A hydraulic draw-works comprises several hydraulic cylinders of mixed orientation, such that some hydraulic cylinders actuate upwards and some hydraulic cylinders actuate downwards. These cylinders are connected by a plurality of braces mounted along a guide rail, and the drill head is mounted on a carriage along the guide rail and actuated by the upwards-oriented cylinders. The use of mixed orientation cylinders allows the effective vertical stroke length required to raise and lower the drill head to be halved. In a preferred embodiment, through-rod porting of the downwards-oriented cylinders supplies hydraulic fluid to the remainder through a manifold, and digitally controlled directional valves allow precise control of the drill head.