Waiting in line for soil testing services can put unnecessary stress on your operation and lead to schedule delays, anxious employees and unhappy clients. What many contractors and private operators with soil sampling needs don’t know is it’s not only possible to pull your own soil samples, it’s a lot easier than you might think.

Lone Star’s LST1G+ and LST1G+HD geotechnical drilling rigs open the door for contractors of all sizes to do their own geotechnical testing, standard penetration testing and soil testing when waiting in line for these services is not an option. Read on to learn how these small-but-mighty rigs bring soil sampling within reach for your operation.

You don’t need a truck.

Most soil sampling rigs require heavy trucks that, aside from being expensive to own and maintain, demand a specially licensed operator. The LST1G+ and LST1G+HD trailer-mounted geotechnical rigs can be towed with a standard pickup, or even an ATV.

You can afford it.

Lone Star trailer-mounted drill models cost significantly less than their competitive truck-mounted counterparts, which makes owning your own geotechnical rigs a very real and attractive option. And when you compare it to the cost of subbing out drilling services, the return on investment conversation points to ownership as the smart decision for your business.

You have the technology.

The LST1G+ and LST1G+HD rigs give you the tools you need to complete the most challenging jobs. The tower and cathead, along with the 140-pound safety hammer, allow you to conduct your own standard penetration tests. And, if the comprehensive drill kit is not enough, let the powerful 3,000-psi hydraulic system and 20-horsepower Honda engine reassure you these rigs are not messing around. They came to work.

It fits in your backyard.

Compact and portable, Lone Star geotechnical rigs are designed to fit through gates and across excavated foundations. Whether you are on a busy work site, in a dense residential setting, or literally in your own backyard, Lone Star soil sampling equipment is compact enough to be where the work is.

You’ve got options.

Lone Star’s expanding line of soil sampling equipment also includes the LST1G+HDA, the preferred geotechnical rig for scenarios where standard penetration testing is specifically regulated. The automatic safety hammer ensures consistent SPT results no matter the operator, and the truck- or trailer-mounted options let you choose the machine that makes the most sense for your operation.

You’ve got this.

If you need to learn how to properly operate the equipment, Lone Star offers a free half-day training session to all who buy a drill, setting you up to be successful the first time you use it in the field.

The decision to own soil sampling equipment over leasing out the service depends on your specific situation, but it pays to consider ownership once you know pulling your own samples is a viable — and possibly more profitable — option.

Still have questions? Call us at 800-227-7515 to learn more about do-it-yourself soil sampling, or find your local Lone Star dealer by contacting us online.