Association Need Help? 850-547-0102 - Ronnie 19 AUGUST 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Selecting and Caring for your HDD Tooling Adapted from Information by Vermeer Choosing the right horizontal directional drilling (HDD) tool based on ground conditions and paying close attention to the condition of consumable wear parts helps maximize productivity. HDD tooling cuts through the bore path, widens the hole, and pulls the product back through it. Here are some tips to help you get more from your HDD tooling. When it comes to the basket of the drill rod, you should protect it by monitoring the thread condition on individual rods and the sub saver. “The basket of drill rods represents the most expensive consumable that most HDD crews bring to the job. The condition of each drill rod’s threads is critical to getting the longest life out of those rods and completing successful bores,” said Vermeer Cutting Edge Product Manager Cody Mecham. Timely replacement can help maximize drill rod life by inspecting the HDD tooling threads after every job and replacing the sub saver when signs of wear appear. Profile gauges provide a more accurate method for assessing thread conditions. “To determine if a sub saver or drill rod needs replacement, align the profile gauge with its threads. If there is a space between the gauge and the threads, it’s time to replace the sub saver or retire the drill rod,” said Mecham. With a 24-hour cure time for thread-lock compound, timely replacement of the sub can be challenging. Normally, HDD crews choose to wait until the end of the shift to replace a worn-out drill sub saver. Giving crews more flexibility to perform timely sub saver change outs, a solution called Vermeer QuickLock, which is a two-part epoxy thread-locking compound, cures in about an hour. “With Vermeer QuickLockTM epoxy, crews can replace the sub saver, go to lunch, and get back to drilling. This not only helps crews work efficiently, but can help prevent thread damage to drill rods because worn sub savers are being replaced sooner,” said Mecham. Understanding what type of bits work best in certain materials, can help when selecting the right HDD tooling for the job. When drilling in sand and sandy loams, a bit with a broad front profile would enhance steering. A semitapered bit may be preferred if the sand is followed by more difficult material, such as coral. For ideal steerability when drilling in soft clay and loam, a broad profile would work better. To needle through cobble, gravel, glacial till, chunk rock, and any nonconsistent type of rock you would choose an aggressively tapered bit for these conditions. Transmitter housing will also vary by ground conditions and applications. “A basic housing with universal threading and a single fluid nozzle works fine in ideal ground conditions, and a crew isn’t swapping out bits frequently. But for working in harsh ground conditions and performing quick tooling swaps, premium transmitter and tooling packages are a more productive solution,” said Mecham. Regularly checking threads and replacing sub savers, understanding basic drill types and their performance, and providing crews with the necessary tools for HDD tooling care are all essential for maximizing productivity. DIR
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