How It Works

Praire Dog Boring Equipment

FAQ's

How does it work?
All Prairie Dog Boring Machines work by turning a carbide tipped pilot bit to bore the initial hole.  Setup depends on the model of machine being used but they all are designed to drill a straight-line hole.  Water is used to flush the hole as the bit is cutting.
If the original hole needs to be made larger the appropriate sized back reamer can be pulled back through the hole cutting in much the same way as the pilot bit.

How Much water does it take?
A 2" pilot hole 40' long will usually take somewhere between 30 and 50 gallons in optimum conditions.  This water needs to be supplied at around 40-50 psi or standard municipal water pressure and flow.  The machines come standard with a garden hose connection but can be equipped with other connections if needed or easily adapted in the field.

How long does it take?
The time it takes to complete a bore will depend largely on the soil conditions.  However, in good conditions that same 2" x 40' bore shouldn't take more than about 30 minutes to complete.  A 4" - 6" back reamer will take about the same amount of time.  You can add about 20% to the time it takes to back ream a hole for each 2" increment you increase the finished hole size.  These are "rule of thumb" estimates in good conditions. 

Doesn't it make a mess?
Not as much as you might expect.  The water combines with the substrate to create a slurry.  This slurry usually stays by the entrance of the hole.  Any additional water runoff can be contained by digging a small sump and either allowed to soak into the ground or pumped off.  The slurry that is left in the hole serves as a lubricant when inserting the casing, cable, pipe or conduit.
Our machines turn the bit at the right combination of speed and power.  Enough power to bore through the toughest conditions but fast enough to thoroughly mix the water and soil into the proper slurry.

Will it bore through rock?
Yes,  Carbide tipped bits and Back Reamers allow the machine to handle boring through the toughest conditions.  There are many different types of rock though.  The amount of time it takes to bore depends on how hard the rock is.

I have a lot of sand in my area.  Can I still bore with a Prairie Dog without cave ins?
Yes, you can.  A mixture of bentonite clay (drilling mud) can be substituted for the plain water.  This drilling mud will help stabilize the hole in granular soils.