Hammer drills have been used for thousands of years and are still used today. They can be operated manually or with an air piston and are useful in low-tech areas. Operators should wear protective gear, and a casing can prevent hole collapse.
A hammer drill is a drill that operates through a hammering action, driving a hole in the ground with repeated impacts using a weighted head. This drill model is thousands of years old, and evidence of hammer drilling can be seen in a number of ancient cultures, perhaps most notably China, where hammer drills were used to create brine wells for salt refining . There are several variations of the basic design in use today.
The original hammer drill consists of a long weighted pole mounted on a hole with block and tackle or pulley system. The post is repeatedly lifted by the users and then dropped, the weight pushing it deeper into the ground with each fall. Hammer drilling takes longer than power drilling, but is usable in low-tech areas where access to other types of drills is not feasible. Several charities working in developing countries have introduced hammer drilling as an alternative to hand-dug wells, as this method is faster and less labor intensive.
Other hammer drills use an air piston. Blasts of air push the piston, driving the tip of the drill deeper into the hole. Hammer drilling of this type can be used in a variety of settings and these drills are capable of penetrating materials ranging from loose soil to rock. This design requires a little more technology than the original and is very effective.
No matter what type of drill you use, a hammer drill can be noisy. Drill operators should wear ear protection to reduce the risk of hearing loss. Eye and face protection, depending on what is being drilled, is also recommended, as the drilling process can kick up particulate materials that can cause irritation if they land in the eyes or are inhaled. Protection can be as simple as wrapping the mouth and nose in a cloth in regions where more advanced face protection is not available.
When operating a hammer drill, there is a risk that the walls of the hole will begin to collapse. In cases where this is a problem, a long pipe can be hammer drilled forward. Known as a casing, this tube will hold the hole open, preventing collapse, and will also help guide the drill during use. Once a satisfactory depth has been achieved, the casing can be fixed in place to make the hole as permanent as possible.
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