Tag: rock drilling attachment

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Spring Cleaning: Rock Drill Edition

Posted on by msockwell

7 Tips for Maintaining Your Skid Steer and Excavator Attachment Going Into Summer

1. Look for Wear on your Centralizer Gates

As a key component in the movement of the drill, your centralizer gates wear down throughout a job. Check your centralizer gates between jobs and replace them when they start to wear down to keep your machine in peak condition.

2. Grease, Grease, Grease

Your drill has many grease points that prevent early wear and allow your machine to run smoothly. Regular greasing is important to maintain the machine during use. Sometimes, when your drill is doing work on the job site, common grease points are overlooked during daily maintenance. Take advantage of the time between jobs to look over your machine closely and make sure everything is well-greased.

3. Check Nylatron Wearpads

Located on the mounting assembly for your Word Rock Drills motor, the Nylatron Shims on your rock drill allow your motor to move smoothly along your feed rail. Over time, these Nylatron Wearpads become thin due to the constant movement. Regularly replacing these wearpads is essential for maintaining the longevity of your machine.

4. Give your Hydraulic Hoses the “Once Over”

Hydraulics are the lifeblood of your WORD drilling attachment. Because of this, it’s important to keep your hoses in top shape! Check that all of your hose connections are tight and that your hoses are well managed so that they do not get caught on anything while drilling or in transport.

5. Stock Up on Biodegradable Rock Drill Oil

Rock drill oil makes the world go round. Well, not really … but it is a key component to a smooth functioning drill! Take this opportunity for maintenance to give us a call and stock up on Biodegradable Rock Drill Oil for the season to ensure that you don’t run out while on the next job.

6. Set Chain Tightness

The feed rail chain on your WORD Rock Drill can become loose periodically. The natural movement of the machine during drilling leads to wear within the primary sprocket of the feed rail chain. This sprocket contains a 1/16th brass bushing which is often the cause of a loose chain. When testing your chain tightness first check to make sure the brass ring within the sprocket is in place and not showing signs of wear. You can then proceed to tighten the chain as usual. Test the tension by moving the drifter all the way forward and checking the rigidity at the middle of the chain.

7. Take Advantage of your Mist Pump

Did you know that the mist pump accessory on your rock drill can double as a pressure washer? It sure can! Springtime is a great opportunity to take advantage of this additional feature to clean your machine thoroughly before it heads out to the next job. Keeping a clean machine is key to the lifetime of the unit, allowing you to spot any potential maintenance point early and keep everything running smoothly.

Ready to Stock Up for the Season?

Contact our sales team to snag a Parts Kit!

Call Today!

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5 Creative Solutions to Random Things you Run Into While Drilling

Posted on by msockwell

1) Sub Zero Temperatures? You Won’t Be the Only One Who Needs to Bundle Up!

When the temperature begins to creep below freezing, there are a few things that you need to do to keep your drill running smoothly. If you need to use the water mist dust suppression system while working, insulate your water lines to prevent them from freezing in severe temperatures. If it’s really cold, you can bundle up your mist pump in a heated blanket to take the chill off! One thing to remember if temperatures are low, make sure to drain ALL of the water out of your mist pump at the end of the day so that it doesn’t freeze up while not in use.

2) Not Drilling as Quickly As You Used To? Your Bit Could Have Something to do With It

Have you noticed that you aren’t drilling as quickly as you were at the start of your project? There are many factors that could be at play in this situation but one common culprit is your bit. As to be expected, your bit sees a lot of friction during the drilling process that can wear it down. If you’ve noticed this slowdown and you know that the soil conditions have not changed, check the bottom of your bit between holes. If the rounded tungsten carbide teeth have flattened out, it’s time to give us a call and we can get a new one on its way to you!

