Well guys
- Thread starter LazyWP
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gearhead
Well-known member
What is the issue with the well. Maybe we can help you out on here. I'm not a well person but I have designed systems to work within a given parameter, set my own pumps, etc.
Its an home site well, that I am pretty sure is just a "sand point" washed into the ground. Pumps lots of air, then "times" my pump out.
Soapweed sent his well man out, and we came to the conclusion that the water table has dropped a couple feet this year, along with me running more critters off of the well. Going to have to poke a new hole in the ground.
Soapweed sent his well man out, and we came to the conclusion that the water table has dropped a couple feet this year, along with me running more critters off of the well. Going to have to poke a new hole in the ground.
That's a tuff deal. What is your water table there? I had a windmill go bad a few years ago and called everyone in the book, problem was it was a holiday and no one would come until Monday. I called a well guy about 60 miles south of me and he came right out. Cost a lot for mileage to get him but when you call him he comes right out.
Where this well is, its about 15 feet. It is about 200 yards to the river, and there are springs, sometimes just below where the buildings are. When I first started on this project, a month ago, I stuck a 3/4 inch black plastic pipe down the well. All I could get in it, was 13 feet, so I am guessing that is how deep the well is.
I'm not watering a whole bunch of critters, and have a 1000 gallon nurse tank, that last me a couple days, so I am not in a crisis. Just shouldn't have to haul water in the sandhills!!
I'm not watering a whole bunch of critters, and have a 1000 gallon nurse tank, that last me a couple days, so I am not in a crisis. Just shouldn't have to haul water in the sandhills!!
Know someone with a large compressor? My parents' well was sucking air so my brother brought home a big compressor and with the help of the plumber who diagnosed the problem, sent few blasts of air down the casing, cleaning off the screen. It's been six months and so far so good.
I tried pushing water back through it, with my fire pump. Got nearly 200 gallons down it, in short order. Don't think it helped a bit. My gut tells me the pipe rusted through.
You know...if you came back to visit, we could dig another hand dug well. I'll run the dumping crew. You fill the bucket in the bottom of the hole. I am pretty sure this one won't have to be anywhere near as deep as the other hand dug well we have.
You know...if you came back to visit, we could dig another hand dug well. I'll run the dumping crew. You fill the bucket in the bottom of the hole. I am pretty sure this one won't have to be anywhere near as deep as the other hand dug well we have.
katrina
Well-known member
Call Wes Ross... He's our go to man.....
Soapweed
Well-known member
LazyWP said:
I have a good old-time friend that once lived on the outskirts of Rapid City. This was back in the day when having a wishing well in the backyard was considered a luxury. My friend's new bride had cranked up a bucket of water, then untied the bucket to take it in the house. She didn't do the most fabulous job of re-tying the bucket, and it fell off down in the well. Her husband grumpily submitted to making a loop to put his foot through, and then let his bride lower him down in the well to re-tie the bucket. On the way back up, he started chewing on his wife before he was clear out of the ground. She just lowered him back down, and sat around awhile until he cooled off. They have been married about sixty years now, but she has commanded a lot of respect since that day. :wink:
burnt
Well-known member
Soapweed said:
:shock:
Oh man he wasn't very smart and she wasn't very nice! :lol:
gearhead
Well-known member
Can't you hook your firepump upto a piece of pipe and blow a new hole. It is sand we are talking about right. I would think that it wouldn't take to much to drive thirty feet of pipe into the ground that way. We have much harder soils here and do it all the time. Just curious?! I understand that the pipe diameter you need would be about 5 or 6 inch ID, but with sand I don't see a problem. Good luck with whatever route you take.
LazyWP said:
You have a better chance of getting pregnant with kittens! :lol:
The more I think about that other well on the ranch, the more it amazes me. First, somebody had some large stones to go down and dig the well in sand that wants nothing more than to fill itself back in.
Second, they either had to dig a WIDE pit or sured up the walls as they dug down that deep. If they sured the walls, how did they do it without the bracing getting in the way of the buckets? Did they line the walls with the stone as they went down?
