A Lightweight Hand Coring Auger,

Extensive use of glass epoxy composites has allowed the design of an auger capable of drilling to 30 m without the use of a tripod, or to 50 m with a tripod to assist in raising the drill string. Approximate weight of a 10-m drill is 10 kg. Since most of the drill is already made of plastics, applications for making a clean drill are also discussed. Further refinements using solar voltaics and more exotic materials to ease the drilling burden are discussed. This drill has been tested in Antarctica, Greenland and the Peruvian Andes to near its proposed depth limit.