Remote operation

J.H. Fletcher shipped its first remote-operated bench drill last year. The drill uses the chassis, cab, and boom as on the company’s standard jumbo drill, yet replaces the jumbo’s standard drifter (drill head) with a hydraulic-chuck drill head. A steel handling attachment on the side of the feed allows extra drill steels to be added to the string. The unit can drill holes up to 75 feet deep while the operator performs handling and coupling from an air-conditioned cab.

Boart Longyear

Drilling accessories

Boart Longyear says its new Lightning Rod Series surface rock drill and blast rods offer a quick-change male and female rod engineered for high durability and air flushing. The rods feature a diameter range of 33 to 60 millimeters and lengths ranging from 8 to 17 feet.

The company says its new 10UMX diamond bits (pictured), the newest addition to its UMX family of diamond coring bits, offer the most free-cutting matrix available, enabling the bit to penetrate the hardest rock formations. UMX bits use the company’s patented Stage waterway design. The geometry of these windows sustains the integrity of the bit through its entire life, allowing for a variety of crown heights. The Twin-Taper design improves surface flushing, forcing debris through the windows while keeping the bit face clear and reinforcing the inner diameter.

Caterpillar Inc.

Intelligently engineered

Cat’s MD5050T is the smallest in a line of four track drills and is capable of drilling 4-inch-diameter holes to a depth of 102.5 feet. The company says the line is intelligently engineered and designed with a sturdy frame for long life. An advanced carousel rod changer speeds cycle times, and boom extensions enhance drill-pattern coverage. Maintenance is quick and convenient with ground-level access to service points.