I just bought a water well drive point for $52 at Eagle Hardware. It is about 3 1/2 feet long and 1 1/2 inch thick. It has a heavy duty screen that will allow the ground water to enter and a heavy duty point to allow it to enter the ground.

I also bought a heavy duty hand pump at Harbor Freight, made in Vhina for only $27.

Tomorrow I start pounding it into the ground. It is a cheap way to secure water needs in case water shuts down.

-- freddie (freddie@thefreeloader.com), July 05, 1999

Answers

We have a point driven well for years in MI...plenty of water as it was only 20" or so there...not too good a choice here in MO where our well is over 600". Also, water from a shallow depth would probably not be wise in many states that have a problem with pesticides in their wells....but would still be a good source for everything but cooking and drinking.

-- MUTTI (windance @train.missouri.org), July 05, 1999.

good luck freddie- hope your soil is relatively rock/bolder free. I tried that a few years back. It's still partway down there so far as I know- maybe I'll go pound on it again for a bit........

keep it going down straight though- check frequently. Also- be very careful with the end you pound on- put a cap on it to take the brunt of the blows- try to grease the cap with something to ease removal- and make sure it's theaded on perfectly. Also- if you can- instead of whacking away with a sledge- set up a tripod above it with a weight and chain system, so you can drop the weight onto it- I did the sledge bit......sigh...

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.net), July 05, 1999.

Let us know how it works. We were pounding for 2 weeks and accomplishing nothing but ruining the point and bending the pipe and all in an area where we should be hitting good water at 30 feet.

Finally went to Alabama and purchased the DeepRock package. Yeah, I know it was expensive but since we will be putting in several wells on properties in several states, it will pay for itself. Also figure we may be able to rent it out both before and after y2k to people who want wells less than 200 ft deep.

Our first test hit an artesian stream at 20 feet. Hopefully, tomorrow if the heat lets up we will have ours in, probably around 40 feet.

Pounding it yourself is of course, much cheaper, but seems to work better in sand. Good Luck!

-- sue (deco100@aol.com), July 05, 1999.

Hi, We have one also. Our plans are to use it in the small stream located close by. If you place it in a stream down a few feet you have an automatic sand filter. Put a hand pump on and wala! Lot's of water and no worry abt contaminated drinking water in stream!

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), July 05, 1999.

Hey Sue---

You wouldn't be in Arkansas would you? We've been looking for someone who might rent their DeepRock Hydradrill to us. If not, anyone else out there want to make a little back on your investment? Please email us.

-- kat (kat@r-v.net), July 05, 1999.

I used water pressure and washed a hole down in sand and clay for 75 just to see what it would do, could have keep going but run out of pipe. Easier then pounding.

After you get the hole down, pull the pipe and insert the sand point. Should only take one after noon if there are no rocks.

-- Lyle (eileen@idacom.net), July 06, 1999.