Soil sampling in confined spaces is a critical step in construction, urban agriculture and foundation repair projects. However, not every project has the space to accommodate a big soil sampling rig. For projects in confined spaces — such as a basement, backyard or on a sensitive historical site — finding equipment that can dig deep enough while fitting into these tight areas can be a challenge.
A Big Beaver Earth Drill makes soil sampling easier in restricted access locations by offering a compact, maneuverable design that is precise to control and safe to run with only one operator.
Maneuverability in Tight Spaces
The right equipment can make or break a soil sampling project with space limitations. Handheld samplers might seem like a good solution for tight spaces, but they don’t always reach deep enough to procure the samples you need. Alternatives, such as automated options, can be costly while truck- or trailer-mounted rigs can’t fit into small work areas.
Another challenge is that these projects often take place in urban developments, near or beside houses and fences. Contractors need portable, gentle equipment that doesn’t damage turf, sod or landscaping with its tires or heavy weight.
The Big Beaver is only 26 inches wide and 80 inches tall, making it compact enough to fit into an elevator and through a doorway or gate and short enough to stand upright under the eaves of a house or other areas with low overhead clearance. The auger tilt angles up to 15 degrees to get as close to a structure as possible. At 675 pounds, the drill is light enough to minimize damage to lawns and landscaping.
Depth Precision
Each soil sampling project requires the soil to be collected at a different depth. Some projects, like soil sampling for a home garden, only require sampling to about 4 inches deep. This can be completed with a simple hand sampler, but many projects require deeper digging. Construction and foundation repair projects can vary between 3 feet deep up to 100 feet deep.
Utility: 3-10 feet deep
Foundation Repair: 3-30 feet deep
Construction: 10-100 feet deep
These depths vary based on soil type, what project is being carried out and local regulations. Some local agencies require certain soil sampling depths to be tested before construction takes place. The Big Beaver can dig to 30 feet with a 16-inch auger and up to 100 feet with a 6-inch auger, depending on the soil conditions.
Safe Drilling
The Big Beaver is a standalone auger drill rig that allows for safe one-man operation. It features a torque tube that redirects dangerous kickback away from the operator to the power source. The torque tube connects to the drill at three different points on the frame, which allows for nine different torque tube positions. This lets operators position the drill in the most convenient way possible.
In basements or other enclosed spaces, operators should place the engine carriage outside with an extension hose running to the drill. Removing the engine from the room protects against dangerous fumes while working in close quarters. When doing so, operators should anchor the drill to the floor with screw or concrete anchors. This protects the operator from counterrotation by preventing the drill from jerking or tipping when encountering an underground obstacle.
Soil Sampling with the Big Beaver
Restricted spaces shouldn’t hold up your soil sampling project. When automated, trailer- and truck-mounted options just don’t work, a Big Beaver earth drill makes projects easier, safer and more precise. Check out our Big Beaver Earth Drill and soil sampling options to learn more.
Why the Big Beaver Earth Drill is Ideal for Foundation Repair Projects
The strength of a structure lies in its foundation. Without a strong base, the entire building is at risk. And even though a house may have initially been built with a sufficient base, foundation repair is occasionally unavoidable.
Foundation problems are most commonly a result of soil conditions. Over time, foundations crack and shift, visibly damaging properties. Visual indicators on a house include misaligned doors, cracks in sheetrock and brick separation. Other signs include warped framing, plumbing breaks and tilting chimneys. Foundation repair is best done at the first sign of damage.
While there are many practices and methods of foundation repair, one thing’s certain: if not done correctly, it can cause expensive problems down the line. Little Beaver’sBig Beaver earth drill makes the most common foundation repair method easier by quickly removing dirt to prepare for concrete piers.
The Fine Art of Foundation Repair
Steel and concrete pier supports are popular for repairing foundations because they result in minimal landscape interruption and can be installed faster than other methods. Concrete piers can withstand higher load capacities and tend to be less expensive than their steel counterparts.
The concrete pier foundation repair method requires contractors to push 6-inch round concrete sections directly into the ground. But first, the crew must remove dirt to prepare for the foundation pier. Hand-digging holes can result in little landscape interruption but is much harder on workers. Large equipment options like a mini excavator are less labor-intensive but can result in a torn-up yard and increased project costs.
The Big Beaver Advantage
When installing a drilled concrete pier, hard-working employees are key, but so is finding pieces of machinery that are perfect for the job. Crews can use the Big Beaver’s 12-inch auger to drill a hole anywhere from 12 to 15 feet deep. Depending on the structure and soil conditions, the angle of the pier can range from 10 to 15 degrees, which makes the Big Beaver’s ability to align in any position from vertical critical to the installation process. The drill’s flexible positioning also allows users to get close to structures.
The Big Beaver is Little Beaver’s most powerful earth drill. Its power comes from its Honda engine, which delivers 690 foot-pounds of torque to bore through any soil type. The drill penetrates the soil considerably faster than other augers and still offers safe one-man operation.
