Driving a hand pump well at a remote off grid Wilderness Camp
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 มิ.ย. 2020
- In this video, Brooke and I drive a well at our remote off grid camp in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with the help of our good friend Scott. Its amazing to be able to get drinking water right out of the ground, on your own property.
Living off grid is a simple and quiet way to live but it does require a few systems to be in place in order to feel comfortable and have your needs met. An outhouse is top priority, and I would say a well comes in a close second. Having a way to get water for showers, the garden, your pets and of course to drink.....thats an amazing and wonderful thing.
I hope you enjoy seeing to process of digging a pilot hole, driving the well pipe, putting on the pump, and ultimately pumping your own water out of the ground. Enjoy!
Dave Whipple - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
We just did a sand point well at our cabin. It was an all day project using a fence post driver! We just got our water test back yesterday and it's 100% safe potable water! Total game changer for us!
how deep did you have to go and how much was the total cost?
@@dronus we hit water at 6 feet but went down 17 feet (which includes a 4 foot well point). Total cost was right around $300 for everything from Menards, but could have saved a few bucks by going with a 3 foot well point. We also added a check valve because the leather one in the pump leaks down after a day or so.
@@jrosborn77 thanks for the info. I want to put in a well at my grandma's place. She just buys gallons of water at a time, even though she's on 25acres. Itd be more convenient and she'd save money on gas alone. So she lives on a mountain thats about two miles away from the Columbia River and her elevation is 2600ft(I'm assuming above sea level). There's a map that shows her property boundaries and in that map there's an indication of a water source but it disappears as it's going up the mountain. And that water source is about a thousand ft away... My question is how likely would I be able to hit constant running water? I don't know if elevation has anything to do with it. She's surrounded by forest and bushes so there's some type of water source beneath the ground or I could be wrong. I just don't want to waste money and time trying to find that sweet spot. Thanks, sorry for such a long reply.
@@dronus unfortunately I can't help with the "is there going to be water here or not" part. I just don't know how the mountains work. I knew I would hit water shallow on my property because the entire area around my cabin has standing water much of the time... And it's flat with little elevation change. If you can't risk wasting the money, maybe try something that's not as expensive up front like rain water collection. Our original idea was to put up a couple 175 gallon ICB totes and gutters. The cost to do that was about half as much as the well. Sorry, wish I could help more.
@@jrosborn77 thanks for the info.
These are actually useful videos for anyone who likes it and everyone who wants to live it 👍
100 percent agree!
That was really amazing. We have become so out of touch with our heritage and old ways that it's great to see people getting back to basics and showing us that we don't need to be so reliant on industry to enjoy life. Well done, thanks for sharing.
This is funny.
@@nonyadamnbusiness9887 what's funny?
I've watched a plethora of hand pump well construction and hands down this is the best one I've watched. Thank you!
Best husband and wife duo hands down! Happy belated Father's Day Dave!
Yes Happy Father's day Dave!
John Rollins PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO JIM NDURUCHI
thank you!
Thanks Jim you too
Deffintly best duo I've ever encountered! It's all about B&B (Brooke & Bushy) 🤣 your almost on a hundred thousand yourself 🙌 another cake called for 👍 awesome couple, stay safe guys Jane & puppa Charlie from the UK.
Good job Dave and Brooke. Damn! Brooke got some guns there, she is no slouch when it comes to getting the job done. Gotta good woman there Dave.
BushratJohn please Subscribe to JIM NDURUCHI
Awesome job, guys!!! I believe a hand pump to be the most essential necessity in these days. Thank you for sharing!!! Yah Bless!!!
Love your channel brother, I have watched all your stuff! Having successfully completed this task myself in Manitowish Waters, WI I will share some of my lessons learned. 1.) I had water at 5 feet but I still used 4x 5' sections plus the point. The water flows great and is very clean. 2.) We rented an electric jackhammer with a 3" cup attachment. It was only $80 for the day and made this job so easy. 3.) Used 18" cheater bars on the 18" pipe wrenches to get the couplers extremely tight. 4.) stay away from the last thread on the pipe with the dope otherwise you will taste it I'm told. Also, clean out the inside of the point and pipes with dish soap before you drive them. I used a 1.25" pipe brush on a section of 1" pvc pipe as my scrubber. 5.) I used 12" section of pipe to drive on; it had a nice mushroom top by the time we were done. I had a drive cap on it at first but that quickly broke the threads on my 12" section. I didn't have enough couplers to sacrifice one. 6.) We cut a hole in the cabin floor and ran the pipe right down below the utility room. It will be boxed out in the crawl space and heated to prevent freezing.
