Large Bore Sampler Standard Operating Procedure

The Large Bore Sampler is assembled with a cutting shoe, retractable drive point and piston, drive head and the desired sample sleeves. A drive rod is added to the top of the sampler with an inner rod to insure the drive point and piston remain in place as the assembly is advanced. The entire assembly is driven into the subsurface using the percussion of the direct push rig. By adding a series of hardened, hollow drive steel rods, the sampler is advanced to the desired depth. As each drive rod is added, an inner rod is placed in the center of the drive rod to insure the drive point and piston remain in place. Once the desired depth is achieved, a final drive rod is added without the inner rod. This allows the drive point to retract into the sample tube as the sampler is advanced for one final push and the sample collects in the sleeve. The tool chain is then extracted from the boring and the sample sleeve is removed from the sample tube. A new sleeve is placed in the sample tube and the procedure is repeated.