By-pass fluid passageway for drill tool

A rotary drill tool for cutting rock comprising:

• a main body having a leg;
• a spindle projecting from the leg to mount a rotary cutter via a plurality of bearings;
• a fluid supply passageway extending through the leg and having a terminal end positioned in communication with a fluid directing passageway extending through the spindle, at least a part of the fluid directing passageway configured to allow at least some of the bearings to be loaded into position between the spindle and the cutter;
• and
• a by-pass passageway extending through a base region of the spindle and having a first end in communication with a section of the supply passageway upstream of the terminal end and a second end that emerges from the base region of the spindle to supply fluid to the bearings, wherein the bearings include a first set of roller bearings mounted at or towards the base region of the spindle and a set of ball bearings positioned at a bearing raceway axially between the first set of roller bearings and an end of the spindle, a second end of the directing passageway emerging at the raceway, the second end of the by-pass passageway emerges emerging at the first set of roller bearings.