Hand Auger, Kovacs

The hand auger is the most basic of the mechanical drills and is driven from the surface by extensions that are added as drilling proceeds into the ice.

IDP deploys three types of hand augers:

• SIPRE: 3-inch (76 mm) core
• IDDO: 3-inch (76 mm) and 4-inch (101 mm) cores
• Kovacs: 3.54-inch (90 mm) and 5.5-inch (140 mm) cores

The SIPRE, Kovacs, and short IDDO systems collect half-meter cores, while the long IDDO systems collect one-meter cores. The maximum depth to which hand augers can be used without power assistance(see Sidewinder) is approximately 20 meters. Hand augers are typically operated by investigators without assistance from IDP equipment operators. Hand augers are typically operated by investigators without assistance from IDP drillers, although IDP offers instruction on use of the augers to investigators before they deploy into the field, printed instruction manuals are packed with each auger kit, and a helpful instructional video is available.

Hand augers are individually packed and assigned to investigators, depending on project needs. Drills are shipped directly to the investigators or to the field sites. IDP maintains eight copies of the 3-inch IDDO hand auger, three copies of the 4-inch IDDO hand auger, and nine copies of the SIPRE hand auger. IDP maintains one Kovacs Mark V kit (14 cm/5.5 in core) and approximately four Kovacs Mark II kits (9 cm/3.5 in core). Carbide cutter inserts are available for the 3-inch IDDO and SIPRE hand augers and have been used with success in blue ice areas such as the Allan Hills region of Antarctica and other sites where the ice is entrained with grit.

While ethanol can be used to free a stuck SIPRE or Kovacs hand auger, only glycol should be used with the IDDO hand augers, so as not to delaminate the flights.