DIY well drilling / trench digging for GSHP - Page 4

AC_Hacker · 05-30-11, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mejunkhound

Pic for AC_Hacker attached.

Thanks for the pic.

The guy in your picture...

...looks mighty similat to this guy...

... in fact, I'm pretty sure you guys are related.

So, what is a "walking beam", anyway?

Also, when you did your GSHP loop field, did you dig boreholes, or did you dig trenches? And how much borehole or trench did you dig for the Tons of HVAC heating you got?

Also, when you were doing boreholes, how did you join your pipe segments? did you use existing pipe thread, or did you buy or make some other method?

Also, when you needed to force water down the borehole, what did you use for a pump?

-AC_Hacker

Xringer · 05-30-11, 09:09 AM

That old pic is fascinating. I wish it was in higher resolution, to see more detail.
(Like what kind of shoes he was wearing).

So, the idea behind that giant drill bit was, drill down, pull it up and clean off about 100 pounds of clay?

mejunkhound · 05-30-11, 09:24 AM

Interesting, the B&W photo DOES look like pics I've seen of Greatgrandpa (b. 1850), but no idea if related. Nearly everyone in the family has had blacksmith skills, and that drill looks hand forged?

My GGpa's dad, GGGrandpa, got so upset with the prices folks charged him when he moved to IL from Deutchland in the 1820s that he ended up building his own commercial sawmill, grain mill, and even dug his own coal mine. By the time it closed in 1965, the coal mine had provided the livelyhood for quite a few families over the previous century. So, some of the DIY and 'cheap' traits must be hereditary.

A walking beam is an engine driven arm that applies vertical motion to a drill stem or cable or pump rod. In my pic, it is the beam going from the car wheel and angling down to the left. The vertical arm on the pic is actuall an elbow (crank), one arm is attached to one axle of a welded rear end of a '62 Impala, so that as the wheel rotates, the arm moves up and down by crank action.
The drill stem can be seen hanging to the left of the tower, with the cutting edge hidden behind the fire hose. Cable goes from walking beam up to big pulley on top of the tower.

Used a 3" open vane pump driven by another car engine for the 'jet', water from the existing 30" dia dug well (with a few gallons of bleach dumped in every few minutes to be on the safe side)

Open loop, same well as our drinking water, my water rights permit allows 5000 gal per day, dumps into my pond.

Use method similar to yours for joining pipe, only used 2 old teflon coated clothes irons
vs a waffle iron...

Saw a copeland scroll this AM on ebay for $60, will bid on that, maybe think of building a HP using propane system for the barn shop.....

Xringer · 05-30-11, 09:51 AM

I always want to build one of those Walking Beam Engines with my Erector set,
but I didn't have enough parts..

Erector Walking Beam Engine - Girders & Gears

Corbett Portable Drilling Rig

AC_Hacker · 06-08-11, 11:57 AM

I thought I'd post some well drilling resources... I will edit more in as I find them. If you're thinking about drilling holes, the time to start is now, while you have lots of fair weather ahead of you.

* * * * *

Lifewater, a Canadian well drilling manual

Prectica, a Dutch organization with open source manuals on various techniques regarding well drilling.

Hydromissions, a christian missionary organization that specializes in low-tech soft earth drilling tools. I tried making some of these tools... They didn't work well in rochy soil.

Baptist Well Drill - A combination percussion/sludge drill with a simple to make drill point and foot valve. Low tech and effective. It helps to have a team for friends to help out.

The Wikipedia entry

A PDF with lots of info.

Open Source Ecology - These guys have some big ideas, including a well-drilling machine. So far it's on the drawing board, without much in the way of drawings. Maybe they need help?

Regards,

-AC_Hacker

S-F · 06-08-11, 12:02 PM

I have fallen in love with the girl on the right in that picture. Much more important than any information on well drilling would be her phone number.

AC_Hacker · 06-08-11, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S-F

I have fallen in love with the girl on the right...

She's only interested in guys that drill wells...

-AC

RichInIL · 06-08-11, 09:49 PM

I'd tell you where to get more info and where I get equipment, but I don't have enough posts, sorry.

AC_Hacker · 06-09-11, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichInIL

I'd tell you where to get more info and where I get equipment, but I don't have enough posts, sorry.

