Well dig

[groathunter]

Hi
Just wonder if anyone had good advice on how to dig a deep well or what eqipment I should get ??

[Owain 1405]

Does it involve entering the well? If so I wouldn't advise it, unless you are a professional confined spaces operative

[groathunter]

I was thinking about using a scoop of some kind and long pole it's about 20 30 ft down and it quite low but unsure on the accrual depth

[hairyharry]

are these any help for you, if it just the water you are after, or are you thinking of a more traditional well which is wider?

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[timesearch]

I was involved in one of these a few years ago. The safe way is to drop a line to establish the depth, then get a wide bore tube and drill a small bore hole in the side at one end. Then attach a small bore tube to the bottom end, a sieve at the top end and stand back while you connect an air supply from a divers tank or compressor. This will generate a bubble in the large pipe and lift the contents up the tube.The sieve is to catch the contents and I said stand back because the speed at which a half brick will ascend is unbelievable. Make sure everything is securely connected before switching on and under no circumstances enter the well.
Cheers, John

[timesearch]

I forgot to mention that there is a strong possiblity of a pocket of methane gas in any underground chamber, so unless your neighbour is an ex-miner with a trained canary I suggest you don't drop anything which might strike a spark.

[pasttarg]

very dangerous to contemplate such a thing as numerous guys have been buried when the walls collapse in and they get buried under rubble.
and what do you expect to find ? anything chucked in would be buried under several feet of silt at the bottom ,so you dig in to the bottom and the walls collapse on you .
they were in most cases built long ago and are in a bad way structurally anyways

[timesearch]

It's also worth remembering that as well as the risk of the well collapsing inwards while you are in there, the walls may have already collapsed farther down, leading to the risk of unstable ground around the well. If you do decide to go ahead the risks of waterborne diseases such as Leptopirosis, carried by rat's urine, need to be borne in mind, as with any water based activities.

[FUBAR]

Some really good advice given by members. Always think safety and do a risk assessment.

[Rift]

If you want the water out, and its not fed from a natural spring, which would keep filling it hire or borrow a "Hippo" type submersible pump.
These have a float that cuts the pump when its emptied a well / tank.

Get some cyalume sticks to drop into it, they last 6-12 hours depending on the quality and can give a good, intrinsically safe light source.

Some gasses are held within silt / mud so they are not present until you disturb the bottom. Low levels of Oxygen are more common where natural ventilation is scarce and decaying vegetation, animals, and other nasties produce gasses that will displace it.

Once you pump it out the structure can become very unstable as the water acting on the sides holds the walls in place and once empty and drying can become loose and collapse.

To be honest unless its a small shallow well then its very specialist work, and not something to be taken on as a "weekend project".

I work with confined spaces, safe working at height (above and under ground), Line access, breathing apparatus, trench work, and other associated risks within this field and would only ever send someone in to carry out a rescue..and that's after trying every other option available.

ATB
Rift

[timesearch]

Given all that's been said and the fact that you've given no reason for wanting to do this, I'm assuming that you may be working on the basis that you have good reason to believe that the well may contain something of value i'm not sure that anything is worth the risks involved in entering into such a venture.

[golf010]

Hi
Just wonder if anyone had good advice on how to dig a deep well or what eqipment I should get ??

My suggestion is , leave well alone... hmm yes sorry.

[redwulf500]

chuck a old tin bucket in with holes drilled so it sinks and pull it about on a rope.you never know they may be some old bottles down there . but don't go down its to much of a risk....

[fishy]

A well is a good place to lose something

[timesearch]

Just for the benefit of those who aren't into Ordnance Survey maps 'W' means well and you find one on your permission which hasn't been capped well it could still be dangerous.