In Wisconsin myself. Where to find land? Any suggestions?
I've noticed how Brook always pitches in and works just like you do. She doesn't let it stop her and she seems to enjoy working with you. You got a good one there Dave!!
Yes I do. Brooke is hard core. She's a worker
Archie Burson Yes well said and she can cook .
@@bonniemoore4056 yes, Brooke is great! Love her "Girl in the woods" channel! I love watching them together, they support and compliment each other so well ❤
Dave this was great! I always learn when I watch your channel, if my Dad were still around I'd get him to watch your "shows" - he could do anything too and I think he'd enjoy your channel. Take care, Be safe.
There are those who'll spend $20-$30 a month to go to a gym for an exercise program. When they are done, they'll have little to show for their efforts. When Brooke & Dave are done with their "exercise program", they'll have land, a cabin, a well and a way of life that many will never enjoy.
Reminds me when we drove the well for my uncle's camp in the the Upper Peninsula. We drove the well then built the cabin around it.
My mother grew up in a farm hand house that had that too. The kitchen sink faucet was a hand pump on a well that had been driven in before the house was built.
Another great project successfully completed. All hands were on deck, Brooke brought her guns and that division of labor was great to watch! Seeing the components go together was a blast. And seeing the water coming out of the pump was great. Thanks to Scott for his expertise and to you Dave and Brooke for sharing another great project off the grid!
Thanks !
"Are you hitting it yet or you are just warming up" priceless... 9:39
That's what she said.
You just saved 10 to 15 grand. Gotta love that !
Outstanding! Even though I got a blister watching...
Hahahahah ! ❤
Me too lol I've had many blisters from post hole diggers and post drivers. Now that I'm older I see the value in gloves but even those only protect so much. Growing up, we had calluses from repeated blisters from using hoes, not the modern ho's but back in the day when a how was just a hoe, a garden tool.lol
Lol
LOL!
We lived in the highland and the old way was digging a well the diameter is 1 meter. Our well was 25 meters deep. It gave me nightmare just look down into it, so deep. But the water was so fresh and cold. My father made a metal screen with an opening big enough for the bucket, that helped preventing us from fall into it. During the dry season we have to wind the 4 gallon bucket to retrieve the water and it was hard work. It took two persons to do it because we were young and because the long distance from the bottom. It took an hour to get a 55 gallon drum to be filled. And after 10 buckets it felt like eternity and you are out of breath half way. Few years later my friend and his brother digging their own well and i had a chance to go down to the bottom. It was about 12 meters and they had a long way to reach water. It was a very scary feeling when you down there by yourself, the earth smell, the darkness, the cold black earth wrapping your whole being.
Wow, that would make an amazing video to go down a well. I can only imagine what its like but THAT would be an epic video
It’s nice to have a strong mountain woman to help.
It sure is
This brought back memories. I helped my father pound a well just like this almost 50 years ago. The only difference was the "pounder from hell" was over the pipe instead of inside it. We went down 66 feet and every inch was hell. Thanks!
wooo!
that's exactly how I imagine a job like this to be.... I'd be incredibly lucky to get this on the first try and not hit rock or roots. This is the kind of job that looks easy and is easy in theory, but the Earth and the available water-table have countless variables that could make sinking a well impossible or cause significant setbacks .
It's physically impossible to pull up water 66 feet
@@ME-rv1pw Deep wells don't use suction, they push water up from the bottom so they can pump water up hundreds of feet.
How exciting that you have water on your property! Love Brooke's smile at the end!
This is so cool. I always want to do. Water and energy , that’s what we need the most. 👍
Thank you for all your videos especially this one it's really Gold for some of us.
You're an inspiration Bud keep living your best life. Thanks for the hard work put into the videos
Thanks for the video! Hopefully we will be doing this near our cattle pasture sometime soon. Finally started watching season 4 of Alone...I think y'all are on day 38. Very impressed with how well you two have done so far in the show. Y'all are definitely blessed, focused and have your priorities where they belong. God speed.
