Quick Start Guide

Operation
UnderstandingHorizontal
DirectionalDrilling
Horizontaldirectionaldrillingisaprocessusedfordrillinga
horizontalborethroughthesoilandunderobstructionssuch
asroads,buildings,bodiesofwater,etc.Onceyoudrillthe
bore,youpullbacktheutilitylinesorpipesthroughthebore
andconnectthemasneeded.Becauseitdoesnotrequire
verymuchdisturbanceofthesurface,installationofutilities
usingdirectionaldrillingpreservestheenvironmentandsaves
bothtimeandmoneyovertraditionalinstallationmethods
suchastrenching.
Wheninstallingcablingorpipeusingadirectionaldrill,you
completethefollowingsteps:
1.Gathersiteinformation.
Beforeoperatinginanareawithhigh-voltagelinesor
cables,contacta“One-CallSystemDirectory”service.
IntheUSA,call811oryourlocalutilitycompany.If
youdonotknowyourlocalutilitycompany’sphone
number,callthenationalnumber(USAandCanada
only)at1-888-258-0808.Also,contactanyutility
companiesthatarenotparticipantsofthe“One-Call
SystemDirectory”service.PleaserefertoDrilling
NearUtilityLines(page3)formoreinformation.
Beforefullyplanningthebore,youmustgather
informationaboutthejobsitesuchasthelocationof
otherutilities,obstaclesatthesite,andwhatregulations
andpermitsyouwillneedtocompletethejob;referto
GatheringSiteInformation(page9).
2.Planthebore.
Beforeyoucandrill,youmustrstplantheborepath
basedontheinformationyougathered.Referto
PlanningtheBorePath(page11).
3.Preparethejobsiteandthemachine.
Beforedrilling,youpreparethejobsitewithanentry
point,depth-gaugehole(optional),andanexithole.
Youalsoneedtodrivetheunittothesite,setitupfor
drilling,andconnectittoadrilling-uidmixer.
Note:Whendrilling,youconnectthemachinetoa
drilling-uidmixerthatmixeswaterwithbentonite
clayandotheringredients.Themachinepumpsthis
mixture,referredtoasdrillinguidor“Mud”,through
thedrillpipeandoutthedrillbit.Thedrillinguid
lubricatesthebit,helpstoholdtheboreopenwhile
drilling,andmixeswiththespoils,ushingthemout
oftheborethroughtheentrypoint.
RefertoPreparingtheJobSiteandtheMachine(page
18)forinstructionsonpreparingthejobsiteandthe
machine.
4.Drillthebore.
Youdrilltheboreinthreestages:
A.Entry
Intheentryphaseofthebore,youpushthedrill
bitandheadintothegroundatanangleofupto
16degrees.Afterpushinginoneormorepipes,
youbegindrillingdownandforwarduntilyou
reachthedesireddepthordepth-gaugehole(if
used).
B.HorizontalReach
Afterreachingthedesireddepth,youpushthe
bitforward,steeringthebittoahorizontaldepth.
Thedrillbitemitsaradiosignalfromthesonde
housing,whichallowsacrewmemberonthe
surfacetotrackthelocationanddepthofthehead
usingthesondereceiverasyoudrillandsteerit
alongaplannedroute.
C.Exit
Onceyouhaveattainedtheplannedhorizontal
reach,yousteertheheadupatananglesimilar
toyourentryanglebringingthebitintotheexit
holeortrench.
RefertoDrillingtheBore(page25).
5.Backreamtheboreandpullbackthecablingor
pipe.
Afterenteringtheexithole,theendcrewdetachesthe
drillbitandsondehousingfromthedrillpipe.Inits
place,theyattachareamingbitandtheendofthecable
orpipetobepulledthroughthebore.Thereaming
bitisdesignedtoenlargetheboreasyoupullitback.
Asbefore,youpumpdrillinguidthroughthepipe
tothereamingbitasyoupullthecableorpipeback
throughtheboretolubricatethereamerandallow
thecableorpipetoslideeasilythroughthebore.You
continuepullingthepipebackuntilthereamerreaches
thedepth-gaugeholeorexitsattheentrypoint.There
youremovethereamerandproductfromthedrillpipe,
pullingthepipetherestofthewaybacktothemachine.
RefertoBackreamingandPullback(page28)for
instructionsonbackreamingandpullingcableorpipe.
6.Finishtheboreandleavethejobsite.
Aftercompletingtheoperation,youneedtodisconnect
andcleanthemachineandloaditonthetrailer;refer
toFinishingtheJob(page30).
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