3) It Might be a Good Idea to Keep Sawdust or Bentonite on Hand, Here’s Why

When it comes to drilling, it’s always a good idea to expect the unexpected … especially when it comes to soil conditions. Even with advanced technology and geotechnical site mapping you can still come across unexpected surprises. One such surprise that can make drilling difficult is the presence of cracks or fissures in the rock. These cracks can decrease the air pressure down the hole and increase the likelihood of your bit getting stuck. Putting sawdust or bentonite down the hole while you’re drilling will help fill these cracks and help maintain the needed air pressure while drilling.

4) Blowing Out the Top Of Your Big Holes? Try Some DIY Temporary Casing to Prevent Cave-In

Particularly when drilling holes in the 10″ – 14″ range in soft soils the air pressure moving through the bit to clear the hole can cause the top of your hole to blow out. This blowout creates excess material in the hole that can cause your bit to get stuck. To help prevent this from happening, you can use Tube Form from the local hardware store to create a temporary casing that can be removed once the drilling is done.

5) Working Near a Radio or Cell Phone Tower? You Might Have to Teather Your Radio Remote

If your Excavator or Skid Steer Attachment operates with a radio remote control, nearby radio or cell phone towers may be interfering with your remote functions. If you have tried changing frequencies on your radio with no success or are looking for a quicker solution to get back up and running. Luckily, tethering your remote is quick and easy. Pop the identical round black caps on the side of both your receiver and your remote and screw in the end of the 20M cable provided with your machine. If you are experiencing radio interference and would like to try out different frequencies before tethering, give us a call and our service team will walk you through the process!

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John 1:1-4; The Meaning of WORD

Posted on by msockwell

“In the beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

John 1:1-4

We often get the question “Why WORD?” and the scripture above is the reason. Our founders’ long-standing faith in the Lord to take care of their family and provide.

As we have grown throughout the years, and God has provided for us and the many families that are now on our team, we have been blessed beyond measure and sought out ways to extend our good fortune to others. We have made it part of our company culture to be humble servants and always help where we can within our team, local community, and beyond.

Serving through Our Team

A passion for serving within our team has led us to participate in a number of local organizations that have made an impact on a global level. Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child, Wine to Water, and Habitat for Humanity are ministries that were collective team favorites to participate in. Through these three ministries, our team has had the opportunity to engage in hands-on service activities that have resulted in a global impact. Not only do these service days offer a positive outlet for our team to give, but they are also wonderful team-building opportunities that help us to build on our core values as an organization.

Monthly Educational Active Team Building Opportunities

Activities our team can really sink their teeth into, we offer monthly Educational Active Team-building (EAT) outings for our team and their families. These monthly outings were developed as a fun way to give our team the chance to learn new things that aren’t necessarily work-related. Typically a mix of service, learning, or hobby-type activities. These outings have included volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, Team golf lessons, an afternoon at the lake, and a painting class. All fun and educational team-building activities that add a little change of pace to the month and give our team the opportunity to learn a new skill or serve the community.

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Get the Reach You Need

Posted on by msockwell

Increase the Versatility of your Jobsite with a Drilling Attachment

When it comes to drilling in hard-to-reach places, the conversation typically turns to limited access in terms of compact spaces that limit your equipment options. However, creative thinking isn’t just reserved for your limited access sites. Almost every job site requires some degree of problem-solving and equipment knowledge to find the best solution to get the job done. This is where having versatile equipment in your fleet gives you the upper hand.

Getting to the High Ground

Getting the right equipment, to the right location, to get the job done is what it’s all about. When it comes to extended reach capabilities, standard all-in-one drilling units won’t be able to give you the mobility you need. Whether you’re reaching high onto the side of a mountain or down over the edge of a roadway, the equipment you choose plays a big role in the success of your project. Many of our customers choose an excavator attachment when faced with this type of project. Why? Versatility!

Why Choose a WORD Machine?

Choosing a WORD Excavator attachment as an alternative to an all-in-one drilling machine gives you options not only for your current project but also for future project capabilities. WORD excavator attachments can be adapted to excavators of all shapes and sizes. As long as weight capacity and hydraulic flows are met, you can choose the best excavator to fit your current project without restricting capabilities on future projects. These attachments also provide additional flexibility for the use of your excavator throughout a project. As an attachment, the drill can easily be disconnected and stored after it completes its phase of the project. This allows the chosen excavator to be utilized in other ways on the site or returned ahead of schedule if it’s a rental.

