Keep the hole open

Keep the hole open

Many dry materials will stand open and allow you to drill ahead of your casing. This is good practice and should be done whenever possible. When you do drive the pipe, quit before it hits the bottom of the drill hole. Leave room for shavings and a chance to make a longer hole with the drill.

In many areas, the ground will have water pressure on it before you get too deep. If this be your case, keep the water level in the hole higher than the natural water table. This will prevent the pressure from caving or sloughing your borehole. When you encounter fine sands, or unconsolidated sandstone, it may be necessary to allow the formation to heave up into the casing in order to make it drive. There will be times when it is an advantage to have 40' or 50' of heave in the casing. Just bail a couple of times and drive your pipe. Drilling at this time is useless.