Real-World Drilling

Field tests with several Bay Area contractors at a variety of project locations have helped Rempel and his team fine-tune the design. As part of the renovation of the BART Transbay Tube, workers for Shimmick Construction Co. Inc., Oakland, Calif., used the drill jig to help anchor 4.5 miles of 6-in. conduit along curved concrete surfaces as much as 35° off vertical.

"We saved a lot of time because the drill jig is so easy and convenient to use," says Shimmick's electrical superintendent, Charles Colley. "The operators got good at changing bits out, moving the press to the right position and starting drilling."

Mark Kasel, safety director for RM Harris Co. Inc., Martinez, Calif., notes that the drill jig allows one operator to do the work of three or four, and it does so with more accuracy. "Rather than trying to come close to the right location, we can now be exact," Kasel says.

Rempel plans to add refinements based on contractor feedback, and he is looking for a manufacturing partner. The research team, funded by the Center for Construction Research and Training, will continue testing the jig with multiple drills and minimizing the setup requirements.

Kasel is already impressed with what the drill jig has to offer. "We were involved with some of the early tests when the drill vibrations broke the jigs," he explains. "It really showed just how much abuse the human body takes handling and operating these tools."