Model of "Rapid" hand boring plant

Model (scale 1:10) of "Rapid" hand boring plant to depths of 900 to 1000 ft.

With this type of hand operated percussive boring plant - using percussive force to break rocks, oil field boreholes could be sunk through rock to up to 600 metres deep, at a rate of 12 metres per day. Cutting was done by rapid short-stroke blows - 250 every minute - and the rock debris was removed by a current of water brought down through the hollow drill rods, which was quicker than removing the rods from the borehole periodically and inserting a sand pump able to cope with solids.