well-drilling with PTO??? anybody?

[benjio]

So i searched around and couldn't find anything...

Surely there must be a way to utilize the power and the PTO already on my BX 24 to help me drill my well, eh?

I have enough 3/4" steel pipe to get deep enough and an 8" bit. I've gotten down 10 feet by hand (right now the water table is about 2.5' below ground... so i shouldn't have to go too deep to get a nice supply), but there's gotta be a way to jury-rig some power onto that thing to spin it.

I'm not in any hurry, it's just for irrigation on my couple acres. I've already got a city water line comin in for the house.

Could I adapt a post-hole digger to turn the 3/4" pipe and still be able to send water down the pipe to the bit while it's drilling?

I've googled all over and seen a bunch of the home-job drill rigs, but I'd love to use the tractor for this if there's a good way.

thanks in adavance, k


Benji

 

[ultrarunner]

I don't have an answer, but it's something I've thought about...

Why wouldn't it work?

 

[carpenter383]

My cousine bought a pto well driller on ebay, I can't remember the price, it worked til he hit rock. He broke a couple bits, got em stuck under ground, etc. Finally gave up and ended up hiring it done.

 

[laen64]

So for Hire is the way to go for my home site planning. However I will watch this thread that I may dig another well just for an additional sprinkler system for gardening.

 

[Scotty370]

I'm thinking a 3/4" pipe powered by a PHD is going to turn it into a pretzel! Lots of torque on relitively thin wall pipe driving an 8"auger!. Check this site for ideas:

Deep Rock Home

You could certainly adapt to drive it, but you'd have to have 3' section to keep adding on, plus, how do you get the cuttings back out of the hole? What's your projected final depth? ~Scotty

 

[valley]

Benji, Your water table is not far down! Your can use a DrivePoint. They are made for that purpose. They are stainless steel I bought one from Sears years ago. If they no longer sell them someone does. Richard

 

[chriswheeler]

I'm sure it is doable. That said, I know that 3/4" schedule 40 pipe will not handle the power necessary to drive a 8" drill for more than a couple of feet!!!!! If you were running that drill with 2" or larger, you might get 100' if you are lucky. If you did get 100' deep, think about how you are going to raise the drill and 5 sections of 2" pipe out of the hole?? Lots of weight. Not saying it can't be done, just not worth the effort for the savings. If it were me, I'd hire out the job and let them do the well caseing at the same time.
Chris

 

[Renze]

does your soil contain rocks or clay ?
We're on sandy soil, and have water jetted up to 10 meter with the manure tanker and a 2.5" pipe.

 

[The Dougster]

You are fighting an uphill battle.... best suggestion to date is a well point, stainless steel of course.... second best bet would be to install casing in the ten feet you have obtained thus far and then rent a high volume compressor with your 3/4" pipe set on bottom and blow out the well, which, in theory, will cause your existing casing to sink downward at which time you add another joint of casing... Visit your local well driller supply and obtain a polymer based drilling fluid, which, when mixed with water, will float the cutting out of the well.... Messy, messy work but depending on your geology, might.... might work.. Good luck.

 

[Stimw]

Since you are in a SUPPER SECRET LOCATION it's hard to offer advice on your options.
The simplest way is to wash it down. I use 2" PVC, wash it down then drop 1 1/4" PVC with well point inside the 2" and then remove the 2" completely. I've done over a dozen wells this way, I have two on my property now. I've washed as far as 42'.