Thursday, November 6, 2014

D-day at da ranch is 3 weeks away

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When I refer to D-day, I'm referring to a deadline.  I'd better have my pooh pooh together when I go out there.  But I don't.  I'm still working on the drilling plan.

The latest plan involves digging only about 8 inches or so.  It will include removing the first 4 inches of topsoil, and placing the concrete form around the hole so that the concrete will stabilize the PVC into the hole.  The PVC pipe will be Schedule 80 three quarter inch at the length of about 8 feet.  This will leave 7 feet above ground, 1 foot below.  If the hard pan is deeper, I may have to dig deeper to get to the hard pan.  The form must fit onto the hard pan.  I don't think it will be too much deeper than 4 inches, although it might be as much as 8 inches.

The hole will be an inch in diameter and may have to be reamed out with the auger bit.  This should result in a tight fit into the hole.  In order to facilitate drilling, I will prepare some "drilling mud" by using the Bentonite.

The PVC pipe will stand straight up from the hole into the air about 7 feet as mentioned.  I will attach elbows to each, with a "tee" connector in the middle post.  Each post will be approximately 8 feet apart and connected in the manner just described.

After thinking upon this plan, what could improve it?  I am thinking of adding some 4 foot rebar that will fit inside the pipe and descend into the hole.  In addition to shoring it up at the ground level, I was thinking of adding a brace that will help hold up the cross section.  The "tee" and "elbow" connectors are not likely to be strong enough.  To assist, I will place a one eighth piece of PVC pipe that will connect the post at ground level and reach at about the middle of the cross section.  This will aid in the support of the "tees" and "elbows".

That's where I am with the drilling project.  I have ordered all the PVC pipe, plus a little extra, as it turns out.  I still need the rebar.  While I am at it, I need a few other things still in order to round out the list.




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