Clint was happy with one drill, but the phone kept ringing.
Horizontal Directional Drilling has given Iowa based HDD Contractor Clint Pickering the American dream.
He spent nearly two decades working for other drilling contractors around the US, learning the trade and cutting his teeth before founding Modern Drilling Co. and purchasing his own machine in 2018.
Since starting his own business things have gone well for Clint. His business is booming, he is able to provide good paying jobs and career training for the men who work with him, his children are living a wonderful life, he’s getting hitched soon….and due to exceptional demand, he made the decision to expanded his Directional Drilling production capacity at the beginning of 2022, his second year in business.
After sometime on a waiting list, he got some bad news…the drill he thought he was waiting on, wasn’t going to be available to him right now, and we would have to wait until a later date to take delivery.
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Having spent his entire HDD career on Vermeer machines, purchasing a Ditch Witch JT20 was a big leap for Clint, one he was initially reluctant to take…
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Clint found himself faced with the difficult choice of staying with a product line that he relied on for nearly twenty years, but for the foreseeable future, would leave him stagnant. Or, venture into the unknown, try something new and hope for the best.
During this difficult decision making process Clint found it even more difficult to find information online to guide his decision. There were no apparently objective sources out there that reviewed or compared directional drilling machines, tooling, locators, nothing…. Not one side by side comparison, no reviews.
Clint decided to take a chance and purchase the Ditch Witch JT20.
During the six months since Clint made that critical purchase, he also took another chance, co-founding this very website. Something that a year ago would seem unlikely as Modern Drilling Co. spent its first year in business without a website of its own.
Now Clint is online, and on-camera presenting a video that features a side by side comparison of his two directional drilling rigs, The Ditch Witch JT-20 and Vermeer 20x22.
Clint was motivated to partner on this site, and fund this project, in-part by his experience attempting to compare the two machines. Our shared hope is that through this effort, a fellow HDD Contractor might lose a little less sleep over this critical decision.
Review Highlights Ditch Witch JT20 and Vermeer 20x22. 2 min.
Full Length Review and comparison of Ditch Witch JT20 and Vermeer 20X22. 15 min.
Editors Corner: Technical Info
The Ditch Witch JT20 and the Vermeer 20x22 are two of the most popular horizontal directional drills (HDD) on the market. Both machines are capable of drilling holes up to 20 inches in diameter and up to 2,000 feet long. However, there are some key differences between the two machines that may make one a better choice for your particular needs.
The Ditch Witch JT20 is a smaller, more compact machine than the Vermeer 20x22. This makes it a better choice for projects in tight spaces. The JT20 is also about 50k less expensive than the Vermeer 20x22.
However, the Vermeer 20x22 is a more powerful machine than the Ditch Witch JT20 on paper. It can handle larger diameter holes and longer drilling distances according to our sources. The Vermeer 20x22 also has a few features that the Ditch Witch JT20 does not, such as a built-in GPS system and a hydraulic top drive.
Ultimately, the best drill for you will depend on your specific needs and budget. If you need a compact, affordable machine for small projects, the Ditch Witch JT20 is a good option. If you need a more powerful machine for larger projects, the Vermeer 20x22 is a better choice. EITHER WAY BUYING USED ALWAYS A SMART MOVE! If your local dealer can’t take care of you, give the Queen of HDD a call…she doesn’t even know we put this here and didn’t pay us a dime to say this.
Download the DitchWitch JT20 Spec Sheet HERE
Download the Vermeer 20x22 Spec Sheet HERE
