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Author Topic: DIY well drilling  (Read 6638 times)

Offline hjon71

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DIY well drilling
« on: August 15, 2013, 03:03:18 pm »
Hey anybody ever tried this:
DIY Well Drilling
Quite difficult matters can be explained even to a slow-witted man, if only he has not already adopted a wrong opinion about them; but the simplest things cannot be made clear even to a very intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he already knows, and knows indubitably, the truth of the matter under consideration. -Leo Tolstoy

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2013, 10:08:41 am »
I've dug a few wells.  I never had one of those rigs.  Just used an auger, a lot of five foot pieces of threaded pipe and couplers, a tipi pole tripod staked down and a ladder.  I've never gone more than about 35 feet or so.  Then I took some 6" plastic pipe and cut slots in the bottom section to let the water in and left the rest solid.  Filled around that with gravel and capped it with some concrete.
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2013, 01:11:46 pm »
Hjon,
I drilled a 30 foot well using just PVC and 2 hoses connected to the top and it worked but I don’t think I could have gone any further with it.  The pipe freezes it in the hole. This rig looks a lot better.  His pipe stays free to move around and he went twice as deep. It will be a lot of work but will be a whole lot cheaper than having it done by a professional.
Jim
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2013, 03:42:29 pm »
I wonder how it would work through some limestone...
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Offline hjon71

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2013, 10:28:42 am »
Rocks are my biggest concern. Most of the videos don't show rocky limestone or dense clay. All of which we have here. Good to know it can be done though.
I like this setup best because of the way the soil, sand, and gravel are pushed up and out the pipe instead of oozing out the top of the hole. Looks interesting and way cheaper than a hired well driller. I might have to try it. I'd be happy if I could get a plentiful source of water that I could hand pump if something should happen to the public supply. But it sure would be cool to go deep and have a PV powered pump on it. Ahhhhh a man can dream.
Quite difficult matters can be explained even to a slow-witted man, if only he has not already adopted a wrong opinion about them; but the simplest things cannot be made clear even to a very intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he already knows, and knows indubitably, the truth of the matter under consideration. -Leo Tolstoy

Offline BlueBee

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2013, 01:35:36 am »
Interesting, but isn’t drilling a well illegal in many cities?  They don’t want people getting out of the water bill.  They need everybody’s $$$ to pay off the bonds and operating costs for the sewer treatment plants.  Pumping water from the ground costs pennies on the gallon, its the treatment of waste which is expensive.   

How about using a cistern to store rain water?

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2013, 02:01:16 am »
How about using a cistern to store rain water?

That's illegal in some states too.  I store rain water in barrels to feed the livestock when the creek dries up (it's seasonal), and as long as I don't attempt to use it to replace household water it's legal, if I try to use it for human consumption it's illegal.
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Offline hjon71

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2013, 10:56:17 am »
Ever read Civil Disobedience? :-D

Besides, who is going to prosecute a harmless "crime" such as these?
I do intend to catch and store rainwater at some point too. Probably before the well project.
Quite difficult matters can be explained even to a slow-witted man, if only he has not already adopted a wrong opinion about them; but the simplest things cannot be made clear even to a very intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he already knows, and knows indubitably, the truth of the matter under consideration. -Leo Tolstoy

Offline Psparr

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2013, 11:11:20 am »
Ever read Civil Disobedience? :-D

Besides, who is going to prosecute a harmless "crime" such as these?

Better think twice about that.

Read this. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29742577/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/amish-farmer-gets-jail-outhouse-dispute/#.UhDVuD-K_DU

Offline hjon71

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2013, 11:25:33 am »
An issue of public health( raw human sewage ) is a bit different than what I'm proposing. I will step out and say if that group chooses to live that way, they should be allowed. I personally wouldn't be buying produce there though.  :police: Police yourself.
Quite difficult matters can be explained even to a slow-witted man, if only he has not already adopted a wrong opinion about them; but the simplest things cannot be made clear even to a very intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he already knows, and knows indubitably, the truth of the matter under consideration. -Leo Tolstoy

Offline itsme

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Re: DIY well drilling
« Reply #10 on: August 18, 2013, 12:02:18 pm »
I have seen several reports of people being harassed, convicted, fined, etc. for collecting "public" rainwater or other forms of runoff.  It would seem to be a part of Agenda 21.

It's not just a sewage issue.