steam drill
Pressure-powered excavator
A steam drill is a powered rock-drilling machine that uses steam pressure to drive a piston, hammering a drill bit into stone.
Developed in the mid-19th century for mining and tunnel construction, it became iconic through the legend of John Henry, the steel-driving man who raced a steam drill and won—then died from the effort.
The machine represented industrial mechanization displacing human labor.
- hammerTool for striking nails
- railroadPermanent track for trains
- railroad spikeHeavy nail securing rails
- tunnelEnclosed underground route
- tunnel boringDigging horizontal underground passages
man vs machine · steel · rock · muscle · machine · sweat · hard labor · legend · spike · iron · mining · ballad · work song · competition · piston · bore · labor · folklore
- polar gearice axe, crampons, crampon, ice auger, snowmobile
steam drillhand drill
Manual hole-boring tool
hammer and chisel · pickaxe · sledgehammer · hand tools · muscle power
steam drillelectric drill
Motorized boring tool
pneumatic drill · cordless drill · jackhammer · rotary hammer
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