Radius News: Fiber in San Antonio.

San Antonio is going to be the next city to get Google Fiber, and you know what that means: lots of construction jobs up for grabs. With 1.4 million residents in San Antonio, this will be the biggest Google Fiber city so far, and the company says it plans to “lay enough new fiber in the area to reach from here to Canada.”

Are you prepared?

Contractors on fiber jobs across the country are wrestling with very similar issues. Knowing your options is the first step to a successful project. Here’s your guide to the ideal tools for a successful fiber contract.

Radius Rock Bit

The all-around most versatile tool for drilling and steering in hard conditions including hard, compact soils, sandstone, softer shales and some granite. Depending on the conditions, the Radius rock bit can be effective in rock up to 15,000 – 20,000 psi. The integrated “pull-back” adapter and replaceable cutting teeth adds to the popularity and productiveness of this tool.

Radius Cobble Bit

Designed for loose rock and cobble conditions, this tool is also effective in compact soils and soft rock formations. While it does not steer as quickly as other HDD pilot tools, but it requires less course correction, which is important in loose / cobble rock.

Radius PDC Bit

The use of PDC pilot tools in HDD is proving very effective in certain ground conditions. But knowing where and how to employ this tool is critical. PDC bits perform very well in certain solid rock formations such as 8,000 to 24,000 psi, as the rock increases in quartz content the effectiveness begins to decline vs cost. PDC bits are not recommended for soil conditions or cobble.

Radius Steerable PDC

The new steerable PDC bit from Radius offers all the features of a PDC bit above but without requiring a bend sub to steer. This tool is ideal for smaller or shorter projects in PDC type conditions that have tight entry and exit requirements. The popular Radius “pull-back” adapter feature on this tool, makes it ideal for fiber or other “pilot hole only” projects.

Radius Tricones

No question tricones are very effective pilot tools if used properly and in the right conditions. Radius offers a complete selection of new and re-run tricone bits. (nope, they are not from china) Mill tooth bits are a cost effective option and perform well in hard conditions. TCI (Tungsten Carbide Insert) bits are designed for cutting a wide variety of hard rock. Tricones are a popular option for mud-motor and AT rigs, but require a bent sub behind the sonde housing to offer any kind of steering.

Radius Single Roller Cone Bit

Utilizing one segment of a tricone bit, the Single Roller Cone bit performs well in a couple different conditions. In cobble it is an effective tool for cutting, shifting and navigating through loose rock. The bearing and cone design reduce steering capabilities, but again, in cobble, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Secondly, the cone can be very effective in cutting hard, solid rock. Radius cones are IADC rated for rock between 18,000 to 28,000 psi.

Radius Glacier Bit

This tool continues to be effective in glacial till and loose rock and cobble. Somewhat slower to steer than other bits, it is a cost effective way to bore through small to medium size cobble.

Get your tools in order now, replace what’s broken, and upgrade where you need to – before Google finishes mapping out exactly where to build and starts hiring people to lay the fiber.