But if you need to drill gently and with great dexterity and accuracy, a standard hand drill can be more advantageous.
Considerations and Pricing
Given their versatility and superior effectiveness over a standard drill, hammer drills are quite pricey. Hammer drills from Dewalt, Hitachi, or Makita will all perform efficiently. When drilling through strong materials like plastic or wood, a conventional drill will be the ideal option because it is inexpensive.
Can a Dewalt Hammer Drill be used as a regular drill?
It’s not really about the Dewalt or any other hammer drill. So, definitely, you can employ the Dewalt hammer drill as a regular drill. The impact mechanism just needs to be converted, turned off, and the drill bit changed. However, they do not provide basic drills; rather, they feature specialty drills, drill presses, angle drills, and drill drivers.
However, Dewalt offers various modes, and as you require regular ones, we picked up another regular drill. Now, you can compare both. Let’s take a look at the comparison table.
| Specification | DeWalt Hammer Drill | Bosch Regular Drill |
| Type | Hammer Drill | Drill Driver |
| Power | 20V | 12V |
| Cord | Cordless | Cordless |
| Motor | Brushless | Brushless |
| Spotlight | 20-Minute Shutoff | LED light |
| Speeds | 3 Speeds | 2 Speeds |
| Batteries | XR Li-Ion Batteries | Lithium-Ion Batteries |
| Modes | 3 Modes | 20+1 clutch positions |
FAQ on Can A Hammer Drill Be Used As A Regular Drill
Is a hammer drill the same as a regular drill?
The various settings and pounding options of the hammer drill make it special. Other than that, the tool functions like conventional power drills, which are equipped with speed settings, usual chucks, and triggers. Additionally, hammer drills function well through hard surfaces like concrete or masonry, but conventional drills work considerably better for soft material purposes.
How do you turn a regular drill into a hammer drill?
By choosing the drill mode that deactivates the clutch and the hammering operation, a hammer drill can be used as a standard drill. Also, you can drill and drive holes using a typical cordless drill or driver.
Should I use a hammer drill or an impact drill for concrete?
We advise using hammer drills for concrete since they include hammer functions that follow both rotational and pulsing actions.
Is a hammer drill better than a regular drill?
The average speed of a hammer drill is around 25% quicker. Concrete is completely crushed by hammer drills as they combine bit rotation with strong strokes. Standard drills, on the other hand, rotate smoothly and are portable due to their lightweight. Also, hard materials need a hammer drill, whilst soft materials may be worked with a standard DIY-type drill.
Final Words
Whenever you have a hammer drill with different modes, you won’t have to ask, “Can a hammer drill be used as a regular drill?” You have the option to convert the hammer drill into a conventional one by choosing the drill mode.
Hammer drills are required for projects involving masonry or concrete materials, whereas regular drills are adequate for projects involving soft materials. Anyway, choose the one that is most convenient for your purpose.
