Drillworx supplies a massive range of HDD tools and equipment needed for successful horizontal directional drilling projects. With over 2,265 HDD products in stock, we carry professional-grade tooling compatible with all major HDD rig manufacturers including Vermeer, Ditch Witch, and more.
Selecting the right HDD tooling is critical for project success. The soil dictates the tool - choosing a reamer or bit specifically designed for the predominant ground type on your bore is the key to efficiency and profitability. Our inventory of over 2,265 HDD products includes paddle reamers, barrel reamers, fly cutters, rock reamers, drill stem, locating equipment, and all the accessories contractors need to complete underground utility installations on schedule. What's shown on this page is just a sample - call us for our complete catalog.
Showing a small sample of our inventory. Our full HDD catalog includes over 2,265 products across backreamers, drill pipe, adapters, locating equipment, swivels, and accessories. Call for our complete catalog.
After drilling a pilot bore, backreamers enlarge the hole for product pullback. Selecting the right reamer type depends on soil conditions and project requirements. Using the wrong reamer can result in stuck tooling, collapsed boreholes, or excessive wear. We stock the complete range of reamer types for every ground condition.
Paddle reamers feature multiple flat blades radiating from a central body, designed specifically for soft, unstable soils like sand, loose loam, and reactive clay. The open blade design mixes drilling fluid with cuttings to create a supportive slurry that coats borehole walls, preventing collapse in loose sand and keeping sticky clay from swelling shut.
Pro Tip: In reactive clay, use a fluted paddle design to prevent clay balling. Always pair with high-viscosity bentonite for sand or clay inhibitors for reactive formations.
Barrel reamers are cylindrically shaped with a closed, solid body that provides high stability and even distribution of cutting forces. Rather than aggressively cutting, barrel reamers compact and stabilize the borehole by pressing loosened soil into the walls - highly effective in granular soils like sand, gravel, and other non-cohesive ground.
Pro Tip: Use barrel reamers for intermediate and final reaming passes after a fly cutter loosens material. Ideal for long, straight bores where maintaining a true, round borehole is critical.
Fly cutter reamers (also called spoked reamers) feature several radial arms with carbide-tipped cutting bits that aggressively cut and mix soil rather than compacting it. The open, spokes-and-blades design generates lower torque and less drag compared to full-body reamers, making them ideal for initial hole enlargement in tougher cohesive soils.
Pro Tip: Fly cutters excel at cutting through clay without balling up and can handle soft rock, tree roots, and mixed ground with varying density. Inspect arms and cutter bolts after each use.
Rock reamers are heavy-duty tools built to grind, cut, or crush solid rock formations during back-reaming. We stock both roller cone rock reamers (with multiple rotating tri-cone cutters) and PDC reamers (with fixed polycrystalline diamond compact cutting surfaces) for different rock types and formation hardness levels.
Tapered reamers gradually increase in diameter, providing controlled enlargement that cuts gradually and maintains stability through soil transitions. These tools are excellent for mixed layers and heterogeneous soils where gradual bore opening reduces sudden stress on the formation and drill string.
For challenging ground conditions, we offer specialty reamer configurations including two-stage assemblies, mixing reamers, compaction tools, and swabbing reamers designed for specific applications and ground conditions.
The drill stem is the backbone of an HDD operation, connecting the surface rig to downhole tools. HDD drill pipes are made from high-strength alloy steel (commonly API 5DP S-135 grade with 135,000 psi yield strength) and engineered to handle cyclic bending, torque, tension, and pumping of drilling fluid.
Accurate tracking of the bore path is essential in HDD. Sonde housings contain an electronic transmitter (sonde) that emits signals detected by a surface receiver to determine the tool's depth, orientation, and direction. We stock housings compatible with all major locating systems.
During pullback, an HDD swivel is the critical link between the rotating drill string and the stationary product pipe. Swivels transfer tensile load while isolating rotation, preventing torque damage to installed product. Proper selection and maintenance is vital for safe pullback.
Matching your HDD tooling to ground conditions is paramount for efficiency and avoiding problems. Use this guide based on soil investigation data and your drilling experience to select optimal tools.
Industry best practice recommends sizing your final reamer at minimum 1.5x the product pipe diameter to ensure adequate clearance for pullback. Larger sizing (up to 2x) may be needed in sticky or collapsing soils.
| Product Pipe Diameter | Minimum Reamer (1.5x) | Recommended for Problem Soils (2x) |
|---|---|---|
| 4" (100mm) | 6" (150mm) | 8" (200mm) |
| 6" (150mm) | 9" (230mm) | 12" (300mm) |
| 8" (200mm) | 12" (300mm) | 16" (400mm) |
| 12" (300mm) | 18" (450mm) | 24" (600mm) |
| 16" (400mm) | 24" (600mm) | 32" (800mm) |
| 24" (600mm) | 36" (900mm) | 48" (1200mm) |
Deep knowledge of HDD tooling for every formation type and rig configuration
One of the largest HDD tooling inventories available - reamers, drill stem, adapters, swivels, and accessories
Expert guidance on tool selection based on your soil conditions and project requirements
Multiple stocking locations for quick delivery when your project can't wait
With over 2,265 HDD products in stock, we carry far more than what's listed on this page. Talk to our HDD tooling specialists about your ground conditions and project requirements. We'll help you select the optimal tools for successful underground utility installation - because the soil dictates the tool, and choosing right the first time keeps your project on schedule and profitable.