That's incredible! Reall enjoyed that one. Thanks Jack
Awesome! Great video; and really like how you two (husband & wife) work together. God bless
Just want to say - your instructions and tips on this are super clear, easy to understand and follow. Same with your recent camp build. Well done, dude. I will def be checking out all your vids.
That seemed to go quite easily. Seems to be a soil that is well suited for sandpoint use. Awesome
Hey Lonnie!! Its all sand there. Brooke even brought in rocks for a fire pit. You couldnt find a rock if you tried.
@@Bushradical why didn't you answer my question?
@@Bushradical just bought five acres of wood in upstate NY...the rockiest soil ever. But I see trickles and water all over the place. Good video, but you'd drink water from a shallow well?? My idea is to treat it with ROD
@@Bushradical Born and raised in the U.P. and it's a miracle you didn't hit a big rock, guessing you're on a sand hill probably very close to either Lake Michigan or Superior. And from the tape measure looks like you're down 21 feet or so. Hope that's deep enough to keep a good flow during any extended drought. Cool video
@@randallhutchcraft4039 Because no one likes you. Now hush, the adults are talking here.
Another awesome and very informative video. I really like the attitude you have where you can do anything you need to do yourself with a bit of hard work and some ingenuity. Brooke is a badass too! Thanks!
Not sure why but they did put smile on my face when I saw water. Wow amazing I hope you guys will enjoy that for many many years to come
That was really cool. Glad it went smoothly.
Us too!
Brook is a beast!! My hero!! I love seeing y’all work together, thanks for sharing!
No doubt! Thanks
Stumbled upon Brooke and your channels a couple of days ago. You two have great chemistry and make awesome videos. I have learned a lot. Thank you!
I lived in the UP near Marquette during the early eighties. Such beautiful country. Enjoy and keep on keeping on
That brings back memories from when I was a kid. In the 70s I think every well in the neighborhood was put in that way. I got to participate in several and there was always one of the senior residents bringing over the tools and giving the planning advice. Always a good idea to have a water test done just to make sure you didn't hit a pocket of something not so good for you. Nice video and thanks for sharing the experience.
Right on. Thanks Jim
Just amazing 🤓. Never knew with a few pipes and some sweat equity, this was possible. Always seen folk doing this with a boring truck 👍🏼
Glad you enjoyed it!
boring trucks tend to go a bit deeper.
Probably need a boring truck to go much deeper or if there's a lot of rock to cut thru.
Wow, great team!! Thank you so much for you wealth of knowledge.. greatly appreciated 🙏
Our pleasure!
I just wanted to say thank you for all your work and information. I've learned a lot didn't even know the drive well existed we bought a small place in east Texas not being off grid but definitely want a back up would be a great addition in hurricane season and also the snow ice we get every few years. Keep it up its awesome.
I have to say you and brook are such a inspiration I love you guys in this world of stupidness. Wish everyone would be more like you guys. Just simple
Thanks
I just put in a well here in SC 4 months ago by myself. I wish I had a big driver like yours. I used a fence driver and it took 25 licks per inch for most of the depth. It took several days. I went down 20ft plus the point.The result was worth it. I just got the test report back and it is very good pure water. Thanks for the video.
How much water can you pump continuously?
@@namentatic4978 It will probably pump 5 gallons a minute for as long as you can pump the handle.
Great channel. Thank you for sharing.
Love the videos Dave and Brooke!
Great video. I didn't know that you could do it this way. Where I live I bet that I would hit a big river rock every 6" . Thankfully we where able to have a well drilled years ago.
I’ve never seen this done. Really interesting video. Thanks, guys.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, I have not seen many that take on this issue and found this fascinating. Great work.
Great video !!! Amazed at how many videos I've seen of what has become a proven old school technology that most know nothing about!!
I’ve driven many a well with my dad when I was younger, then when we first moved to Mecosta County, I was at work, and my wife and dad hand pounded a well. I was so proud of them both. Came home to fresh spring water. Our camping all summer was something we will never forget. Thanks for the memories Dave and Brooke.
Thanks Barry.
thanks for sharing.
I'm so happy you scored water so quickly !!! the look on Brooke's face ....PRICELESS 💪👏❤
Thank you!!
This video has more information on how to drive a sandpoint well than most videos specific to well driving. Your friend Scott knows his stuff. Great video!
