Boone Pickens Stadium is home of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys football team, and is in the middle of a $102 million renovation that includes expanded seating, new restrooms and concessions facilities, club level seating, and luxury suites. Phase I, which has been completed, was the south side of the stadium. Phase II, which is the north side renovation, is in process, even during football season. E-Z Drill got into the game this past summer when they were contacted by their dealer in Oklahoma City, Maxwell Supply. They asked E-Z Drill to meet with the contractor, Flintco, Inc., one of the largest commercial contractors in America, at the stadium project to discuss a drilling application.

All of the vertical steel beams that support the stadium were to be encased in concrete as part of the renovation project. This required enlarging the original footings that all of the beams sat on. To do this, they had to excavate down around the original footings that were generally about 4’ to 5’ square, then drill two rows of four holes on each side of the footings. After installing the rebar with epoxy, they would pour the concrete to widen each footing. This involved the drilling of over 7,600 holes that were to be 7/8” diameter and 8” deep. Drilling by hand would be extremely time consuming and labor intensive. E-Z Drill suggested using the Model 85B with a slight modification on the legs to be able to reach both rows of holes on each footing.

The E-Z Drill Model 85B was a huge success. It drilled the 7/8” x 8” holes in approximately 22 seconds. Flintco officials even told E-Z Drill that they determined that the Model 85B could drill four holes in the time it took to drill one hole by hand!

All of the drilling was finished within about five weeks, and the use of the E-Z Drill Model 85B was a big factor in Flintco being able to stay on schedule.