Coring and extruding sediments from shall lakes with the simple, inexpensive VolksCorer and VolksExtruder

Abstract

Materials for constructing a simple piston corer are available at most well-stocked hardware stores, primarily using galvanized fence post for the barrel, and pipe for the drive rod and head. These are assembled with a modicum of machinist skills. In the field, this VolksCorer operates like similar corers; it is limited to relatively shallow water (about 10–15 m) and is poorly suited for down-the-hole coring, but it requires few specialized tools. Likewise, materials to construct the VolksExtruder are widely available; this extruder, although simple, allows very precise extrusion control. The very low cost of the corer and extruder (less than US$50 each) make them suitable for investigators operating with low budgets without sacrificing sample quality.