Impact driver vs. hammer drill

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Hi All, Long time no post but after reading an earlier post I was wondering: What is the main difference between an impact driver and a hammer drill?

I have one of the later and it drills holes great in concrete. That's all I've used it for so far. I do have an air tool for removing lug nuts from my car wheels. Is this the same as an electric impact driver? Thanks. Alan in Md.

[Rob Russell]

An impact wrench just uses blows to spin the chuck (well, the square stub that sticks out the front of the impact wrench).

A hammer drill spins the chuck like a regular drill but hammers the drill longitudinally. In other words, it's like you had a regular drill going and stood with a hammer beating on the backside of the drill as you're trying to drill into the wall.

[Richard Wolf]

Well you know about the hammer drill, the impact wrench that is being talked about is used mostly for driving screws. It's like a driver but the fact that it impacts keeps it from striping out of the screw head.

Richard

[Gary Sutherland]

[QUOTE=Rob Russell]).

"it's like you had a regular drill going and stood with a hammer beating on the backside of the drill as you're trying to drill into the wall."


Rob, thanks for the idea!! I just tried that and it worked!!

Gary

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Richard and Rob thanks for your explanation. It makes sense to me. Alan

[Jason Roehl]

Think of it this way: the impact force is in the direction of rotation for an impact wrench and an impact driver. The impact force in a hammer drill is along the axis of rotation, or, in the direction of drilling.

[Rob Russell]

[QUOTE=Gary Sutherland]

Originally Posted by Rob Russell

).

"it's like you had a regular drill going and stood with a hammer beating on the backside of the drill as you're trying to drill into the wall."


Rob, thanks for the idea!! I just tried that and it worked!!

Gary

Ya know, I can see someone doing a cartoon of that and calling it a "pick-your-nationality hammer drill" ...

[Ken Garlock]

[QUOTE=Rob Russell]

Originally Posted by Gary Sutherland

Ya know, I can see someone doing a cartoon of that and calling it a "pick-your-nationality hammer drill" ...

Rob, this sounds like a Red Green handyman project.

[Tyler Howell]

Alan,
You need one of each.
The impact driver is currently my shop tool dujour (SP), gets grabbed for everything.
Was so impressed a bought them for all my employees.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Originally Posted by Tyler Howell

Alan,
You need one of each.
The impact driver is currently my shop tool dujour (SP), gets grabbed for everything.
Was so impressed a bought them for all my employees.

Tyler, Thanks for the info. And du jour is correct. Sacre bleue! Alan