Crews can move the Big Beaver into areas inaccessible to truck-mounted units while also leaving landscaping relatively unscathed. At only 26 inches wide and 80 inches high, the Big Beaver fits through doorways and gates and can be operated under eaves or in interior locations. On level ground, the smooth riding pneumatic wheels provide convenient one-man portability. And, when deep holes are required, auger extensions allow for drilling as deep as 60 inches.
The Big Beaver is a great option for making quick work of preparing for concrete foundation piers. Contact us today to learn more.
How the Big Beaver became one company’s standby for repairing foundations
Eddie Zansler, owner of North Dallas Foundation Repair, has been in the business for more than 25 years. He knows how important it is to have a hardworking crew and perhaps even harder-working machinery on a jobsite. When it comes to installing concrete piers, Zansler swears by the Big Beaver earth drill from Little Beaver.
A Method to the Madness
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to repairing foundations. There are upwards of 10 methods of foundation repair, and they often go by multiple names. In the most common method, contractors use a steel or concrete pier support to minimize stress on foundations. Concrete piers can be the more effective option, as they can withstand higher load capacity and are often less expensive.
“Concrete piers are an economical solution for a lot of customers,” Zanler said. “They’re also sometimes the only choice, as steel piers aren’t usable in all locations or soil conditions.”
Zansler installs concrete piers by pushing 6-inch round concrete sections directly into the ground. This is done with a hydraulic ram that is secured to the slab of the structure that needs to be lifted, and then it is lifted until a certain resistance pressure is established.
There are obviously many ways to remove dirt to prepare for foundation repair. A manual process — hand-digging holes — results in little landscape interruption but is much harder on the workers. Large equipment options like a mini excavator are less labor-intensive but can result in a torn-up yard and increased project costs.
Larger equipment is seldom the best choice for residential foundation repair, which makes up the majority of Zansler’s projects. These projects often involve tight spaces and finished landscaping, which can present challenges. For these cases, Zansler and his crew turn to the Big Beaver drill. The auger drill rig is a reliable machine for environmental test wells, soil sampling and foundation repair.
“The confined spaces and the landscaping make it hard to use an excavator or oversized equipment,” Zansler said. “The Big Beaver is ideal for those situations.”
Minimizing Labor in a Labor-Intensive Industry
The Big Beaver requires less manpower than alternate methods, and less worker fatigue means fewer safety issues and overall happier employees. Zansler explained, “With smaller handheld augers, you have to lift up on the auger head itself, which really strains my men. With the Big Beaver, all of the lifting is done by the machine.”
Because the Big Beaver is hydraulically driven, the up-and-down movement of the auger is controlled by simply pushing and pulling a lever. The rotation of the auger for forward and reverse is done with a separate lever. The continuous flight augers bring all the soil cuttings to the surface where they can easily be removed with a shovel.
In an industry where physical labor plays a huge role, making the work easier for employees makes all the difference. Zansler says they’ve added motorized wheelbarrows and dump trailers, among other equipment, to help ease the physical strain on workers. Keeping workers safe and uninjured is key to avoiding the dreaded employee turnover. Providing easy-to-use equipment like the Big Beaver is key, according to Zansler.
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
The Big Beaver has been Zansler’s No. 1 piece of equipment for more than 12 years. With the combination of safety and high-quality work they can provide with it, he says they will continue using it.
“With the Big Beaver, we’re able to reach the maximum depth possible, and penetrate rock if we hit it,” Zansler said. “It’s so powerful when drilling the holes, which results in a much higher-quality pier.”
He estimates that he’s used the Big Beaver to drill thousands of holes for foundation repair around the north Dallas area. With increased power and speed, Zansler and his team are able to complete more projects per week than they would be able to with an alternate method.
Better Results with the Big Beaver
Overall, Zansler credits the Big Beaver to saving him hours or even days on a project. Without it, he’d have exhausted employees, more time into projects and lower-quality results. Just like a house needs a strong foundation, a contractor needs strong equipment, and the Big Beaver works to support both.
Portable soil sampling equipment is gaining traction. Soil sampling contractors will often supplement their fleet of large truck-mounted or tracked drills with compact units that are far gentler to turf and can work in confined spaces. For others who want the convenience of owning soil sampling equipment, such as site prep or design-build contractors, portable soil sampling tools are an economical foot in the door.
• They are highly portable.
• They can drill as deep as 100 feet.
• They work well in various types of soil, including sand, clay and soft rock formations.
• They have comprehensive soil sampling capabilities, allowing users to conduct Standard Penetration tests, geotechnical testing, split spoon sampling and hollow stem sampling.
To decide which drill model is right for you, consider how you plan to use it and the demands of your worksites.
You’ve Got: A small tow vehicle and a smaller budget.
If you are on a tight budget, look for a unit that is lightweight and can be towed using an ATV or small pickup. Many of these trailer-mounted models are cost effective yet offer the oomph needed to drill as deep as 100 feet, even through rock formations.
