Safety, stability and regular inspections

The wood inspection drills are designed to identify structural soundness by using advanced resistance technology. This method is adaptable for all trades conducting wood inspections. Besides common industries using inspection drills to focus on inspecting utility poles, trees and bridges, we’ve also seen a variety of uses including inspections on totem poles, wooden playground equipment, historic homes, monuments, pilings, supporting piers/docks, boat houses and many more.

The inspection drill captures resistance data that illuminates early stages of decay or cavity found inside the wood. The drill identifies decay by measuring the resistance of the wood against a 1/10” bit to detect areas of low density. This data helps the inspector note areas for further investigation. Wood inspectors utilize the inspection drill to help increase safety and prevent unnecessary removal of healthy wood by taking the extra step to provide interpretive data on the internal state of the wood. The drills can be used on varying types of wood densities and products.

A waterproof PD-Series is available and fully submergible for wood products located underwater. This drill is designed with the inspection portion submerged and the electronic component above the surface. Engineers that inspect docks and pilings have rented or purchased the underwater unit to investigate wood below the surface.

The measurement methods of our test instruments are scientifically proven. Scientists and specialists recommend them as objective and reliable examination methods.

Our Product Capabilities:

  • Detect rot in various stages & collects data
  • Recognize compressed separation zones
  • Locate ring shakes, cracks, and cavities
  • Analyze the growth of annual rings
  • Detect wood decay
  • Evaluate the wood quality

Frequently asked questions about Playground Inspection

Yes, you can take the information from PD/F Tools or WoodInspector and utilize it in your GIS or other related software.

The wood inspection drill measures the force of the needle turning through the wood product. For example, when the bit hits any soft decay the force on the graph will drop and if the needle hits a hard, brittle decay the graph will spike. If the bit runs through a cavity area the graph will drop measuring no resistance for the bit. The measurements are then collected on either a wax paper strip (F-Series) or electronically recorded for an instant upload (PD-Series).

With the F-Series drill the measurements are recorded on a wax paper strip. Typically users scan the wax paper strip into their report reinforcing their assessment of the wood. The PD-Series drill records the measurements automatically in digital form and can instantly upload these results to your computer via Bluetooth or USB cable. Software is available for your computer to analyze and organize your collected results.

Our Testing Systems
for General Inspection


Specialist article about general inspection