EcoRenovator - View Single Post - DIY well drilling / trench digging for GSHP

Vlad · 02-27-12, 02:53 AM

Here are some pics of machine I built and used. I will post description bellow.

The whole unit where I was drilling:

The Frame. It is welded from steel I bought as a scrap. It is very heavy. I didn't want to weld it all, just in case to store it or move it. It is welded and bolted together.

Drilling head. Steel sprockets are welded. Heavy duty chain. Middle sprocket is adjustable it is bolted from the bottom and moves for adjustment.

Water swivel. I didn't built it. It is commercial swivel I bought in on.....you bet Ebay. It had originally short threaded end I welded sprocket and welded pies of 1.5" pipe. I put 2 pillow block bearings and bolted them into rest of drill head:

Closer look at frame and head. You can see wheels!!! Yes I had to add wheels after I tried to move it. I added jacks to make it easier to level

Here you can see 12 volt ATV winch. It helps to lift drill head up.
Also you can see cross cables that hold to posts(1.5" vertical steel pipes). There are 4 cross cables 2 in the front ant 2 in the back.
Later I was thinking easier would be just to use 4 3/4 steel pipes then cables.

This is a hand winch that helps to push drill head down. I had to add it because I used tricone bit for drilling rocks. You need a lot of pressure to use tricones. They actually don't drill (cut) they crash rock with pressure.

Here is a tricone bit. I bought it .... Ebay. Originally it had special cone thread. I cut it off and welded heavy duty NPT coupling .

I used heavy steel hydraulic couplings(not cast iron cheap ones) for connecting pipes together. I welded 2 pieces of road on each side to make it easier to turn them. Also this pieces lock coupling on table. When you want to lift pipe you can't hold it by hand. It is easy to drop it down the hole. I am not the best fisherman this is why I built sliding table.

This is a sliding table. Coupling can't go though its slot but pipe can. Also 2 pieces on each side lock coupling with welded rods. So when you lift pipe above table it slides out. You lower the pipe and coupling rests on top of the table holding pipes that are still underground. After you can spin off top pipe and lower head to connect it to coupling that rests on table.

Here is another VERY GOOD bit from Ebay. It carbide is step bit.

This is a water pump I used for circulating mud. I used bentonite clay for mud. The best is to use gas engine because you can adjust mud flow by adjusting RPM. With electric motor I had to recirculate extra mud back. What a pain.

I will post some more pictures and tell you the drilling challenge story.

02-27-12, 02:53 AM	#46
Vlad Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Windsor ON Canada Posts: 229 Thanks: 4 Thanked 30 Times in 22 Posts	Some pics of home made drilling machine Here are some pics of machine I built and used. I will post description bellow. The whole unit where I was drilling: The Frame. It is welded from steel I bought as a scrap. It is very heavy. I didn't want to weld it all, just in case to store it or move it. It is welded and bolted together. Drilling head. Steel sprockets are welded. Heavy duty chain. Middle sprocket is adjustable it is bolted from the bottom and moves for adjustment. Water swivel. I didn't built it. It is commercial swivel I bought in on.....you bet Ebay. It had originally short threaded end I welded sprocket and welded pies of 1.5" pipe. I put 2 pillow block bearings and bolted them into rest of drill head: Closer look at frame and head. You can see wheels!!! Yes I had to add wheels after I tried to move it. I added jacks to make it easier to level Here you can see 12 volt ATV winch. It helps to lift drill head up. Also you can see cross cables that hold to posts(1.5" vertical steel pipes). There are 4 cross cables 2 in the front ant 2 in the back. Later I was thinking easier would be just to use 4 3/4 steel pipes then cables. This is a hand winch that helps to push drill head down. I had to add it because I used tricone bit for drilling rocks. You need a lot of pressure to use tricones. They actually don't drill (cut) they crash rock with pressure. Here is a tricone bit. I bought it .... Ebay. Originally it had special cone thread. I cut it off and welded heavy duty NPT coupling . I used heavy steel hydraulic couplings(not cast iron cheap ones) for connecting pipes together. I welded 2 pieces of road on each side to make it easier to turn them. Also this pieces lock coupling on table. When you want to lift pipe you can't hold it by hand. It is easy to drop it down the hole. I am not the best fisherman this is why I built sliding table. This is a sliding table. Coupling can't go though its slot but pipe can. Also 2 pieces on each side lock coupling with welded rods. So when you lift pipe above table it slides out. You lower the pipe and coupling rests on top of the table holding pipes that are still underground. After you can spin off top pipe and lower head to connect it to coupling that rests on table. Here is another VERY GOOD bit from Ebay. It carbide is step bit. This is a water pump I used for circulating mud. I used bentonite clay for mud. The best is to use gas engine because you can adjust mud flow by adjusting RPM. With electric motor I had to recirculate extra mud back. What a pain. I will post some more pictures and tell you the drilling challenge story. Last edited by Vlad; 02-27-12 at 04:19 AM..