Drilling using the Window Sampling technique in New Zealand

March 30, 2016

In a country where there are normally mountains and rivers between you and your neighbour a small drilling system like our Window Sampling Set comes into its own.

The set is a fast and efficient way to install a monitoring well or to take a soil sample when exploring for minerals. It works particularly well in stony soils and gravels. If you use the set with the addition of a Lost Cone, a specially designed cone is mechanically hammered into the soil to produce a very straight bore hole – ideal for monitoring wells. Using this equipment makes it easier to reach depths up to 10m because the cone is slightly wider in diameter than the casing so reduces friction during extraction. The environmentally sensitive cone, made from non-toxic iron, is left in the soil after drilling – hence its name.

A further advantage is the compactness and portability of the window sampling set in this large country, is they are ideal for drilling in less accessible areas as they are light and easily portable.

To get the most from this kit the key is a patient and methodical approach.  Keep the site clear and tidy at all times, know where your hands and feet are at all times.  Let the kit drill down under its own weight.

In some conditions, as the casings are hammered down, they have a tendency to unwind slightly which reduces the hammering impact and can potentially damage threads. In true Kiwi style we overcame this hurdle by ‘slow dancing’ around the drill in a clockwise fashion to ensure a tight thread – but not too tight.

On one particular site the kit was slow to push through the compacted silt layers just 2 meter down but as conditions eased, it moved more confidently and from 0 to 8m only takes us about 45 minutes. With a large team you can take advantage of hands and use more people on the extraction equipment. The lesson being with more bodies and extra kit in the immediate area it becomes even more important to work methodically.