The Horizontal Directional Drilling Division of The Mears Group is one of the largest HDD contractors in the world. They’ve also got some great content on their website – check of their Media section for the Frontiers of Construction clip, featuring a DCD Maxi-DUB swivel being used for a river crossing.
Just past the halfway mark of the video, when they’re maneuvering the leading end of the pipe towards the drill string, you can see the swivel as they make the final connections to begin the pullback. That’s where DCD Design’s HDD swivels fit in: the drill string turns, the pipe does not.
An extra bonus: that river crossing is about 10 miles from DCD’s plant near Vancouver, Canada!
Duct Pullers come in both Imperial and Metric sizes to fit any standard Schedule duct or conduit, and their expandable design allows them to fit virtually any other pipe you’re dealing with (including C900 / 905 water pipe). Call us to find the right Puller for your job, or call your distributor.
DCD Design introduced detectable rod in 2004 to permit contractors to trace underground conduit or pipe without digging. Detectable Duct Rodders are electrically conductive from end to end so that operators with standard pipe locating equipment can plug their transmitter into the Rodder’s junction box and use their locator to follow the signal transmitted down the rod.
Note: Because the Detectable Rod is conductive, it should NEVER be used in situations where live electrical current could be encountered. Take the proper precautions with your rod in an unknown duct!
Detectable Duct Rod is available in 5/16″ and 7/16″ diameters, in the same cages as our standard Rodders, in a range of lengths to suit your jobsite. Keep in mind that the measurable signal will degrade with distance and depth. The available lengths of Detectable Rodders reflects this. All the standard duct rod accessories will fit the Detectable Rod, making them even more useful.
The appropriate rod diameter is based upon several factors:
- the diameter of duct it is to be pushed through;
- the distance it is to be pushed;
- the number and tightness of the bends in the ducting.
As the rod is pushed through the ductwork, it will tend to deflect and form “sine waves” as it rests against the walls of the duct. Too small a rod diameter will have excessive contact and friction on the walls. Too large a diameter will see friction in the tighter bends. See our catalog pages for guidance.
DCD’s PowerGrips were featured in the July/August edition of Innovation magazine’s 2008/2009 Project Highlights! Innovation is the official publication of APEGBC, and showcases highlights in a yearly issue.
The larger Grips – for conductors up to 2000MCM (about 1-5/8″ diameter) – were developed in 2009 and load tested well past the Safe Working Load of the copper wire. One size body will now fit individual nuts for 1250, 1500, 1750 and 2000MCM conductor.
See the webpage for details of the PowerGrips in general, or call for specific information on the new, larger sizes. (They’re so new, they’re not even in the catalog yet!)
While we’re talking about Health & Safety issues, consider what’s involved with actually pulling the cable. In most cases, access is easy – lots of contractors will just use their truck to haul through the cable.
But when you’ve got an inaccessible room or vault, then what? Haul by hand and risk a back injury? Drag in the winch, set it up, etc? It could take two guys half an hour to set up, easily. Or put a guy off work with a back injury = worst case.
Why not just use the Tuf-Lugger cable puller? 6500lb maximum pull, easy to manoeuver, quick to set up, 120V power, reasonable price…
You won’t use it every day. But it will be well worth it on the days you do.
I was talking with a guy at Hartigan’s Power Conference in Denver, and drilled down to a few key points for the Tube-Lube 326 cable lubricant:
- My hands were grimy, so I dunked them in the Lube to wash them. Tube-Lube has an MSDS, but it’s virtually blank.
- Because it’s essentially inert, run-off and containment is vastly simplified.
- Safety officers don’t want a man down the hole while the cable is being pulled under tension – fair enough! DCD spray applicators come with a 20′ hose for “remote control”.
- The gallons required for a typical pull are a fraction of other lubricants; the guys upstairs save money!
- The active ingredients of Tube-Lube remain long after the water base has evaporated. Cables remain slick, without any residue to impede further work.
And that’s straight off the cuff. Environmentally friendly, health and safety advantages, easy application… what else do you need to know? Ask us. There’s more.
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