Send me an email through EcoRenovator with info, and I can edit it in with proper attributions, of course.

-AC_Hacker

Vlad · 02-25-12, 05:31 PM

Wanted to post some pics, but need to find how to upload them first

06-08-11, 11:57 AM	#35
AC_Hacker Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 4,004 Thanks: 303 Thanked 723 Times in 534 Posts	Well Drilling Resources I thought I'd post some well drilling resources... I will edit more in as I find them. If you're thinking about drilling holes, the time to start is now, while you have lots of fair weather ahead of you. * * * * * Lifewater, a Canadian well drilling manual Prectica, a Dutch organization with open source manuals on various techniques regarding well drilling. Hydromissions, a christian missionary organization that specializes in low-tech soft earth drilling tools. I tried making some of these tools... They didn't work well in rochy soil. Baptist Well Drill - A combination percussion/sludge drill with a simple to make drill point and foot valve. Low tech and effective. It helps to have a team for friends to help out. The Wikipedia entry A PDF with lots of info. Open Source Ecology - These guys have some big ideas, including a well-drilling machine. So far it's on the drawing board, without much in the way of drawings. Maybe they need help? Regards, -AC_Hacker Attached Thumbnails __________________ I'm not an HVAC technician. In fact, I'm barely even a hacker... Last edited by AC_Hacker; 06-08-11 at 12:01 PM..

02-25-12, 05:31 PM	#40
Vlad Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Windsor ON Canada Posts: 229 Thanks: 4 Thanked 30 Times in 22 Posts	Wanted to post some pics, but need to find how to upload them first Last edited by Vlad; 02-25-12 at 05:34 PM..

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05-30-11, 09:09 AM	#32
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	That old pic is fascinating. I wish it was in higher resolution, to see more detail. (Like what kind of shoes he was wearing). So, the idea behind that giant drill bit was, drill down, pull it up and clean off about 100 pounds of clay?

05-30-11, 09:24 AM	#33
mejunkhound Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: PNW Posts: 197 Thanks: 0 Thanked 47 Times in 31 Posts	Interesting, the B&W photo DOES look like pics I've seen of Greatgrandpa (b. 1850), but no idea if related. Nearly everyone in the family has had blacksmith skills, and that drill looks hand forged? My GGpa's dad, GGGrandpa, got so upset with the prices folks charged him when he moved to IL from Deutchland in the 1820s that he ended up building his own commercial sawmill, grain mill, and even dug his own coal mine. By the time it closed in 1965, the coal mine had provided the livelyhood for quite a few families over the previous century. So, some of the DIY and 'cheap' traits must be hereditary. A walking beam is an engine driven arm that applies vertical motion to a drill stem or cable or pump rod. In my pic, it is the beam going from the car wheel and angling down to the left. The vertical arm on the pic is actuall an elbow (crank), one arm is attached to one axle of a welded rear end of a '62 Impala, so that as the wheel rotates, the arm moves up and down by crank action. The drill stem can be seen hanging to the left of the tower, with the cutting edge hidden behind the fire hose. Cable goes from walking beam up to big pulley on top of the tower. Used a 3" open vane pump driven by another car engine for the 'jet', water from the existing 30" dia dug well (with a few gallons of bleach dumped in every few minutes to be on the safe side) Open loop, same well as our drinking water, my water rights permit allows 5000 gal per day, dumps into my pond. Use method similar to yours for joining pipe, only used 2 old teflon coated clothes irons vs a waffle iron... Saw a copeland scroll this AM on ebay for $60, will bid on that, maybe think of building a HP using propane system for the barn shop.....

05-30-11, 09:51 AM	#34
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	I always want to build one of those Walking Beam Engines with my Erector set, but I didn't have enough parts.. Erector Walking Beam Engine - Girders & Gears Corbett Portable Drilling Rig

06-08-11, 12:02 PM	#36
S-F You Ain't Me Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northampton MA Posts: 662 Thanks: 6 Thanked 71 Times in 58 Posts	I have fallen in love with the girl on the right in that picture. Much more important than any information on well drilling would be her phone number.

06-08-11, 09:49 PM	#38
RichInIL Lurking Renovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I'd tell you where to get more info and where I get equipment, but I don't have enough posts, sorry.