Guide to Drilling and Blasting Equipment

Determine your rock drilling equipment needs

Assess your business before searching for any drilling equipment manufacturers. What do you need the equipment for? Are you drilling a well or blasting for a mine? Does the location of your work limit the kind of equipment you can use? By pinpointing your requirements, you know exactly what you need and can start contacting drilling or blasting equipment suppliers that have the right products.

I recommend: If your needs are diverse, consider organizations like The Thomas Companies, which have several branches that specialize in different types of work. You can request a catalog of their products. Also, check out MiningUSA.com for companies and equipment you can access for drilling and blasting.

Anticipate what level of drilling and blasting equipment you can afford

Owning your own business means you're constantly calculating your costs, so you want to know what sorts of equipment and services you can afford. Providers of drilling and blasting equipment have many different fields of expertise and many kinds of machinery. Know which company to choose by knowing first exactly what you need for your job and how much you can spend.

I recommend: Get a head start by getting quotes from several companies, which will give you an idea about your costs. Contact Aggregates Equipment, Inc., or REV Drill for pricing information.

Save money by renting rock drilling equipment

Slash your expenses by renting equipment instead of buying it outright. If your drilling needs are limited or short-term, this is the way to go. You'll save money up front and avoid worrying about storing machinery you hardly ever use.

I recommend: Rental Site can help you search for what you need. Caterpillar has a special "Build and Quote" application that lets you configure your own machine and get a price quote.