# Bullet Mole



## gear junkie

Any thoughts? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifNK-jq93K4


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## Gettinit

I would buy one if the trenchers that I rent didn't already have boring attachments.


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## dclarke

looks pretty cool. any idea on price ?


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## Gettinit

Milwaukee made or makes bits and shafts with spline or SDS ends. They blow. You need crescent wrenches to take them apart. They blow. They will not penetrate very fast either. Did I mention that they blow? :laughing:


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## deerslayer

Looks like the tool to have next time I have to do a water line by hand. Dig a spot hole every 30' and mole in between!

How much$$


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## Will

Doesn't seem half bad. Wonder how long the thing will last with a 20 lbs sledge beating on it 24-7? Also I highly doubt it will be easy to pull that thing out after you have bored a hole through.


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## Best Darn Sewer

I would definitely buy one if the price was right. If all they claim is true it is pretty impressive. Thank you for the post.


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## Gettinit

Will said:


> Doesn't seem half bad. Wonder how long the thing will last with a 20 lbs sledge beating on it 24-7? Also I highly doubt it will be easy to pull that thing out after you have bored a hole through.


With the head being larger I think it would come out OK.


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## gear junkie

$1450. The guys are fairly close to me. Saw a used one in for sale at HD supply but was so wrecked the cost of the shafts would just have me buy new. The company was very suprisd when I told them how messed up it was. Talking to HD, it was rented 25 times. The points did look brand new...no deformation. However we don't have a lot of rocks in my area.


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## plbgbiz

They work great. Some models have a reverse. After hammering its way forward to a ditch it can be switched to reverse and hammer its way back pulling pipe with it.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB

I used to use them back in the day to do water services. The one I used had reverse and worked great.


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## SewerRat

Best Darn Sewer said:


> If


Most important word in your post.


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## Best Darn Sewer

SewerRat said:


> Most important word in your post.


Haha. Yup. $1450 ain't bad IF its as good as guys on here are saying.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB

The one I used to use had a fwd/reverse control at the compressor. It worked great. 

Last year I rented one for a water service and it was a different type. Instead of the control for fwd and reverse you were supposed to just twist the hose and it would spin at the mole and change direction that way. Not sure if it was crappy rented equipment or the design of it but it didn't work at all. It made the job a nightmare and I ended up not being able to use the mole at all.. I had to dig it instead.


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## gear junkie

plbgbiz said:


> They work great. Some models have a reverse. After hammering its way forward to a ditch it can be switched to reverse and hammer its way back pulling pipe with it.


Take another look. This is all lowtech manual. What device are you talking about?


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## Gettinit

gear junkie said:


> Take another look. This is all lowtech manual. What device are you talking about?


If I was betting, he is talking about a large bullet looking head attached to a large compressor that you haul around on its own trailer. The larger rental companies rent them out. Very expensive.


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## Gettinit

I couldn't find a descent link or picture of the ones I have used.


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## bulldozer

We own a couple of vermeers. 4 inch and 6 inch. They are very versatile tools in the right conditions. Biggest thing is guys don't use the lubricant oil which keeps the hammerhead cool. Our pneumatic pipe bursting unit is basically the same set up. We have successfully shot up to 100 ft. With our moles.


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## Gettinit

bulldozer said:


> We own a couple of vermeers. 4 inch and 6 inch. They are very versatile tools in the right conditions. Biggest thing is guys don't use the lubricant oil which keeps the hammerhead cool. Our pneumatic pipe bursting unit is basically the same set up. We have successfully shot up to 100 ft. With our moles.


You are a brave man. Too many rocks to be deflected off of for use here IMO.


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## bulldozer

Thing with a mole is the harder the ground the better they work and stay on course. If you have soft fill they won't shoot nearly as well. They will hammer small rocks but not boulders.


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## deerslayer

bulldozer said:


> Thing with a mole is the harder the ground the better they work and stay on course. If you have soft fill they won't shoot nearly as well. They will hammer small rocks but not boulders.


Just like driving fenceposts with a tractor. I am amazed every time we drive a post at the farm, the soil is almost solid flatrock and the tractor will beat a post right on in breaking the rocks. I am talking an 8 or 10" diameter post driven 3 or 4 ft deep, no point on the post just a flat bottom and beat the H out of it.


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