thats a wonderful range ,good on you guys ,
just what is the soil you are going through,please discribe
norm
G'Mornin', Norm.
I think some of the other fellows here have covered the basic "Caliche Story",......would just add that it's one of the few geological structures that you actually have to go POKE, PROD, and SHAVE to get a feel for "What next?", that being which Tool, what sorta' Drilling fluid, and whether that will be a Bentonite or a foam type,.....
It can be VILE stuff to work with, and at the same time probably one of the better "Bedrock" foundations one can tie a structure to. Out here in my zone, we get an added challenge, that being High Volcanic Silicate content in the overburden ,.......so your tool will not only "skate" on the Caliche, it also grinds itself to death in the process. Aggressively SHARP tooling, and VERY high down pressure capabilities are mandatory, in consequence. Once a tool "Skates", the worked face of the cut can develop a Glass Smooth, Mirror like finish. "Surfactant" type drilling fluids ( Dish Soap'll work) seem to have an edge, and it's not uncommon for conventional "Mud Rotary" outfits that work in zones where Caliche is encountered to have "Foam Injection" as a backup solution.
Caliche, one of the original "Drilling Problems" from ancient times forward,.....
Nothing that one challenges with a farm tractor and a post hole auger,......the comments about it not being "Potato Soil" were bang on.
Best regards,
GTC
