LaValley Industries’ new Tonghand exit-side wrench attachment provides horizontal directional drillers with a safer, more efficient way to torque up and break pipe joints, reamers and subs.

The safety factor was a major element of the design process, according to Jason LaValley, president of LaValley Industries and inventor of the Tonghand. “My goal in developing this new exit-side wrench was exactly the same as in developing our original pipe-handling product, the Deckhand,” he says. “I wanted a better and safer way to get the job done.”

The TONGHANDonghand hydraulic attachment’s patented rotation arms, gullwing design and integral TongVise are controlled by a single operator inside the safety and comfort of any 30-ton excavator. An in-cab display allows the operator to monitor and adjust all functions of Tonghand operation, including the specified torque value. The Tonghand works with pipe tool joints ranging in size from 6.5 to 10 inches.

The rotation arms allow the operator to thread and unthread drill pipe connections with precision. At the same time, the gullwing design makes it easy for the operator to move the arms out of the way to make and break reamers.

The 120,000 foot-pound torque capability on its patented vise and the precision pipe control design allow workers to remain safely away from drilling components while breaking joints, loading and unloading drill string components, and positioning drill rod throughout the job site.

“We designed it to be very versatile,” LaValley says. “It can work as a pipe handler for the precise placement of drill rod on rigs, racks or trucks. In fact, that flexibility, strength and precision have earned it the nickname ‘Rig on a Stick.’”

For more information, go to www.lavalleyindustries.com.