Whatever project or site you are working on, having versatile equipment will help you save both time and money. This versatility also increased the type and variety of jobs that you are able to complete without additional unnecessary equipment purchases. Ask your WORD Sales Rep how you can get set up with a versatile attachment unit for your next project!

Contact Us Today!

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Oh, the Places You Can Go!

Posted on by msockwell

From Mountains to Caverns and Even the Arctic Circle

Enter the World Of Rock Drilling with WORD

It’s always an interesting conversation among our team when a customer comes to us with a project that is a little out of the ordinary. These are our sales teams’ favorite calls to get because it gives them the opportunity to dig into their rock drilling knowledge to help the customer develop a solution. Forcing us to think outside of the box in some of these situations, these are the calls that keep us on our toes. A lot of the time, that is why the customer came to us in the first place, for a new perspective with a little bit more know-how in drilling than what they might have themselves. They know what needs to happen, they know the end result, but they don’t know how to drill their way to that goal.

For one customer, earlier in the history of WORD, they knew exactly where they wanted to go … about a hundred feet underground to a newly discovered cavern system. But how to get there was a different story. A popular cavern tours destination, this customer had decided to expand their business and break through to a new cavern system on their property. As a small business, they weighed their options between contracting out the tunnel work that would need to be done from the surface down to this new space or, bringing the operation in-house. During the research phase of this decision, they came across WORD and the solution they were looking for. An excavator attachment later, they were drilling and blasting their way through the first layer of earth.

Another interesting project that our team has come into contact with in the world of rock drilling, took place in the Arctic Circle. In this challenging environment, equipment weight was a huge obstacle for this customer. Due to the fragile permafrost that makes up the topsoil level in this region, heavy drilling equipment would bog down into this layer and easily become stuck. Due to the versatility of our WORD Skid Steer attachment, and weight compared to other drilling equipment, this attachment was a great solution for this customer.

This last job was a roller coaster, literally. Due to a combination of elements, this customer had a subsurface water problem that was slowly but surely sliding his mountain roller coaster down the mountain face it sat on. Having hired contractors who failed to sufficiently stabilize the mountain, they reached out to WORD for a drill that could help them do the project themselves. With the purchase of an EX125 unit, that’s just what they got. Checkout the video below to see this unit in action!

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Choosing the Best Accessories for Your Rock Drill Attachment

Posted on by msockwell

Top 10 Rock Drill Attachment Accessory Options at WORD Rock Drills

10. Energy Chain

The longer your feed rail, the more important the addition of the energy chain becomes to the overall effectiveness of your machine. We offer a range of feed rail options from 6′ to 24′ for our Skid Steer and Excavator attachments depending on your specific project requirements. The addition of an energy chain is often recommended for any feed rail exceeding 12′.

9. Nitrogen Charge Kit

A common addition whenever a unit is equipped with a Doofor drilling motor, hydraulic clamp, or hydraulic breaker; this accessory comes in handy for routine maintenance of any unit with these features. These kits are available in three options that allow you to stock up on additional pieces that you might need in the field whenever accumulator maintenance is required. View Accumulator Charge Kits Here

8. Hydraulic Clamp

Making this accessory addition to your excavator or skid steer drilling attachment can really boost efficiency on the job site when dealing with hollow bar. This accessory is the ideal companion to your machine, assisting your team by quickly grabbing the coupling for quick unthreading.

7. Hydraulic Clamp and Breaker

A very helpful accessory whenever you are operating with casing, the addition of a hydraulic clamp and clamp breaker to your machine saves your guys in the field from the grueling work of wrestling with large pipe wrenches all day. The hydraulic clamp and clamp breaker accessory can easily unthread drill pipe/casing up to 8″.

