Vertical Drills Dismantled Machines

About Vertical Drills

Vertical drills, often referred to as “top hammer drills,” “rotary drills,” or “rock drills,” are versatile machines used for a wide range of construction, mining, and oil and gas applications. They differ from horizontal drills in that they put all of their power into drilling straight down into dirt, rock, concrete, and many other types of materials. Most of these machines are on tracks, making them well-suited for operating on difficult terrain. Some vertical drills have open-air seats and controls, while others have fully enclosed cabs with climate control and other features for operators’ comfort.

Construction operations typically use vertical drills for making holes for structural footings, whereas mines use them to drill blast holes. They are also commonly used for oil and natural gas exploration, although directional drilling is gaining in popularity because it requires fewer surface drill holes to reach deposits under sensitive environmental features, like fresh water aquifers.

Features & Drilling Methods

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Atlas Copco FlexiROC D60 vertical drill

The most common type of vertical drill is one with a cab, a flat platform on tracks, and a mast containing the drill rig. They can drill holes with diameters ranging from 2 to 60 inches (50.8 to 1,520 millimeters), and sometimes wider, depending on the size of drill pipes and bit used. Some models can drill holes in excess of 60 feet (18.3 meters) deep in a single pass, but maximum depth ultimately depends on the size of the mast and the rig as well as the length of the drill string. There are some rotary drills, for example, that can dig to almost 20,000 ft (6,100 m) below the surface in multiple passes.

Vertical drills can be used to perform several different drilling techniques, ranging from mud rotary to down-the-hole (DTH) drilling. Some models are outfitted with mud pumps that continuously cycle drill fluid into the drill pipe to keep the bit lubricated for better performance at less risk for overheating. DTH drills are unique because they hammer the bit at the end of the string. This pulverizes the rock, which is then either blown out of the hole using compressed air and exhaust or collected and pulled up through a pump.

Popular Makes & Models

MachineryTrader.com offers a large selection of new and used vertical drills for sale from industry mainstays such as Caterpillar, Atlas Copco, Ingersoll-Rand, Sandvik, and many other manufacturers. One popular example is the Sandvik D25KS down-the-hole blast hole drill. It features an engine that produces up to 629 horsepower (469 kilowatts) and uses a rotary head with a maximum torque of 4,086 pounds-foot (5,540 newton-meters). It supports hole diameters of between 5 and 10.7 in (127 and 272 mm) and can produce a maximum hole depth of 88.6 ft (27 m).

Another example is the Atlas Copco FlexiROC T20 R drill rig, which is now sold under the Epiroc brand. This model travels on wheels instead of tracks and can be used for both surface and underground drilling applications. It employs the top hammer drilling method and can create holes between 1.5 and 2.5 in (38.1 to 63.5 mm) in diameter and up to 21 ft (6.4 m) deep. It is also notable because it is highly compact and features remote control capability for added operator safety.