Drilling Machines for Quarrying, Mining and Construction
Twelve machines that hold a drill, push it into the rock and keep the hole straight: rail-mounted line drills, column drills for diamond wire and blasting, anchor units, self-propelled crawlers, an excavator attachment and a core drill. Holes from 32 to 102 mm, depths to 30 m, vertical, horizontal or at any angle.
- Air, hydraulic, diesel or electric, to match the power the site has
- CE marked to Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
- In Ankara since 1991, parts and service from the maker
2 models · 32-45 mm holesLine Drilling MachinesRail-mounted columns that drill a row of parallel holes along a block face, so the block parts where you want it to.TIGERLINE · TIGERLINE II 
4 models · 76-102 mm · to 30 mColumn DTH DrillsThe quarry workhorse: large-diameter holes for diamond wire and for blasting, vertical, horizontal or angled.TIGERDRILL · HYDRODRILL · HORDRILL · MOBILDRILL 
2 models · air only, 7 barAnchor and Foundation DrillsRock bolting, ground anchors, slope work and foundation holes on sites that have compressed air and nothing else.SMARTROOF · SMARTROOF-MOBILE 
3 models · diesel, electric, excavatorRigs With Their Own Power PackSelf-propelled crawlers and an excavator attachment that bring their own engine and hydraulics to the hole.SMART DRILL DIESEL · SMART DRILL ELECTRIC · HPDC 1600 
1 model · Ø45 mm core to 25 mCore DrillingTakes a core sample so you know the stone, the vein structure and the reserve before you commit to the site.TIGER EXPLORER A drilling machine is a feed system, not a hammer
The hole is made by the hammer. Every machine on this page is the structure that holds that hammer, pushes it into the rock at a controlled rate and keeps it straight. Once you separate the two, the choice becomes simple: the hole you need decides the hammer, and the site decides the machine.
Top hammer or down-the-hole
A top hammer strikes at the surface and sends the blow down the rod, which works well to about 32-45 mm and 10 m before too much energy is lost. A DTH hammer sits at the bottom of the hole and strikes the bit directly, which is how a 76-102 mm hole stays straight for 25-30 m. Several machines here take either one.
Feed is what keeps the hole straight
All the column machines use chain feed with the speed adjustable from the control stand, so the feed rate can be matched to the rock instead of forced. Feed stroke runs from 1,100 mm on the compact column drills to 2,900 mm on the line drills. A hole that wanders is a hole drilled twice.
The mounting decides where you can drill
Every machine here drills vertical, horizontal and angled holes, but how it is carried decides how fast you get to the next one: a rail for line drilling, a skid column for a fixed bench, a wheeled chassis for a working face, rubber crawlers for rough ground, or an excavator boom when the carrier is already on site.
Power source is a site constraint, not a preference
Air-only machines need nothing but a compressor, which is why they dominate in quarries and underground. Hydraulic drive buys more rotation torque for hard rock. Diesel and electric rigs carry their own power where there is no air network. Match the machine to what the site already has.
Which machine for which hole
Start from the job, not the model name. Everything below is drawn from the published figures on each product page.
| What you are drilling | Hole | Depth | Machine |
|---|---|---|---|
| A line of parallel holes along a block face, for wire sawing or splitting | 32-45 mm | to 10 m | TIGERLINE, TIGERLINE II |
| Vertical wire-saw entry holes in marble or granite | 76-102 mm | 25-30 m | TIGERDRILL, HYDRODRILL, MOBILDRILL |
| The horizontal hole that has to meet the vertical one | 76-102 mm | 25-30 m | HORDRILL |
| Blast holes in open-pit and underground mining | 76-102 mm | 25-30 m | TIGERDRILL, HYDRODRILL, SMART DRILL |
| Rock bolts, ground anchors, slope stabilisation, foundation holes | 76-102 mm or 32-45 mm | 25-30 m / 10 m | SMARTROOF, SMARTROOF-MOBILE |
| Drilling from an excavator boom, including sidewall and overhead | 76-102 mm or 32-45 mm | 25-30 m / 10 m | HPDC 1600 |
| Core sampling to prove a reserve before opening a site | Ø45 mm core (Ø38 mm on SMART DRILL) | 15-25 m (to 40 m on SMART DRILL) | TIGER EXPLORER, SMART DRILL |
| Many holes in different places, with no crane to reposition the machine | - | - | MOBILDRILL, SMARTROOF-MOBILE, SMART DRILL |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column. The machine name stays in place.
