To continue drilling
or sampling below the watertable most often requires casing the hole(
a rigid lining). Any type of tubing which can be joined and advanced down
the hole with the drilling process can be used. The problems with the
improvised casing are: joining the casing so that it does not hinder the
installation; protecting the leading edge; and removing (or sacrificing)
the tubing. It can be done and has been done on many occasions. However,
for us to sell a professionally made product we need to address the issues.
Our Casing is specially made so that the threaded joints are flush fitting
on the outside while not impending work inside, there are hardened tooth Casing Cutters threaded to the leading edge and through design
features it is easier to recover our reusable casing. We have customers
who refuse our casing job after job for years. The biggest risk with casing
is getting it stuck and not being able to recover all or part of it.
INSTALLING CASING
:- Casing needs to be installed over the full depth of the hole
and can be done using either of two methods.
One method is to install the casing from the beginning of the hole and
to drill inside the casing using a smaller diameter auger. This is slower
because of the effort required advancing the casing in hard ground and
unless the auger takes out full cross-section inside the casing, contamination
of the sample can occur. Also, there is more surface friction on the outside
when it comes to removing the casing. The second and more popular method
is to drill the hole initially down to the watertable using an auger slightly
larger than the casing OD and then install the casing. This reduces the
friction on the outside and allows the casing to inserted much more easily.
When adding lengths of casing, use the Strap Wrench to tighten
the joints while holding the lower section with the Casing Clamp.
When the casing reaches the bottom of the auger hole, fit a Casing
Collar to the top thread to protect it. Insert an auger and remove
any fall-in or surplus and discard it. When the sample proves two wet
to extract using an normal auger, a Sludger or Bailer is
used. By pumping the sludger up and down in short vigorous or long rhrythmic
movements using either a the rope type of the extention rod type sludger,
while adding downward weight(standing on or hang sandbags on the Casing
Clamp) onto the casing via the Casing Clamp, a sample will fill
the sludger and the casing will penetrate. Care neeeds to be taken to
ensure the sample is not taken from below the end of the casing and to
watch for "welling up" caused by the water pressure pushing
materials into the end of the casing. It helps to withdraw the sludger
slowly so as to reduce the suction effect, and to keep the inside of the
casing topped up with the water to balance the pressure. Depths of upto
30 metres below the watertable have been achieved but on average, 8 metres.
Other hints are:
- Never leave the
equipment in the hole unnecessary as it may get stuck.
- If gravel or stones
are encountered, chop them up using the Star Drill of Chisel and remove the pieces with the Stone Catcher and the Slide
Hammer to force-fill it.
- Remove the casing
as soon as possible or it will need mechanical extraction. Using a jack
(the highlift jacks used by the 4WD'ers are good) under the casing clamp
or a tripod (We make them) connected to the Casing Collar helps
remove difficult casing.
- Regularly rotate
the casing clockwise only, using the Casing Clamp to help penetration
or removal. Do not turn more than half a turn anticlockwise or the joints
may undo.
- Do not use pipe
wrenches (stilsons) on the casing as it damages the lightweight walls
and the threads may go out-of-round, we make Strap Wrenches
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