8 APRIL 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource® • SIGNING BONUS • PAID VACATION • PAID HOLIDAYS • HEALTH INSURANCE • RELOCATION PACKAGE* PROJECT MANAGERS & PUMP INSTALLERS Join Our Team! Take the next step in your career with a company that values people! Call Us Today: 830-865-2362 Advanced Water Well Technologies, a leading Commercial and Municipal Well Service Contractor in Texas, is hiring experienced Project Managers and Pump Installers! Join a fast-growing company specializing in Lineshaft Turbines, Submersibles, and Complete Water Well Rehabilitations. The Importance of Tool Care by Kevin Kevilly, Editorial Contributor Just finishing up the repair on the rig and time to get back to drilling, and the tools get tossed into the back of the truck. We all do it, but are we really in that much of a hurry? There are good reasons to not just toss them aside, and we all know better, but time is money. Unprotected tools get exposed to the environment. Not much is worse than grabbing a ratchet and the mechanism is rusted stuck because it was soaking in water that didn’t drain out of someplace, or the wrench so crusted with rust it can’t properly grip the bolt. When a tool is purchased, it is an investment, and one thing is for certain, replacing it because it wasn’t stored properly is not getting any cheaper. How many times have you seen ratchet straps, ladders, or other tools on the roadside? I know I have seen plenty. One of my most used breaker bar tools was found at an intersection of a four-way stop sign. The person whose vehicle it fell off of is probably still missing that tool. An improperly stored tool could also become a projectile, injuring someone if it struck a pedestrian or motorist at speed. Now that would be terrible, both emotionally and from liability points of view. Clean tools before putting them away. Your investment of a few seconds here will be appreciated the next time you grab that screwdriver. I hate grabbing a tool after someone did not wipe off the greasy goop. I’m not saying it has to be run through the dishwasher (seriously, I’ve seen this in the past), but a simple wiping will go a long way toward not having messy tool drawers and leaving a light coat on the tool to protect from rust. Proper storage will help everyone learn the tool has a home and to return it to that location. Wasting time rummaging through a toolbox looking for the pliers because they are not in their appropriate spot is frustrating. Keeping similar tools in the same area can speed up your repair time. And speaking of the toolbox, if it is on the bed of a rig, make sure it is weather tight. Weather-stripping on lids is an inexpensive way to seal up a lid. Even a simple bead of silicone can keep out moisture and protect your investment. There are tray liners out there to keep the toolboxes’ drawer bottoms from getting messy (in case the new guy forgets to wipe tools off). This simple reminder of tool storage and care might be just what you need the next time you pick up that clean hammer so it doesn’t slip out of your hand and hit your foot. Be safe out there. CONST
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