Not sure which row you are in? Send us the hole - diameter, depth, direction and the rock - and we will name the machine before you read any further.
Ask us which machineLine Drilling Machines
Line drilling is how a block is separated from the face when wire sawing alone will not do it: a row of 32-45 mm holes drilled close together along a line, so the rock parts where it is told to. Both machines run a pneumatic top hammer on a chain feed travelling along a rail, with the feed speed set from a steerable control stand and central lubrication throughout. The difference is one column or two, and therefore one drilling gun or two. Both accept YT24, YT28, MP90 and MP100 guns; feed stroke 2,100-2,900 mm at 7 bar.
Tell us the bench height, the hole spacing you cut to and how many metres a shift you need and we will say whether one column is enough or you want the twin. Get a line drill quoted →
Column DTH Drills
These drill the 76-102 mm holes that diamond wire is threaded through, and the blast holes in mining. A rotation motor turns the rod while a down-the-hole hammer strikes at the bottom of the hole, which is what holds a 25-30 m hole on line. All four take a DTH hammer; the differences are what drives the rotation and how the machine gets to the next hole. TIGERDRILL is air only and light enough to carry in pieces. HYDRODRILL adds a wheeled hydraulic power unit and lifts rotation torque from 430 to 450-680 Nm. HORDRILL is purpose-built for horizontal holes on a wheeled chassis. MOBILDRILL is the wheeled all-rounder that also takes a top hammer for 32-45 mm work.
Tell us the hole diameter, the depth, whether it is vertical or horizontal and what the compressor can deliver and we will narrow these four down to one. Get a column drill quoted →
Anchor and Foundation Drills
Built for engineering and construction rather than quarrying: rock bolts, ground anchors, slope stabilisation and foundation holes. Both run entirely on 7 bar compressed air with no hydraulic or electrical supply at the machine, both use a 1,700 mm chain feed, and both take either a DTH hammer for 76-102 mm or a top hammer for 32-45 mm. SMARTROOF is the fixed frame; SMARTROOF-MOBILE is the same drilling unit on a wheeled base, for sites where the holes are spread out and there is nothing to lift the machine with.
Tell us the anchor or bolt length, the hole diameter and how far apart the holes sit and we will say which unit and whether the wheeled base earns its cost on your site. Get an anchor drill quoted →
Rigs With Their Own Power Pack
When the site has no compressor network, or the drilling has to move itself between holes, the machine brings its own engine. The two SMART DRILL rigs are self-propelled on rubber tracks and take a coring head, a DTH hammer or a top hammer without modification: the diesel runs a 28 HP (21 kW) engine, the electric a 15 kW motor from a 380 V supply, both at 200-250 bar hydraulic pressure. The HPDC 1600 applies the same idea to a machine you already own, mounting a hydro-pneumatic drill with its own 23.9 HP diesel power pack on an excavator boom, so the carrier does the positioning.
Tell us what power the site has, how far the rig travels between holes and whether an excavator is already there and we will say diesel, electric or boom-mounted. Get a rig quoted →
Core Drilling
Before a site is bought or opened, somebody has to know what is under the surface. The EXPLORER is a fully hydraulic core drilling machine taking Ø45 mm cores to 15-25 m, on a column that rotates through 360 degrees and sets its angle through a telescopic pipe. It is built in five parts on a towable chassis with a standard coupling and drawbar, so a vehicle moves it between sample points. If you would rather one machine sampled and then drilled production holes, the SMART DRILL crawlers core to 40 m at Ø38 mm.
What the EXPLORER gives you
A fully hydraulic core rig built in five parts on a towable chassis, so one vehicle moves it between sample points.
- Core diameter Ø45 mm
- Coring depth 15-25 m
- Rod length 1,500 mm
- Engine 23 hp petrol, fully hydraulic drive
- Column rotates 360 degrees, angle set on a telescopic pipe
- Weight 485 kg, 520 kg with storage
Need to sample and then drill production holes with one machine? The SMART DRILL crawlers core to 40 m at Ø38 mm.
Tell us the core diameter and depth you need and the ground you are sampling and we will quote the EXPLORER or a SMART DRILL with a coring head. Get a core drill quoted →
All twelve machines compared
Published figures from the product pages. Hole diameter and depth depend on which hammer is fitted, so both configurations are shown where a machine takes either.
