Definition

1. Noun:
   • A carbon steel rod: A drill rod is a specific type of carbon steel rod, characterized by its strength and durability.
   • Tool component for drilling and fastening: It is primarily used as a component in rock drills or as a dowel (a pin for securing parts together).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The miner replaced the worn drill rod before continuing.
  • Drill rods must be made of high-quality carbon steel to withstand the pressure.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Specification: In engineering contexts, "drill rod" often refers to a specific grade of steel (like O1 or A2 tool steel) known for its hardness and ability to hold a sharp edge, used not only for drilling but also for making punches, taps, and other tools.
  • The machinist selected an O1 drill rod to fabricate a custom punch.

Variants and Related Words

• Drill steel: A near-synonymous term, often used interchangeably in mining and construction for the rods used in percussive drilling.
• Doweling: The process of using rods, which can be drill rods, for joining wood or other materials.

Synonyms

• Rock drill steel
• Drill stem (though this can refer to a larger assembly in oil drilling)

Related Phrases

• Rod string: In deep drilling, multiple drill rods are connected to form a "string."
  • They added another section to the drill rod string to reach greater depth.

Noun

1. carbon steel used for rock drills and dowels