Electricians frequently must make holes in a variety of materials—easy-to-cut Sheetrock, wood, masonry, concrete and different types of metal with varying degrees of hardness—and many are beyond the capabilities of the conventional rotary drill.

There are, however, specialized tools and cutting accessories made to quickly and efficiently drill into even the hardest substances while minimizing the amount of physical effort required. The most difficult cuts call for a hammer drill or rotary hammer.

The tools are not the same, although the differences between the two may not be clear. Comparing the two, a hammer drill chips, and a rotary hammer pounds. A hammer drill “hits” more often, but with less force than a rotary hammer. Hammer drills are more appropriate for making holes in block or brick; the rotary hammer is better for drilling holes in dense poured concrete.

In addition, the internal mechanisms of the two tools are different.