Soil sampling with power drill

[Dusty Britches]

A few yars ago, I saw an article somewhere that discussed taking soil samples with a cordless power drill and a 4" PVC cap with a hole in the center.

Does anyone know how big the hole should be and what size the auger style bit should be?

 

[hurleyjd]

1.0 inch hole in the cap and the drill needs to be a 1.0 dia wood Augar bit. Overall length of the bit is 7.5 inches. I drilled the hole in the cap with a 1.0 diameter spade bit.

 

[MrBilly]

Please describe this more thoroughly, so far I do not understand how this will work. Thanks.

Billy

 

[Dusty Britches]

Well, the idea is to quickly take soil samples from 10-20 spots over a 40 acre track.

Drill a hole in the center of the 4" PVC cap. Using a 6-7" auger style bit, drill through the hole. The auger style bit will lift the dirt and drop it into the cap. Remove the drill, pick up the cap and put it into the sample sack. Do that in 9 - 19 more spots, mix the soil thoroughly, make sure it is dry and submit your soil sample. Also, make sure you have 1.5 cups of soil for each sample submitted.

It sure beats using a shovel and a plastic bucket.

 

[dun]

That's the first clear explanation I've seen on how it works. I'm gonna give it a try

 

[Dusty Britches]

oh yeah - I forgot to mention - scrape away the grass before you drill.

Do not dry the dirt in the mircowave or oven. It will skew the results. Simply lay out and let air dry for a couple of days. If you can't get your sample into the lab right away, put it in the freezer until you can go. but make sure the soil is dry before you do that.

by using a 7 inch overall bit, you only get into the root zone of your grasses - or what they call the till depth. I just read that if you are sampling for crops, go to 7-8 inch depth. If you are sampling for grasses, go to 4 inch depth.

 

[hurleyjd]

oh yeah - I forgot to mention - scrape away the grass before you drill.

Do not dry the dirt in the mircowave or oven. It will skew the results. Simply lay out and let air dry for a couple of days. If you can't get your sample into the lab right away, put it in the freezer until you can go. but make sure the soil is dry before you do that.

by using a 7 inch overall bit, you only get into the root zone of your grasses - or what they call the till depth. I just read that if you are sampling for crops, go to 7-8 inch depth. If you are sampling for grasses, go to 4 inch depth.

I do as Dusty explains. I ride the ATV around the field, I take the samples and drop then in a plastic bucket that I have bungee corded to the ATV. After I have taken the composite samples, I take a plastic spoon and stir the soil real well to mix. Then I spoon it into the sample bag. Mark the field number and take other samples as needed in other fields.

 

[hurleyjd]

That's the first clear explanation I've seen on how it works. I'm gonna give it a try

You must have been asleep when I posted this
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jogeephus wrote:
If your gut tells you its wrong. Resample. Take more samples and be sure you are not sticking the probe in too deep. JMO


Jogeephus: I threw the probe away. Here is the way that I do it now. Real easy. Get a 3 to 4" cap for PVC pipe. Drill a hole in it about 1." dia. Get a wood bit and a rechargable drill. The bit needs to be about 8 to 12 " long. Hold the PVC cap firmly on the ground and drill through the hole to the depth that you desire. Pick it up and dump it into your bucket that you are collecting for the composite sample. By the way this is not an original idea. Another man told me about using this. Beats digging the dirt out of the probe.
hlight=

 

[farmerjohn]

In my clay soils, I can drill 2 holes before the battery runs down. Since I only have 2 batteries, I am out of luck since they recommend about 15 samples per field

 

[Dusty Britches]

:lol: You need to get new batteries. We have clay soil, too. New batteries make all the difference. Or - get a really long extension cord.

 

[hurleyjd]

In my clay soils, I can drill 2 holes before the battery runs down. Since I only have 2 batteries, I am out of luck since they recommend about 15 samples per field

Buy a new drill. I just threw two battery powered drills away and bought new. The batterys for the old drills were more costly than the new drill. I bought a Rigid brand. Everything is guarnteed for life even the batterys. Now I read a article some where in the past. It said that this enterprising gentlemen gutted an old 12 volt drill battery and soldered leads to it with clamps and now he can use it on the battery of the tractor, truck or ATV.

 

[dun]

That's the first clear explanation I've seen on how it works. I'm gonna give it a try

You must have been asleep when I posted this
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jogeephus wrote:
If your gut tells you its wrong. Resample. Take more samples and be sure you are not sticking the probe in too deep. JMO


Jogeephus: I threw the probe away. Here is the way that I do it now. Real easy. Get a 3 to 4" cap for PVC pipe. Drill a hole in it about 1." dia. Get a wood bit and a rechargable drill. The bit needs to be about 8 to 12 " long. Hold the PVC cap firmly on the ground and drill through the hole to the depth that you desire. Pick it up and dump it into your bucket that you are collecting for the composite sample. By the way this is not an original idea. Another man told me about using this. Beats digging the dirt out of the probe.
hlight=

Oh, I'ld read it, but it just didn;t seem to make sense. I reread it again and it still isn;t as clear to me as the second explanation. Maybe my biorythm is in the toilet this week

dun

 

[AngusLimoX]

Guess it's just me but taking a walk with a pail and a shovel is a pleasure.

No need for ATV's or battery operated gadgets. :lol:

Sampling is just one of those chores I look forward to and take my time at. Amazing what you see in your pastures and fields when just moseying along.
ALX

 

[Dusty Britches]

riiight. :lol: ;-)

 

[milesvb]

I wish I'd heard about this before buying a soil probe (ain't none of 'em cheap). I'm gonna try the PVC cap method and see if saves some profanity. I wonder how long before the auger blades dull or burn out?

 

[sidney411]

This is also how we do it.... instead of the power drill you can use one of those old hand crank augers that you use to drill holes through big brace posts for hinges. Works your muscles better too :lol:

 

[dun]

one of those old hand crank augers that you use to drill holes

It's called a brace

dun