Surface Tooling

Surface tooling is usually defined as the handling and connection tools used at the rig floor to make/break rods and manage the string safely. Items are typically included such as hoisting plugs, water swivels, subs/adaptors, wrenches, and rod/casing handling accessories.

Because downtime is often created by small mismatches (thread type, size range, or lifting capacity). A complete, matched set is normally preferred to reduce risk and speed up rod handling.

A hoisting plug (also called a pull plug) is used to lift drill rods and casing by connecting the hoist line to the rod/casing thread. It is commonly treated as a basic necessity on any core drilling site.

The correct rod/casing size and thread type should be confirmed, and the pull capacity should be kept within a safe range for the job. Heavy-duty plug options with clearly stated capacities are commonly offered by major brands.