Colder Than a Well Diggers ...

[Handy Don 14,244]

I had a summer job for a well supply retailer back around 1970. Some customers were still using the BE pounders, like this one, and others had switched to rotaries. One day I got sent to troubleshoot a huge rotary drill. The drill engine was no start.

Me, a college kid in a VW bug with a couple boxes of tools, had never worked on anything like this. I could see the skepticism in the customer’s eyes when I pulled up.

In about 20 minutes, I traced the problem to incorrect wiring--there was too-small-gauge wire and a fuse in between the ignition switch and the coil. Toasted, of course. Rewired it in about 10 minutes with some heavier wire and new connectors and it ran like a honey.

“My boss says, ’No charge', sir” (huge smile lights up customer’s face!).

Of course I wrote it up, including photos from my 35mm camera, and my boss billed the drill manufacturer for my time and travel costs.

Cool experience. 

[ebinmaine 73,474]

12 hours ago, 953 nut said:

That is nothing compared to grinding through 100 feet of solid granite, that sound can be heard for a mile or more.

 

Agreed.  

Because I work in the construction industry I've been around a few. 

You can YELL as loud as you want next to the rig. 

No sound gets to the next pair of ears.  

[Wayne0 1,295]

I live on a power line right of way. A couple years ago they put up some new steel poles. When that 36" drill hit bedrock, it shook my house!

 

Edited September 5 by Wayne0

[Wayne0 1,295]

Pretty interesting watching them string the wires. A helicopter would drop a guy off on the pole, dip down to the ground, pick up the wire on a pulley, bring it up to the guy on the pole who would attach it. Pick the guy up and move to the next pole.

Bet he makes big bucks!

[Handy Don 14,244]

1 hour ago, Wayne0 said:

Bet he makes big bucks!

The ‘copter sure saves a lot of climbing.

I’d love to hear him describe his job!

“Same old same old. Up the pole, rig the cable attachment, attach the cable, next pole.” 😁

 

[Wayne0 1,295]

I watched them replace the static line on the big double poles. This was a 30 degree day. I can't imagine what the temp was in the rotor wash!

 

Edited September 6 by Wayne0

[wallfish 18,365]

43 minutes ago, Wayne0 said:

I watched them replace the static line on the big double poles.

The high tension lines are about 2-300 yards behind our house and not really visible. When they were working on them about 10 years ago, the wife calls me in a big panic saying they are dropping people off out of helicopters. She thought it was a Russian invasion or something! LOL

[Handy Don 14,244]

On 9/5/2025 at 8:09 PM, Wayne0 said:

Notice the counterweight on the aft end of other landing skid to balance the chopper--makes it a lot more predictable to handle. Normally, the “outside” worker stays in their position throughout the flight. 

Edited Monday at 09:11 PM by Handy Don

[Beap52 1,526]

1 hour ago, Handy Don said:

Notice the counterweight on the aft end of other landing skid to balance the chopper--makes it a lot more predictable to handle. Normally, the “outside” worker stays in their position throughout the flight. 

 

I hadn't noticed the counterweight before.  Makes sense.

 

I thought it was his lunch bucket!

[oliver2-44 10,827]

On 9/5/2025 at 7:09 PM, Wayne0 said:

I watched them replace the static line on the big double poles. 

 

In the late 90,s The utility I retired from replaced a lot of static wires with new statics that had bundles of fiber in them. They were on the early side of leasing fiber to outside customers. 

[WHX?? 52,127]

Now that you clowns got properly ...  EB would say it's all good... 

Casing down to 245 ft. with the screen. It was interesting that he put the screen down to the bottom then pulled the casing back up so the screen hangs out the bottom of the casing. Would have liked to see how he cut off the pipe and drive coupling to final grade but had a doctors appt. 

He said it not a great well but not a bad one. Water up in the casing to about 14 ft. from the top. Today I noticed water dripping out of the conduit power connection and at times a decent stream. Maybe they did hit a artesian ?? 

Gotta like their custom caps! 

Now to wait on the pump installers.

Can't wait for seat time on the FEL to move the dirt he pulled out and put the lawn back together. 

[SylvanLakeWH 28,890]

57 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Now that you clowns got properly ... 

 

Wha...??? 

 

Squirrel!!!

[ebinmaine 73,474]

4 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Now that you clowns got properly ...  EB would say it's all good

 

 

 

 

 

 

[c-series don 10,233]

 @WHX?? Can you please have another well drilled? I was really enjoying this thread 😂

[WHX?? 52,127]

13 hours ago, c-series don said:

Can you please have another well drilled?

Certainly as long as it doesn't go three weeks and no water pumping yet!

Maybe not with this outfit tho. The crews know what they are doing that's fer sure but communication with the front office is P poor. Me thinks the office gal is related to the owner and is working ther just for that fact. Certainly not for her planning skills or knowledge of well drilling. . 

[pfrederi 18,784]

To get back off topic that helicopter electric line work is dangerous.  Crash killed two while working on electric lines.

 

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/carbon-county/deadly-helicopter-crash-in-carbon-county-maury-road-penn-forest-township/523-0f41452c-f2c8-4c8c-9076-2f697a38f2b6