Our Blog

Rotary Hammer Bits and Attachments

The most popular type of chuck on the shelves at home centers today is the SDS-Plus. SDS-Plus bits have grooves on the shanks that lock securely into the chuck but allow the bit to move back and forth independently of the chuck. They’re super easy to insert and remove—no tools required. Some of the really big rotary hammers have a similar system, but larger called the SDS-Max. And there are a couple brands that have proprietary systems, so make sure the bit you buy matches the tool you’re using.

When set to hammer mode, rotary hammers can be used for all sorts of jobs, and there are a whole lot of attachments to get those jobs done.

A few of the more popular attachments are shown in the photo:

Clay spade: Breaks up hard soil.
Cold chisel: For busting up concrete.
Tile remover: Works well for pulling up ceramic tiles.
Bull point chisel: Used to start holes in concrete.
Scaling chisel: Designed to remove rust, concrete and weld spatter.
If you already own a rotary hammer and are looking for a heavy-duty drill to bore large holes in wood or mix joint compound, consider buying an SDS-Plus chuck adapter (shown in the third photo). This adapter will allow you to use smooth-shank drill bits, hole saws and mixing paddles. Just remember to keep the setting on drill mode or you could destroy the chuck.

Rotary Hammers Are for Larger Jobs
Rotary hammers excel at drilling holes in hardened concrete. A rotary hammer can also be fitted with all sorts of other attachments.

rotary vs hammer drill bits
Family Handyman
Rotary Hammer Accessories
Rotary hammer accessories include a variety of chisels for scaling metal, breaking concrete, removing the tile and even digging the hard soil. (The one on the left is for an SDS-Max chuck.) You can also add a three-jaw chuck for regular drill bits.

rotary vs hammer drill sds-plus adaptor
Flintools SDS-Plus Chuck Adapter
This adapter will allow you to use smooth-shank drill bits, hole saws and mixing paddles. Just remember to keep the setting on drill mode or you could destroy the chuck.

Learn about 5 more must-have drill accessories here.

Choosing Between a Rebar Bit and Standard Bit
flintools – rotary vs hammer drill rebar and standard carbide drill bits
You can spend $50 on a hammer drill that will drill 1/2-in. holes in most masonry, but spending more will get you two things: the ability to drill bigger holes and—more important—faster drilling, which is great when you have lots of holes to drill.

The pounding power of a hammer drill is measured in BPM (beats/blows per minute). But the BPM rating isn’t the whole story: Motor amperage and how the drill feels in your hands are more important. All-metal chucks are more durable than ones with plastic parts. And while keyless chucks are handy on a regular drill, they often don’t have the holding power needed for drilling into masonry. Chuck size often dictates the maximum recommended hole size the drill can handle.

The pounding power of a rotary hammer is measured in pounds of impact energy. When shopping for rotary hammers, more amp power is good, but more impact energy is even more important. Rotary hammers are categorized by the maximum-size hole recommended by the manufacturer, but that doesn’t mean they can’t drill a larger hole once in a while. If you need a drill for nothing but 7/8-in. holes, buy a larger drill that won’t have to work at its maximum capacity all the time.

How Much and What to Expect From Your Drills
$50 to $100 Hammer drills in this price range have motors with 6 to 8 amps. Good for drilling holes up to 1/2 in. in block, mortar, brick and other light masonry. These drills will also bore into concrete, but slowly.

$100 to $150 Hammer drills in this price range feature motors ranging from 7 to 10 amps. Good for drilling holes up to 5/8 in. in light masonry and concrete.

$150 to $225 In this price range, rotary hammers have motors that range from 7 to 10 amps and deliver 1.5 to 3 ft.-lbs. of impact energy. Good for drilling holes in light masonry, and concrete up to 1 in. Can also be used in hammer mode to remove mortar, bust small areas of concrete and chisel tile.

Over $225 Rotary hammers in this price range deliver an impact energy of over 10 ft.-lbs. and can drill 1-3/4-in. holes all day long. They cost $400 to $800, but rent for about $60 per day.

4-in-1 Multi-Function Cordless Brushless Rotary Hammers

Electric Demolition Rotary Hammer Drill Cordless Battery 4.0Ah

Li-ion Battery 4.0Ah Cordless Rotary Hammer Drills

21V MAX Battery Li-ion Cordless Rotary Hammer Drill Power Tools

21V Rotary Hammer Drill SDS-Plus Brushless Cordless

21V Cordless Brushless Rotary Hammer Drill Supplier

Cordless Drill Rotary Hammer 21V 4 Functions LED Light with Vibration Control