History Made Every Day™

Sandhog Tech

The powerful "Mole" can tunnel through solid bedrock.

In the tunnels underneath New York, Sandhogs are responsible for every phase of mining and construction, and their work requires knowledge of and expertise with tools you will rarely see anywhere else.

JACKLEG

The jackleg drill is the defining tool for Sandhogs. It is a pneumatic drill with a hydraulic leg attached to it that allows for directional drilling. It is used on hard rock. The leg enables the Sandhog to drill at a number of angles. The length of the drill steel can vary from as little as two feet to as much as 16 feet long. The drill bits on the steel are made from highly tempered steel and need to be changed frequently. The jackleg drill with the leg attached weighs over 100 pounds. Operating one is like trying to ride a bucking horse. There is no better compliment in the tunnels then to be called a "good driller." It is truly a tool that separates the men from the boys.

SINKING HAMMER

A sinking hammer is a jackhammer drill used to sink holes straight down into bedrock. It is essentially the same tool as a jackleg without the hydraulic leg that enables directional drilling. Think you're a tough guy? Try spending a shift on one of these.

MUCK STICK

It's just an ordinary shovel, but it's a tool every Sandhog will spend a lot of their life using. The shovel head is tapered, which allows the Sandhog to dig deep into the muck found in the tunnels. The muck is a combination of rock, dirt, water, oil and other byproducts of the mining process. The old timers were known to stand over their mucking crews and yell, "Asses and elbows, lads, that's all I want to see." Pity the Sandhog that comes up with less than a full muck stick while digging—or "mucking."

SPUD WRENCH

The spud wrench has a crescent head and tapers down to a point. It is often used to beat and pry as much as to turn bolts. The head is fitted to the 3/4-inch size of the form bolts used to assemble the concrete forms. The tapered end is used to line up bolt holes. Most Sandhogs carry one on their belts.

DRIFT PIN

The drift pin is an eight-inch long tapered piece of steel that is used to line up holes in concrete forms. It is like a spud wrench without the head.

LUMP HAMMER

Essentially a mini-sledgehammer, the lump hammer is used to knock things into place or break them into pieces. There is not a lot of finesse work done with this tool.

SCALING BAR

This tool has probably saved more Sandhog lives than any other. It is a long metal pole—its length is usually determined by the diameter of the tunnel in which it is used—with a tapered point. It is used after a blast to scale (pry off) loose rock from the tunnel ceiling. This work is important, because if scaling is not done properly, that loose rock can fall and crush miners.

JUMBO

The jumbo drill is right out of a sci-fi movie. It has treads like a tank that enable it to navigate the uneven surface of the tunnels and is equipped with two high-speed hydraulic drill arms that can be operated together or separately. This machine is capable of boring holes into the hardest of rock at incredible speed. It's like a jackleg drill on steroids.

FLASHLIGHT

That's right, a flashlight. Would you want to be without one if you were 800 feet down and a mile or two into a tunnel when the lights go out? You may never be in a darker spot, and a flashlight can be a lifesaver.

SIDE CUTTER

The side cutter is a pair of wire snips. Number nine wire is to Sandhogs what duct tape is to the rest of the world. It's amazing what you can rig together or keep working with muscles and wire. But unlike duct tape, you can't cut wire with your teeth, so these handy snips make life a lot easier.