Open the full comparison of all twelve machines
| Machine | Power | Mounting | Hole diameter | Max depth | Feed stroke | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line drilling | ||||||
| TIGERLINE | Air, 7 bar | Rail, single column | 32-45 mm top hammer | 10 m | 2,100-2,900 mm | 150 kg excl. rock drill |
| TIGERLINE II | Air, 7 bar | Rail, twin column | 32-45 mm top hammer | 10 m | 2,100-2,900 mm | 415 kg excl. rock drills |
| Column DTH drills | ||||||
| TIGERDRILL | Air, 7 bar | Column, 250 cm | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer | 25-30 m · 10 m | 1,100-1,600 mm | 125 kg |
| HYDRODRILL | Hydraulic 100-150 bar, air 7 bar | Column plus wheeled power unit | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer | 25-30 m · 10 m | 1,100-1,600 mm | 210 kg column, 200 kg power unit |
| HORDRILL | Air, 7 bar | Wheeled chassis, horizontal | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer | 25-30 m · 10 m | 1,600-2,200 mm | 240 kg |
| MOBILDRILL | Air, 7 bar | Wheeled chassis | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer | 25-30 m · 10 m | 1,100-1,600 mm | 360 kg DTH, 240 kg top hammer |
| Anchor and foundation | ||||||
| SMARTROOF | Air, 7 bar | Fixed frame | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer | 25-30 m · 10 m | 1,700 mm | 360 kg excl. DTH hammer |
| SMARTROOF-MOBILE | Air, 7 bar | Wheeled base | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer | 25-30 m · 10 m | 1,700 mm | 360 kg excl. DTH hammer |
| Rigs with their own power pack | ||||||
| SMART DRILL DIESEL | Diesel 28 HP (21 kW) | Self-propelled rubber crawler | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer · Ø38 mm core | 25-30 m · 10 m · 40 m coring | 1,600 mm | 1,580 kg |
| SMART DRILL ELECTRIC | Electric 20 HP (15 kW), 380 V | Self-propelled rubber crawler | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer · Ø38 mm core | 25-30 m · 10 m · 40 m coring | 1,600 mm | 1,580 kg |
| HPDC 1600 | Diesel 23.9 HP (17.6 kW), 210 bar | Excavator boom attachment | 76-102 mm DTH · 32-45 mm top hammer | 25-30 m · 10 m | 1,600 mm | 2,950 kg |
| Core drilling | ||||||
| TIGER EXPLORER | Petrol 23 HP, fully hydraulic | Towable chassis, 360 degree column | Ø45 mm core | 15-25 m | 1,500 mm rod | 485 kg (520 kg with storage) |
Penetration rate on the DTH configuration is 40-50 cm/min in marble and 25-35 cm/min in granite; on the top hammer configuration 50-70 cm/min in marble and 35-50 cm/min in granite. DTH rotation is 83 rpm at 430 Nm on the pneumatic machines, 105-160 rpm at 450-680 Nm on HYDRODRILL and 315-350 rpm at 250-300 Nm on the hydraulic crawler rigs. Top hammer impact frequency is 1,620-2,000 BPM with a 22 × 108 mm shank. Air connection is Camlock 1½ inch on the column and line drills.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column. The machine name stays in place.
How to choose
Four questions, in this order. Answer them and the machine is usually decided before you look at a single model name.
1. What diameter is the hole?
76-102 mm means a down-the-hole hammer, and that rules out the line drills. 32-45 mm means a top hammer, which every machine here can carry except the EXPLORER. If you need both sizes on the same site, MOBILDRILL, SMARTROOF, HPDC 1600 and the SMART DRILL rigs change over without modification.
2. What power does the site have?
Compressed air alone: TIGERDRILL, HORDRILL, MOBILDRILL, SMARTROOF, both line drills. A hydraulic power unit for more rotation torque in hard rock: HYDRODRILL. Nothing at all: the SMART DRILL crawlers carry a 28 HP diesel or a 15 kW electric motor. An excavator already on site: HPDC 1600 uses the boom and brings its own power pack.
3. How often does it move?
One bench, many holes in a line: a rail-mounted line drill. A fixed position for a day: a skid column. A face you work along: a wheeled chassis, which one person can reposition. Broken ground and long distances between holes: rubber crawlers. The repositioning time, not the penetration rate, is usually what decides daily metres.
4. Is the compressor big enough?
Published air consumption is 4.2 m³/min for the column and anchor drills and 5-10 m³/min for the line drills, at 7 bar. Allow at least 5 m³/min of supply per machine and add a margin for line losses. If several machines run at once, add the figures together before you size the compressor, not after.
