How to Buy Used Casing and Drilling Tooling
Tooling is where foundation contractors most often buy used, because it wears out predictably and a part-worn item at the right price is straightforwardly good value. It is also where compatibility mistakes are easiest to make: a casing tube with the wrong joint, or an auger with the wrong connection, is scrap metal to you regardless of its condition.
Establish compatibility first, then condition. In that order.
Compatibility comes before condition
For casing, the joint system is the deciding factor. Casing joints are not interchangeable between manufacturers, and a tube that will not mate with your existing string has no value to you no matter how little wear it carries. Establish the make, the joint type, the outer and inner diameter and the wall thickness.
For augers, buckets and core barrels, the connection to the kelly bar or drive head is the equivalent question. Confirm the connection type and size against your rig.
Ask for photographs of the joint or connection specifically, not just of the item as a whole. It is the detail that decides the purchase and the one most often left out of a listing.
Judging remaining life
On casing, wall thickness is the number that matters. Ask whether it has been measured and where, because wear is not even along a tube — the ends and the sections that saw the most rotation go first. A tube that measures well at the middle and thin at the joint is worth less than the average suggests.
On augers and buckets, teeth and holders are consumable and cheap relative to the body. Judge the body: check the flights for wear and deformation, the centre tube for straightness, and the welds where flights meet the tube.
On core barrels, the cutting structure dominates the price. Establish what is fitted and what condition it is in, since replacing a full set can approach the value of the barrel.
What to ask about repairs
Tooling is routinely repaired and that is normal. What matters is what was repaired and how. Hard-facing on flights is standard practice; a straightened centre tube is a different conversation.
Ask directly whether any item has been rewelded at a joint or connection, and treat an evasive answer as an answer.
Transport and quantity
Tooling is heavy and awkward, and freight can be a large fraction of the purchase price on a cross-border deal. Get the weights and dimensions early and price the movement before agreeing anything.
Buying a matched set from one seller is usually better value than assembling equivalent items from several, once freight is counted.
Inspection checklist
- Casing joint system confirmed against your existing string
- Auger and bucket connection type confirmed against your rig
- Photographs of the joint or connection specifically requested
- Wall thickness measurements requested, with the measurement locations
- Flights, centre tube and welds inspected on augers and buckets
- Cutting structure condition established on core barrels
- Repair history asked about directly, including rewelded joints
- Weights and dimensions obtained and freight priced
Frequently asked questions
Is used casing safe to buy?
Routinely, yes — it wears predictably and part-worn tubes at the right price are good value. The risk is compatibility rather than safety: joints are not interchangeable between manufacturers, so confirm the joint system against your existing string before anything else.
How do I judge how much life is left in a casing tube?
Wall thickness, measured at several points. Wear is uneven along a tube, and the ends and most-rotated sections go first, so ask where the measurements were taken rather than accepting a single figure.
Do worn teeth matter much on an auger?
Not greatly. Teeth and holders are consumable and inexpensive relative to the body. Judge the auger on its flights, centre tube straightness and the welds between them.
Browse casing & tooling on Piling Broker or read the other buyer’s guides.