6. Remote Angle Indication

An easy add-on to any excavator attachment purchase, the addition of angle indication to your remote will provide you with a digital readout of your drill positioning. This feature is particularly beneficial when you are on a job that requires specific angle positioning such as roof bolting, dewatering, and hollow bar installation.

5. Line Oiler

Available in two sizes, a line oiler is a much-needed accessory whenever you are drilling with a down-the-hole hammer. The line oiler allows for a regulated flow of rock drill oil to lubricate the airline while drilling and keep everything running smoothly. Learn More Here

4. Dust Collector System

One of the newer options available for WORD EX series attachments, this dust collector system is one step up from our very popular mist pump dust suppression system. Where our mist pump system uses water to dampen the amount of dust generated while drilling, this newer system collects the dust and pulls it away from the hole entirely. This option may be more favorable for your project if strict dust regulations are involved or in cold temperatures where water is likely to freeze.

3. Excavator Shipping Platform

Making the investment in an excavator shipping platform for a new or existing unit has many benefits. Equipped with a dedicated job box and forklift designations, this platform makes it easy to move your rock drill unit from one job to the next with everything that you need. Store spare parts, dedicated tools, remote control components, rock drill oil, and more in the job box to keep these essential items easily accessible throughout the project. In addition, this platform is ideal for storage between jobs to keep your unit off the ground.

2. Stabilizing Kickstands

Equip your crew with additional drilling stability with our SS Series kickstand. Most commonly used when drilling larger holes, these kickstands make drill operation easier by limiting the range of movement if the skid steer begins to bleed down during drilling.

1. Mist Pump Dust Suppression Kit

One of our most requested accessory options, our water mist dust suppression system applies water while drilling to dampen down dust. Whether or not dust suppression is required on your job site, limiting dust can tremendously help your crew. In addition, the kit comes with a water tank and pressure washer wand, making it easy to clean your drill at the end of each day.

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Christmas in July: Rock Drilling Edition

Posted on by msockwell

A typical day at the WORD office in May brought a not-so-typical customer to the sales team for a rock drilling solution. This customer, the owner of a Christmas tree farm, had found himself in a rocky situation while preparing for the upcoming tree harvesting season. While in the process of constructing housing for his seasonal workers, progress was halted due to a large rock slab at the foundation site.

A North Carolina local, the customer turned to google in his search for someone who could help. Through the magic of Google and a little marketing, he arrived at the WORD Rock Drills website and gave us a call to see if we had the solution.

A Christmas (in July) Miracle!

Understanding the customer’s urgency in this situation, we wanted to be able to assist this with a machine that was readily available to work. For this customer, the solution came in the form of a recently returned rental unit. This rental, an EX530 Attachment, was part of our lightweight aluminum feed series for excavators and had just returned from rental with a navy contacting group.

Not being the typical contractor and having an urgent need to start working, we took on the spirit of Christmas and made arrangements to rent the customer not only the drilling unit but also our on-site mini-excavator. With the quick turnaround of this machine and the responsiveness of our team, this customer was able to rent both the drill and excavator directly from WORD to have a quick solution for his job.

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Tips for Compressor Selection

Posted on by msockwell

4 Things to Consider when Selecting the Compressor to Run Your Down The Hole Hammer

1) Hammer Size and Specs

The below specifications outline the requirements for the most common Down the Hole hammer options offered at WORD Rock Drills. Each of these hammers require a 150 PSI minimum for optimum output. Increasing the CFM and corresponding PSI will increase the capacity of your hammer for the best drilling capabilities.

*Above reference chart specific to DK hammers purchased through WORD Rock Drills. Please verify the PSI and CFM requirements of your hammer make/model before moving forward with a compressor rental or purchase.

2) Production Requirements

Compressor size has a significant impact on the efficiency of your Down The Hole hammer. Finding a balance between efficiency and compressor size can be a thin line and depends heavily on the priorities of the project. For example, if time and speed are a top concern, then investing in a stronger compressor might cost more to run but it will help you move through holes quicker. Alternatively, if you are looking for a more budget-friendly solution, smaller compressors are less expensive to rent or own and do not require as much fuel. Therefore, you might choose to run the minimum size compressor for your hammer in order to save on cost. In most cases, increasing the size of your compressor to achieve the higher end of the PSI range for the hammer can lead to a 40% or more increase in drilling capacity.