Wire-saw quarrying needs two machines, not one
A block is freed by a vertical hole and a horizontal hole that have to meet, exactly, 25-30 m in. That is a column DTH drill plus a HORDRILL, with a line drill for the separation cuts. Tell us the bench height and block size and we will tell you which pair, and what the compressor has to cover.
Answer those four and send them over. We come back with the machine, the hammer that fits it, the compressor it needs and the price.
Send my four answersWhere these machines are working
Three sites we can talk about, each one a different machine answering a different constraint.
Metro construction, BulgariaTunnel and shaft wall stabilisationAnchor holes had to keep pace with the tunnel boring machines, in spaces too narrow to position a large rig. MOBILDRILL went in because it is wheeled, air-driven and safe to work on steep ground.Read the case study 
Marble producer, DenizliProving a new quarry before opening itCore drilling in forested, uneven ground to establish vein structure, durability and reserve. The crawler base gave a stable setup in confined clearings without preparing the site first.Read the case study 
New operator, Gulf regionA granite quarry started from nothingA company entering the granite market with no quarrying experience. Equipment, layout and production method were specified together rather than bought piece by piece.Read the case study Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a top hammer and a DTH drilling machine?
On a top hammer machine the percussion unit sits at the top of the rod and the blow travels down to the bit, so energy is lost with depth: the practical limit is about 32-45 mm diameter and 10 m. On a DTH machine the hammer is at the bottom of the hole and strikes the bit directly, so a 76-102 mm hole holds its line for 25-30 m. Most machines on this page take either, by changing the head.
Which machine do I need for diamond wire cutting?
Two holes have to meet at depth, one vertical and one horizontal. The vertical hole is drilled by TIGERDRILL, HYDRODRILL or MOBILDRILL and the horizontal one by HORDRILL, all at 76-102 mm to 25-30 m. A line drill is then used for the separation cuts that free the block.
How big a compressor do I need?
Published consumption is 4.2 m³/min for the column and anchor drills and 5-10 m³/min for the line drills, both at 7 bar working pressure. Allow a minimum supply of 5 m³/min per machine, add the figures together if more than one machine runs at the same time, and leave a margin for losses along the line.
Can these machines drill horizontally and at an angle?
Yes. Every machine listed here drills vertical, horizontal and angled holes. HORDRILL is purpose-built for horizontal drilling on a wheeled chassis, and the HPDC 1600 on an excavator boom reaches sidewall and overhead positions that a ground-standing column cannot.
What is a line drilling machine used for?
It drills a row of closely spaced 32-45 mm holes along a line on the quarry face, so the block separates along that line when it is split or wire sawn. TIGERLINE runs one drilling gun on a single column, TIGERLINE II runs one on each of two columns for roughly double the rate.
Which machine is used for rock bolting and anchoring?
SMARTROOF and SMARTROOF-MOBILE are built for it: anchor, rock bolt and foundation holes at 76-102 mm with a DTH hammer or 32-45 mm with a top hammer, running on compressed air alone. MOBILDRILL is used for the same work where the holes are spread out, as on the metro tunnel project above.
Do the machines come with the rock drill or DTH hammer?
The drilling machine and the hammer are specified separately, because the hammer depends on the hole you are drilling. The line drills take YT24, YT28, MP90 and MP100 pneumatic guns; the column drills take a DTH hammer sized to the hole. Tell us the hole and we will quote the machine and the hammer together.
Can I use a drilling machine for core sampling?
The TIGER EXPLORER is the dedicated core drill, taking Ø45 mm cores to 15-25 m. The SMART DRILL crawler rigs also take a coring head, reaching 40 m at Ø38 mm, which is the option to look at if the same machine will later drill production holes.
Are these machines certified?
Every machine on this page carries the CE mark and is built to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC; the SMART DRILL ELECTRIC additionally meets the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU. Production is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Where a site requires equipment for a classified explosive atmosphere, ask us before ordering, because that depends on the configuration.
What spare parts and support are available?
Machines are manufactured in-house in Ankara, so spare parts, wear items and service come from the maker rather than a distributor. Serial numbers are recorded against the buyer, and drill rods, bits and hammers are supplied from the same source.
Related categories
Tell us the hole, not the machine
Diameter, depth, direction, the rock you are drilling and what power the site has. We come back with the machine, the hammer to fit it, the compressor it needs and the price. If you are setting up a quarry rather than replacing one machine, say so and we will specify the set together.