"Wayne Cook" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 14:42:36 -0400, "gfulton"
wrote:



Ayup..being run from the PTO on the trucks engine (F300) at full
gallop, the rotary table banging around and the drill stem in the mast
singing in time, along with the returning air and cuttings from up out
of the hole...the compressor was barely noticable G

Gunner


Well, I'm a little confused here. Every rig I was on, they pumped
drilling
mud down the center of the pipe to flush out the cuttings. Big massive,
mean-looking mud pumps. Just wondering under what conditions they would
want to use compressed air instead of mud? I didn't work on the rigs,
just
a helo mech. killing time.


He was running a shot hole rig. In other words a little truck
mounted rig that didn't go real deep. I've heard of some water well
drillers who do the same. It keeps you from having to mess with the
mess of mud for quick and dirty holes.

The guy I was talking to was talking about the old rotary rigs where
they did use mud. But there's still plenty of air used as well for
controls and the like. They also used a Gardner Denver like mine with
the only exception being they had a oil pump and mine doesn't. He said
they run them straight off the crankshaft of those old diesel rigs.


Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm

Alright, that clears it up. Thanks Wayne. I do remember the big stacks of
50 lb. bags of the stuff they mixed the mud from. Compressed air would be
less trouble, I reckon. A lot less.
Garrett