3) Altitude

A key variable in the selection of a compressor to run the hammer on your machine is the altitude of your project site. Due to the thinner air at higher altitudes, compressor productivity and capacity can be impacted. This is important to consider because lower compressor output will change the behavior of your Down The Hole hammer and could cause the hammer to cease function altogether. A good rule of thumb to prevent this variable from causing problems on your job site is to always check the compressor specs at altitudes over 8,000ft. The specs for the compressor should outline functioning PSI at various altitudes and help you to determine if the PSI is adequate for the hammer you are running.

4) Availability

It is very common for customers to rent their compressors. Considering the price of compressors, maintenance, and transportation, rental just makes more sense than owning the machine outright. However, renting adds another layer of complexity when it comes to determining what compressor to acquire from one job site to the next and the availability of the compressor you need. When it comes down to it, the main consideration for any compressor should be around the PSI output and the specs of the hammer.

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Line Em’ Up, Rack Em’ Down

Posted on by msockwell

Installing solar ground mount systems becomes easy when you have a WORD Rock Drill in your equipment toolkit.

The Solar Industry is booming and one thing that we hear way too often is “how do I get these things in the ground”? When it comes to commercial and utility scale solar sites this big question of “how” can end up costing companies time and money. How do you get these racking systems into the ground when the “easy” soil has already been claimed? How do we move large scale solar into areas where soil conditions are inhospitable for traditional ground mount systems? And how do we do this without spending tons of time and money hiring subcontractors or tying up our large pile driving machines to pre-drill? Well, a WORD Rock Drills skid steer attachment might be the answer you’ve been looking for!

A common solution in many industries, rock drilling attachments are becoming a staple item in the toolkits of many solar developers and EPC’s as installation challenges become more prevalent. The solutions that once worked when faced with tough soil conditions such as subcontracting with drillers, predrilling through the capabilities of your production pile driver, or choosing to excavate each hole are becoming more costly and time consuming. Now a days, drilling subcontractors are challenging to find and even more challenging to get onsite when you need them, predrilling with the drilling capabilities of your production pile driver waste valuable production hours for that high value machine, and excavating each refusal hole is yet another waste of time and money. In these situations, rock drilling attachments are a thriving solution.

Tackling Tough Turf

The WORD Rock Drill skid steer drilling attachment is an easy to use rock drill that attaches to any skid steer that you have on hand. Functioning as a traditional rock drill, this attachment can be used to easily maneuver through a solar site to drill out refusal holes or predrill before installation begins. Many solar customers have seen the competitive advantage of owning their own drill simply from the convenience and efficiency it brings to their jobsite. With the capacity to break through rock in hole sizes up to 14″, the WORD SS series attachments only need a 2 man team to knock out any drilling you might need on your next job!

Innovation in Racking Installation

In addition to the efficiencies of having an onsite drilling unit ready to mobilize when you need it, the WORD SS series attachment can be configured to install helical anchors and ground screw racking/mounting systems. As a cost effective alternative to larger all in one machines, a skid steer attached unit provides a unique level of versatility through its ability to transition from traditional rock drilling to installation. Just like when drilling with this unit, using this machine is a 2 man operation easy for anyone on your crew to learn.

Growth in the solar industry has brough more interest for commercial and utility scale project than ever before seen in the industry. However, as more solar projects are installed, there becomes less and less hospitable land for these systems to be placed. Simultaneously, innovation in racking and mounting systems are challenging the use of traditional pile based methods. Rock drilling attachments offer the opportunity to increase the versatility of your organization not only by expanding your ability to install different systems, but by also giving you the tools to tackle tough soil conditions with ease.

WORD Rock Drills Skid Steer Attachment Installing Solar Ground Screw Mounting Systems

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