Well Searching

[1320]

Not sure where to place this post.....but.....anyone ever search old water wells? With or without water? I have tremendous curosity as to what might be at the bottom of some of these old home site wells. How would you retrieve non metallic objects from a well that is full of water?

 

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[kenb]

1320 , Not sure I can help but aprx. how deep are the well(s) ? how big is the item you want to retrieve, and what is it made of?
kenb

 

[1320]

Hey Ken, haven't ever searched one yet. Just curious if anyone has. I know of several old ones and thought I might devise I way to search them. If anything is at the bottom, bringing it up would present some challenges. I would say that most of the wells around here are 20 to 25 feet deep.

Any kind of a bucket/scoop contraption out there? Obviously big magnets would work on metallic objects but what about bottles, coins etc.

I'm not beyond some scuba gear ya know!

 

[kenb]

The scoop type bucket or miniature crane scoop is the only thing I could think of also. Problem is it wouldn't get the small stuff (coin and button size) and could damage the fragile items such as bottles and plates. I guess you could go down an empty one but I wouldn't advise it. Nore could anyone get me down one of those holes!!

 

[Dinkydick]

If you are thinking of physically going down a well make sure that you have clean air to breathe and another person or two standing by in case you need assistance. Some holes/wells have bad air and you could get yourself KILLED. It happens all the time.

Be careful
Dinkydick

 

[xXx]

I've had these wells on my mind the last couple weeks since there was a post by someone else about them. My only suggestion is to first try to send an underwater camera down with a light attached. This might first give you an idea what lies beneath on the surface. Next, if it seems safe, I would figure out some sort of lowering device to get myself down. Keep in mind that, water in the well or not, I would definately want a tank and regulator. Also, as mentioned before, there should be at least 2 or 3 other people there to assist you with back up lifts and hoists.
Keep in mind, your talking about a VERY dangerous "undertaking".
Just my thinking on the subject.
xXx

 

[qeylya]

But you have to admit this brings up memories of that 80's movie The Goonies. The found a well bottom that was littered with coinage. It's a terrrific idea...just will take some planning and some thoughts on safety.

Good luck!!!

 

[fahrenheit]

Going down a deep well...too scary for me. I keep seeing the walls caved in on me...give me nightmare just thinking about it.

Dried well would be better for me if i were to go down there. Yes, definitely have a buddy at the top of the well for emergency. I would definitely tie a safety rope around my waste with me at all time if I am down there. Anything happened, the person at the top of the well can pull you to safety.

And carry a walkie talkie or a cell phone definitely and tell your friend/family where you are going. when you are done call them to notify you're safe.

I think use common sense when it comes to safety.

I still think it is scary. Be safe.

fahrenheit.

 

[AlabamaClay]

You can try putting a strong magnet on a rope. You will only get iron objects of course and they may be completely corroded due to the water. But, as Yogi Berra is supposed to have said in one word - YOUNEVERKNOW!

 

[Carl in CO]

I dropped a 16 inch pipe wrench down a well a couple of years ago. I used a large magnet. I could move it around on the floor, but not lift it up. I've heard of contraptions to clean the bottom of wells, but never seen one. They are like a bucket with an open bottom. It sinks into the silt and then the bottom closes as pulled up. There are a few websites carrying sludge pumps. You could try calling a well driller in the yellow pages and tell him you need to clean your well. He would tell you how it's done. If you figure it out, there's sure to be a lot of interesting items. You know how kids like to throw stuff down holes.

 

[1320]

Thank you all for your replies. I have secured a submersible camera to do the initial look. No way am I going done in a well!!! I will try to find a scoop/bucket arrangement. I'll keep you posted.....

 

[BIG BAD JOHN]

I used to work for a Master Mason in Illinois. We got called quite often to reline the old dug-type water wells out on farms, etc. The danger with going into old wells (even more than the lack of breathable air) is the potential for cave-in. There was almost never a footing and the mortar gets soft and crumbly after a few years. After that, the bricks are pretty much just sticking to the sides and resting on a layer of SLIGHTLY cemtatious dirt. No way should you go in there. If I were going to search one, I'd try to use the underwater camera/light setup to scope it out first. Since those old wells were relatively shallow, you could deploy the camera/light rig on PVC pipe. If there was a layer of change, you could try to send a grab down the ID of the pipe to get it, or shore up the sides of the old well with drainage culvert material to make it safe enough to go down and work the bottom. In my humble opinion, to go down there without taking precautions may result in you crawling into your grave. At that depth, if a cave-in occurred the weight of 20' to 25' of soil would crush your entire body...so don't worry about trying to hold your breath until someone digs you out. Even if you had a safety retrieval system, you couldn't be pulled out. BBJ

 

[1320]

That's scary John, good point. I just finished reading a book about some guys that search old privies and some of those are real deep. They use very large round PVC (looks like culvert piping) sections in the holes they are in. Pretty cool idea.

 

[TORRERO]

HERES A TWIST...
I HAVE ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT THE WELL THING, I LIVED AND HUNTED IN SPAIN FOR 3 YEARS
AND MANY OF THE FIELDS WE HUNTED IN, FOR ROMAN ARTIFACTS, HAD OLD WELLS ON THEM.
THE FARMERS AVOIDED THEM, OF COURSE, BUT THE ONES ON ROMAN SITES WERE USUALLY VERY BIG AROUND
MAYBE 10-15 FEET ACROSS, AND YOU COULD SEE WATER IN THEM, AND MAN DID I WONDER WHAT MIGHT LAY JUST
AT THE BOTTOM OF A 2000 YEAR OLD WELL...
SORRY BUT I NEVER DID FIND OUT...
ONE WELL WAS SO FAR OUT IN THE BOONIES ON THE SIDE OF THIS BIG HILL, THAT WHEN WE WERE
HUNTING THERE, ... THERE WERE SWARMS OF MASQUETOES AND THE ONLY PLACE WITH WATER FOR
MILES WAS THE WELL, AND THE WATER YOU COULD SEE LOOKED BRACKISH AND NASTY...
BUT PLENTY BIG ENOUGH FOR SCUBA DIVING AND GEAR....
JUST A THOUGHT...

 

[1320]

What would be the best device for getting something out of a well. Is there a pump that is powerful enough to suck up coings from the bottom of a filled well? Would have to be 12 volt.....no electricity way out in the woods....

 

[1320]

Would a dredge work? Like the ones that are used to find gold underwater?