Ditch Witch of Central and South Florida recently hosted a daylong horizontal directional drilling training workshop.

The workshop was designed to educate directional drillers on all aspects of the job.

Jim Mabrey and Tom Tibor, field sales and service representatives from Barold Drilling Fluids, delivered an extensive lecture and demonstration on the use of mud. Their presentation covered the types of soils encountered around the state and the various products and application techniques necessary to have a successful job. He also presented a unique trouble shooting method for directional drillers called “The Square.”

A seminar also was held featuring drill pipe and down hole tools. This placed an emphasis on the use, care and maintenance of the drill pipe used in directional drilling equipment.

There also was a demonstration of Ditch Witch’s new line of pipe bursting equipment. A PR50 was on display and was demonstrated on several different types of pipe.

Ditch Witch makes three models with pull back forces of 99,000, 143,000 and 187,000 lbs. The units come as a complete package with the pull back unit, a rod make-up device, power pack and hydraulic system.

The school was held at the company’s Leesburg office.

Kent Stevenson is general manager of Ditch Witch of Central & South Florida, which represents the Ditch Witch line of trenchers, vibratory plows, directional drilling machines, mini-excavators, excavator-tool carriers, mini-skid steers, trailers and the pipe bursting equipment.