Soil Sample Probe

[ddivinia]

I just a shovel last time and it worked OK, but there has got to be a better way to do soil samples.

These guys seem to have a bunch of options:

GEMPLER'S - Official Site - Your Source for Outdoor Work Supplies

Here is a page all about the various ones:

Soil Sampling Equipment | Gempler's

I am thinking a cheapie with a foot peg to help shove it in the ground.

Any experience here?

D.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I had my friend who owns a machine shop weld up one out of stainless from scraps they had around their shop. He is able to use it whenever he wants but it is kept in my barn so we both know where it is.

As you can see from the design, they are fairly easy to make. Mine is built to last though (I will try to get a pic later) as my friend doesn't believe in building things light. The only thing I would like to do different is to make a plunger to kick the dirt back out of the probe but I am not sure how well that will hold up as the soil packs into these things tight.

The probe is a much more accurate and faster way to take soil samples then a shovel so you will be happy with it once you get one. Just be careful where you leave it or who you let borrow it as they tend to grow legs and walk away

 

[flusher]

I just a shovel last time and it worked OK, but there has got to be a better way to do soil samples.

These guys seem to have a bunch of options:

GEMPLER'S - Official Site - Your Source for Outdoor Work Supplies

Here is a page all about the various ones:

Soil Sampling Equipment | Gempler's

I am thinking a cheapie with a foot peg to help shove it in the ground.

Any experience here?

D.

I use a piece of galvanized tubular fence post about 40" long and a 5-lb sledge hammer. Drive the tube 12" deep, carefully wiggle it around and extract the sample. Tap on the tube with the hammer to empty it into your bucket. I generally sample a dozen places on my 7 acres and mix the samples in a bucket to average out the samples. There is one very gravely section where getting a specimen is difficult because the soil is too loose in the tube and falls out during extraction. I little work with a digging bar gets me those specimens.

 

[jwcinpk]

Mine came from local Southern States Coop for $40

 

[ddivinia]

Mine should be here on Friday. I am doing samples across 180 acres - going to be busy. I'll let you know how it goes.

D.

 

[chh]

The local extension office here loans the probes out. I have gotten the T handle model one and a footpeg style twice. Getting the sample out of the probe is more trouble than any other part of the process. IMO. A plunger would help if you could get the design right. The problem with loaners though is that they are generally used/abused. The T handle had been hammered into the ground at some point in its life(it was their newest one), one of the footpeg models was twisted in the probe area and didnt have the cutting edge on it anymore. The other one had been welded back together at least once.

 

[ddivinia]

The local extension office here loans the probes out. I have gotten the T handle model one and a footpeg style twice. Getting the sample out of the probe is more trouble than any other part of the process. IMO. A plunger would help if you could get the design right. The problem with loaners though is that they are generally used/abused. The T handle had been hammered into the ground at some point in its life(it was their newest one), one of the footpeg models was twisted in the probe area and didnt have the cutting edge on it anymore. The other one had been welded back together at least once.

My experience has been exactly the same - worn out to the point nobody wants to use it. The one I order has an open side on the sample tube I believe so it should be easier to get the sample out. I'll report back when I get it.

D.

 

[Lazy J]

I own the probe on the following link and LOVE it. It is very durable, easy to empty, and with the large foot peg and closed cylinder I can lessen my worry about bending the probe like the open cylinder types.

Jim

KHS Soil Probe