1. n. [Drilling]

The enlarged and threaded ends of joints of drillpipe. These components are fabricated separately from the pipe body and welded onto the pipe at a manufacturing facility. The tool joints provide high-strength, high-pressure threaded connections that are sufficiently robust to survive the rigors of drilling and numerous cycles of tightening and loosening at threads. Tool joints are usually made of steel that has been heat treated to a higher strength than the steel of the tube body. The large-diameter section of the tool joints provides a low stress area where pipe tongs are used to grip the pipe. Hence, relatively small cuts caused by the pipe tongs do not significantly impair the strength or life of the joint of drillpipe.

See related terms: back off,  break out,  dope,  drillpipe,  kelly spinner,  keyseat,  pipe dope,  snubbing,  spinning chain,  stripping,  tight hole,  tongs