Spent the morning with an enviromental test company sampling soil around two home heating oil tanks that may need to be removed. Naturally, two of the best ornamental trees are right on top of the tanks.

Anyway they use very interesting equipment to sample at the depth of the tank bottom, in this case +/- 6 feet. The sectional system can be used at any required depth. The hand unit uses a slide hammer and it's very rugged. After driving to depth a rod is inserted in the hollow probe to remve the end cap and then it's driven some more to collect the sample. Apparently expensive but it does the job.

They also make power equipment to hydraulically push the probe but that's real change. (Truck - F-350 4x4 w/cap), PTO, hydraulic unit and basic tooling and collection tubes around $84K!)

But the sectional probes might come in under a grand for arboricultural work. Didn't explore this site enough to get pricing. Apparently they're THE source for rhe environmental test industry.