The hand dug well, I am pretty sure was braced as they went down. Fairly sure that about 10 feet were secured from the bottom up, then they had to have built a ledge and lined it with rocks. The top 10 feet look like good masonry work, and lower then that they are kind cobbled together.
I tried washing another sandpoint in, but hit something solid. I was trying to stay close to the other well, so I didn't have to run a different line, as my backhoe, is on the somewhat disabled list.
I tried washing another sandpoint in, but hit something solid. I was trying to stay close to the other well, so I didn't have to run a different line, as my backhoe, is on the somewhat disabled list.
Clarencen
Well-known member
If you only need to go 15 or twenty feet to get water and you have a fire pump, it looks like you could wash and drill a well down. Back about 1940 I know of people who put down a well useing a hand pump and turning the drill pipe with a pipe wrench. I don't know how much truth there was to the story, but they said they drilled down so far then hit a cavern ot something and lost their water. They couldn't fill it up. Witched with a crowbar to find another spot then got a good well.
My brother and I drilled a well to about 50 feet with a make-shift well rig. He had built an outfit to pull wells, set up windmill towers, and remove and replace windmill heads. He then made a whirller from an old truck differencal gears. we cased the well with plastic casing with about 12 feet perforated. Thought we would try to dig another sometime but my brother died. Now the scrap iron guys took the whirrler part when I wasn't watching. There are specs now so don't know if an unlisenced person can drill a well.
Was wondering how far down you got to where you hit the hard stuff. Might be sandstone, could be what holds up water for your well and the springs below. This well stuff is interesting.
My brother and I drilled a well to about 50 feet with a make-shift well rig. He had built an outfit to pull wells, set up windmill towers, and remove and replace windmill heads. He then made a whirller from an old truck differencal gears. we cased the well with plastic casing with about 12 feet perforated. Thought we would try to dig another sometime but my brother died. Now the scrap iron guys took the whirrler part when I wasn't watching. There are specs now so don't know if an unlisenced person can drill a well.
Was wondering how far down you got to where you hit the hard stuff. Might be sandstone, could be what holds up water for your well and the springs below. This well stuff is interesting.
Clarencen said:
You ought to come down!! I would be game to try it, and if I understand the well laws, a person can put their own personal wells in, but that is my laymans terms.
I only got down about 4 feet before I hit solid. It almost felt like wood, because things "bounced". I have lots of toys to play with also. Backhoe, old utility digger truck, and firepumper. I think if I had some guidance, I could put in a shallow well with out to much problem.
Clarencen
Well-known member
I was wondering just where you lived, you may not be to far from me. I am 13 miles NE of Kilgore. I wouldn't attempt to give anyone guidance, I havn't really had any experience in that field. The well we put down didn't go without a hitch, some things happen you don't expect. We did learn that it is not that difficult to put down a shallow well. I believe a new well put down today would need to be gouted so outside water could not enter around it, but that would be no problem.
kbar2
Well-known member
If it would be possible count me in on this well drillin project. About 5 or 6 years ago I put a sandpoint in and watered cows that were grazing cornstalks on the Missouri river bottom ground south of the main ranch. I would love to learn what I could about this process. If all else fails I will bring my trencher and run ya a line from another source. 
Looks like you have the labor, now you just need the ideas.
The digger derrick should give you a good start (ours go 10 ft deep). From there you could add some drill pipe from the top of the auger to the auger shaft on the derrick. Slowly and carefully go as deep as you need, grout in some well casing and you have a well. That is if it doesn't collapse on itself. Sounds simple huh? :wink:
The digger derrick should give you a good start (ours go 10 ft deep). From there you could add some drill pipe from the top of the auger to the auger shaft on the derrick. Slowly and carefully go as deep as you need, grout in some well casing and you have a well. That is if it doesn't collapse on itself. Sounds simple huh? :wink:
Clarencen said:
We aren't very far apart at all. I am on the river south of Nenzel. We will have to see if we can get K bar 2 down here and try it sometime. I really think Zilly should be here too. He likes adventure, unless its going down a little hill in a Hotrod.
:lol:
