Drill Rods and Stems
Heavy-wall drill rods and stems that transmit torque and pull between the machine and the reamer head. A string failure mid-raise is unrecoverable, which sets the inspection regime.
Features
- Rods carry both torque and axial pull through the whole raise, so they are heavy-wall items rather than ordinary drill pipe.
- Thread inspection between every run is standard, because a failed joint leaves the head in the hole with no access.
- Make-up torque is specified and has to be applied and recorded, not estimated.
- Stems connect the reamer head to the rod string and are sized with the pilot hole diameter.
- Rods are life-tracked by running hours or metres, and retired on record rather than on appearance.
Specifications
| Figure | Typical range | Unit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rod length | 1 500 / 1 830 | mm | Matched to the rig's handling and the level height available. |