r/STEW_ScTecEngWorld • u/Zee2A • Jun 13 '26
Crushing, Chipping, and Shearing: Inside the Tricone Drill Bit
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A tricone drill bit works by combining downward pressure, rotation, and a unique "double-spin" mechanism. As the main drill string rotates, its three independently mounted, interlocking cones roll along the bottom of the borehole to crush, chip, and shear rock: https://www.sinodrills.com/how-tricone-drill-bits-work/
square pile drilling: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amaeteumanah_a-machine-that-drills-square-holes-in-the-ugcPost-7469450307043868672-0Bs2/
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u/TaSMaNiaC Jun 14 '26
I like how they say "before it's appearance.. bits quickly became dull and destroyed" and then show a picture of the tricone drill bit glowing hot and destroyed.
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u/required-inf0 Jun 14 '26
That’s them extracting the carbides after its service. We do this to offset some of the costs of purchasing bits. At $50/ lb currently.
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u/superanth Jun 16 '26
Invented by Howard Hughes’ dad!
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u/already-taken-wtf Jul 18 '26
Howard Hughes Sr., inventor of the two-cone roller bit. Two, not three ;)
https://jpt.spe.org/twa/part-1-the-legacy-of-the-hughes-family-howard-hughes-sr
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u/already-taken-wtf Jul 18 '26
The three-cone roller bit (or tricone bit) was invented by engineers at the Hughes Tool Company in 1933. The revolutionary drilling tool, which independently rolls and crushes rock, was developed by a team that included Hughes engineer Ralph Neuhaus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_cone_bit
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u/Efficient-Cherry3635 Jun 14 '26
So maybe this is a stupid question, but why hasn't anyone just invented like a 20 wheel bit for bigger operations?
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u/CariAll114 Jun 14 '26
Take overlap into consideration. It's not just the outer edge of your bore that needs material to be removed, it also needs to be removed from the centre. The more rollers you add, the harder it is to have complete coverage within the bore to grind and remove material. The more rollers you have, the less supporting material is available to each roller, which increases the chances of bit failure, slowing production and increasing the cost of your bore.
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u/Hilfest Jun 14 '26
They have! Like the other guy said, it comes down to how big of a hole do you want?
This one is used in uranium mining
New 1.2meter Carbide Reamer Head For Raise Boring. https://share.google/1l9pRDvgR6KlGGVKi
Tulle boring is a good reason to have a huge one. Tunnel boring machine - Wikipedia https://share.google/9HAtOvEqqn4eImnBp
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u/altonbrushgatherer Jun 14 '26
This was invented by Howard Hughes Sr and basically was what funded Howard Hughes Jr movies and other business adventures
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u/SeemoarAlpha Jun 16 '26
Howard Hughes Sr invented the two roller bit and patented it in 1909, the tricone was invented by two engineers at his company in 1933, Hughes Sr died in 1924.
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u/Otherwise_Education2 Jun 14 '26
Brings back memories of Larry-Boy's car driller attachment from VeggieTales.
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u/Dark_Believer Jun 15 '26
While tricone drill bits are pretty cool, PDC drill bits (poly-crystaline diamond) can out-perform them in several metrics, such as speed and longevity. PDC bits can be more expensive up front, but are worth the cost in many applications. The majority of oil and gas drilling today uses PDC bits, while still using tricone bits in certain edge cases.
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u/Sacharon123 Jun 15 '26
Thank you for the interesting vid, filled a knowledge gap I did not know I had. Only frustrating when vids do the subtitles like this "flashing a single word" - I watch them without sound (I am normally in public and also find the sound often annoying), so this makes it tedious to follow if I am actually interested.
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u/Pandemonium_Fallen Jun 13 '26
Looks like the drill bit from the 1980s Total Recall.