For maintaining highs speeds even when powering through harder soil, choose a drill with ample torque and pull/push back force as well as a healthy rpm. Rotary speeds around 100 rpm will be enough to make short work of larger jobs, ensuring you can finish projects on time and on budget. Lastly, a drill with a heavy-built frame will stand up to the demanding work ahead of it.
You’ve Got: A need for SPT and plenty of towing capacity.
With more and more states and cities requiring automatic hammers for Standard Penetration Testing, you will need a drill that gives you consistent SPT results. Regulations aside, if you plan to conduct a lot of SPT, you will want a drill with an automatic hammer to reduce worker fatigue, creating a safer and more productive jobsite. Because an automatic hammer configuration will add weight to the rig, be sure you have a vehicle with ample towing capacity to handle it.
If you know you’ll be working in limited access locations, such as backyards or even residential basements, you will need an extremely mobile drill. Transport dimensions of 26 inches wide and 80 inches tall are compact enough for the drill to squeeze into an elevator to reach a basement and easily fit through gates and doorways. And if you want the option to expand into other applications, such as foundation repair, you will want a rig able to dig close to structures and light enough to prevent lawn damage.
Learn the proper setup procedure for your Big Beaver Earth Drill from Little Beaver Inc. The Big Beaver is just 26 inches wide, which makes it easy to maneuver into backyards and onto jobsites that are inaccessible to larger equipment or trailer-mounted rigs.
Quick, Convenient and Cost-Effective Soil Sampling Equipment
Our mission as the leading manufacturer of torque-free, one-man drills is to provide equipment that’s cost-effective and convenient to use, such as our soil sampling tools that give you control over when and where you sample. We engineered these tools to prevent contamination and ensure the highest levels of accuracy. Read to learn more about what our drills offer your operation.
Balancing Strength and Maneuverability
Combining our Big Beaver Auger Drill Rig with the optional SSK-1 kit is ideal for standard penetration testing as it easily lifts the 140-pound safety hammer to drive the sampler into the soil. The SSK-1 kit includes an additional hydraulic valve, cathead and tower kit with stabilizer legs that extend out in front of the drill to keep it steady. It can be used with our AWJ drilling rod and 24-inch split spoon sampler, which allows you to obtain a core soil sample for geotechnical or environmental testing.
At 26 inches wide and 80 inches high, the Big Beaver is portable and is designed for use in confined spaces. But don’t be fooled by the name. The two-wheeled unit is still compact enough for one person to easily maneuver through gates, doorways and even basements. The Big Beaver has a swing-away drive head that allows easy access to the borehole when inserting the AWJ rod and split spoon sampler.
The Big Beaver’s hydraulic power is fueled with a 20-horsepower gasoline engine, and can be used with other hydraulic tools like concrete saws, breakers, tampers and chainsaws. It features our torque tube that enhances safety by directing dangerous kickback away from the operator when the auger hits tough soil, rocks and other obstructions. The design also enables an operator to maintain a safe distance from the power source.
Easy Extensions and Precise Positioning
We also offer standard sampling tools for environmental soil sampling. These samplers are available in 1.5-inch and 2-inch diameters, for use with our hydraulic earth drills. Our Hydraulic Earth Drills are available with 11- or 20-horsepower gasoline engines, as well as diesel options, which makes them ideal for drilling in rocky or heavy clay soils. They also feature a three-wheeled chassis for enhanced stability and maneuverability.
For drilling to shallow depths of 15-30 feet, we have a tripod kit for use with the 11-horsepower, PS11 Hydraulic Earth Drill. The kit is easy to set up and allows operators to add and remove auger extensions with little effort. It also stabilizes the drill during operation for precise positioning and controlled drilling — two essentials for getting the job done efficiently and without any blunders. Such depths may be relatively shallow, but 30 feet is deep enough that drilling at an improper angle can cause headaches. So, it’s hard to overstate the advantages of a tripod that firmly steadies the process.
Auger Options
For sandy or loose soils, we offer hollow-stem augers so the driller can collect samples without risking contamination from surrounding dirt. Offered in 6- and 8-inch diameters, the augers have a 2¾-inch or 3¾-inch internal diameter and work great for monitoring wells. The center rod and plug can be removed to create a clear path for inserting the soil sampler while keeping adjacent soil from falling into the testing area.
Continuing a Tradition of Excellence
We have proudly manufactured high-quality, safe and effective drilling equipment for three generations. With a complete line of easy-to-operate equipment, along with a full cast of versatile accessories, including augers, extensions, points and blades, we successfully serve your needs whether you’re a professional contractor or rental center. We also offer trailer-, truck-, and track-mounted soil sampling rigs through our Lone Star Drills brand. To learn more about our soil sampling tools, earth drills and other equipment, give us a call today at 936-327-3121 or fill out our online contact form and one of our team members will reach out to you.
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