Upgrading Rods For Large Diameter RC Drilling (So they WONT Snap Off!)

In today's video, we're machining up a prototype set of tool joint threads to suit a Soilmec G55 rig - a machine we use exclusively for very large diameter drilling. It's our second largest (big rig) and has over 50,000 lb ft of torque at the head! As far as truck mounted onshore rigs go, it's up there power wise.
The old set of rods have lasted five years, but it's definitely time to go back to the drawing board for a HEAVY DUTY upgrade.
In the video we cover:
How RC Drilling Works
Why the old rods started to fail
How we trepan out Solid 4140 billets
How we machine both tool joints
How they get screwed onto the rods
Enjoy!
About HAL Heavy Duty:
We're a real life machine shop for a 60 year old drilling company located in Central Queensland, Australia. Our job is to keep rigs running in the field - fixing all the stuff drillers break and creating all the custom gear they need to get the job done!
We run two CNC's, manual repair lathes, a few mills and a big green Megabore Lathe we call "THE HULK"... and are constantly having to make weird and wonderful tools for odd (usually oversize) jobs.
We're a little shop that takes on big projects, and the latest is our MEGADRILL project where we're manufacturing a 3.0m (10 foot!) drill bit that'll weigh upward of 20 tonnes and we're getting ready to send it 250m (800+ feet) deep.
If you want to catch up on the progress... here's the latest on the project.
• The Megadrill Project ...
• Big Rig Drive Sub | Me...
• Mega Drill Rods Gettin...
• We Built a 3m (10 ft) ...
• Machining a 1000lb (45...
We release our weekly video at 1pm Friday (AEST), so be sure to subscribe if you want to see stuff you really won't find anywhere else!