Drill oil.
Rock drill oil, DTH hammer oil, air tool lubricants and thread compound — graded for your air, your formation and your season.
Lubrication is the cheapest insurance on a drill string. A down-hole hammer that runs dry — or runs the wrong grade — scores its piston, loses blow energy and comes back to the shop for a rebuild that costs many times the oil it skipped.
Republic Drill Co. stocks rock drill oil, DTH hammer oil, in-line air tool lubricants, thread compound and rig greases alongside our drill pipe and bit programs, so the consumables show up on the same truck as the steel.
Send your hammer model, air package and monthly hours — we will size the grade and the volume so you never run out mid-hole.
Oils, greases and compounds for the whole rig
- Rock drill oil
- Tacky, high-film-strength lubricant for down-hole hammers, drifters and pneumatic rock drills. Multiple viscosity grades for seasonal and high-CFM service.
- DTH hammer oil
- Formulated for high-pressure hammer service: anti-wear additives, water tolerance and wash-out resistance for deep, wet holes.
- Air tool & lubricator oil
- In-line lubricator oil for pneumatic tools, breakers, and compressor-fed air systems on the rig.
- Thread compound & dope
- Rod and pipe thread compounds that stop galling on API and Perforator connections, and keep joints breaking loose after a long run.
- Rig greases
- Chassis, mast and rotary head greases specified for shock load and washdown exposure.
- Drilling fluids & polymers
- Bentonite, polymers, foam and additives to round out the consumables side of a tooling program.
How to pick a grade
| Variable | What it drives |
|---|---|
| Air volume (CFM) | Injection rate and viscosity — more air strips more oil off the piston. |
| Air pressure (PSI) | Additive package and film strength; high-pressure hammers need heavier protection. |
| Ambient temperature | Grade selection. A summer grade in cold weather will not pump; a winter grade in heat thins out. |
| Hole conditions | Wet or water-injected holes call for higher water tolerance and emulsion resistance. |
| Site restrictions | Wellhead, watershed and permitted sites may require an environmentally acceptable lubricant. |
Drill oil questions we get weekly
What oil does a DTH hammer take?
Down-hole hammers run a dedicated rock drill oil — a tacky, high-film-strength lubricant that resists wash-out from the air stream and carries anti-wear additives for the piston and bit shank. Grade selection follows ambient temperature and air volume: lighter grades for cold weather and low CFM, heavier grades for hot conditions, high pressure and deep holes.
How much rock drill oil should I inject per hour?
Most hammer manufacturers publish an injection rate tied to air consumption — commonly on the order of one quart per hour per 100 to 200 CFM of air. Confirm the rate in your hammer manual, then verify at the bit: oil mist should be visible in the exhaust and the shank should stay wet.
Can I use hydraulic oil or motor oil instead?
No. Hydraulic and engine oils lack the tackiness agents that keep the film on the piston in a high-velocity air stream, and their additive packages are not built for water contamination. Substituting them is the fastest route to a scored piston and a premature hammer rebuild.
Do you stock biodegradable rock drill oil?
Yes — environmentally acceptable rock drill oils are available for water well, geothermal and environmentally sensitive sites where a conventional mineral oil is not permitted. Tell us the jurisdiction and the spec you have to meet and we will match it.
Do you ship oil by the pail, drum or tote?
Pails, 55-gallon drums and totes ship from our stocking hubs in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Connecticut. Stocked items ship next-day when ordered by 3PM CST.