Scotts an amazingly talented guy. You should see him fly a biplane
Thank you, Dave, for teaching me something that I just learned, that's very interesting!!! Be safe and God bless you and your wife, much peace, love and respect to you and you're better half.
Thanks
How cool is that! I bet some backs could use a good night's rest 😉
Totally!
And a couple of ice cold beers.
Ok give me back my beer 😁
When I was growing up in the late 50's early 60's, until we moved when I was six or so, we had a very similar hand pump next to our kitchen sink. It was our only source of water on the property. Outhouse of course, and bathing was done with water heated on the stove and poured into a galvanized tub. If you are in the right geography, a sandpoint is a great way to get a constant water supply, however keep it away from outhouses and sewer leach lines for safety. We always used a step ladder and sledge hammer to drive the pipe. I like the driver that your friend Scott had made. A very purpose built tool and worked well. Never dug a hole ahead of time to start a sandpoint though I understand why you needed to.
You both have fun up there, its looking very good... Joe
Thanks Joe....
Excellent video. A straight forward explanation. Fresh water, new outhouse, you won't know yourselves.
My grandparents had the same well pump at their cabin in Northern Michigan. Best water I ever tasted.
That was so cool to watch. A lot of insight on how to do your own well.
Dave, I can not explain how much I love you for what you are doing. I know it should be your wife I'm oogling, but I don't need trouble from the likes of you...I hope you see humor in this. I am so glad to know of you.
Hey Steve. Thanks. How's your summer going
That was amazing. I had to have my well dug as the aquafir is so, and it's an agricultural well.
Thanks for this video, was very helpful and nice to see you two working hard together
Glad it was helpful!
Just watched Brooke hit 100k on her YT channel -- so....... I’m spreading the love and subscribing to your channel as well.
Awesome! Thank you! I hope you enjoy the channel
This made me so happy during the pandemic!
My grandfather and great grandfather used this exact method according to my father 66 years ago on the family farm near Thomastown Ireland 🇮🇪 and to this day pulls water with all original equipment. Well done!
This is the first video I've seen using a pipe driver... very cool!!! Looks like a grounding rod/fence poll driver that was modified- very good IDEA!!!
For almost every job, you need a guy like Scott who knows exactly what he is doing.
Having a brain helps when some don't wish to in-gauge the one they have, like after being shown how ~
Scott's an amazingly capable guy.
He got the job done but there was nothing professional about the way it was installed, but it works and they get water.
@@kentitus7550 What about the crescent wrenches?
@@tommak6516 I noticed that too. I used the same 18'' Ridgid offset pipe wrenches but I had two 18'' long 1-1/4'' extensions. You can't get the couplings as tight as they should be without extensions on that size of "pipe wrench" I also used tapered split thread couplings instead of those lousy drive couplings. I did not drive on the coupling but used a drive cap. He should have used an auger to auger down to the water. I generally I would start out with a ten foot section of pipe with the point on the end and would drop it all into the hole then add 5' sections. You can tell when you hit water as the auger will come back up with a little mud on it instead of sand. He said he was lucky he had sand but you only put points in sand as stones will rupture the point. He never did say what the point mesh size was. Probably 8o mesh but if course sand maybe 60 mesh. I have installed hundreds of points for builders on new hommes and homeowners when their old point gave out which was generally that so much iron had built up on the point screen that water couldn't come through.
I just imagine walking in a store and asking where the dope is for the pipe...lol
You just ask for "pipe dope"
Hahahahah! Good one! ❤😁
Do you know how fast you were going?
Sorry Officer, I was just rushing to get some dope. You know... for my pipe.
plumbing is full of them. A short piece of pipe is a nipple. The valve in your toilet is a ball cock. Big test balls for sewer are called donkey dic#s. Chrome prefab riser tubes for angle stops are called dic# heads. The list goes on and on.
Hunter Biden just bought the last of the pipe dope😂😂😂😂😂
I want to do that on my land in Crivitz this summer. Thanks for the video neighbor!
That was a lot of fun to watch. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it
This video is amazing!! My hubby and I just bought our off grid property across the lake from the UP in MN! Lol we've been reading and learning about how to put in our own well at the property, and this video has been an amazing visual to what we've been reading! ❤ You and Brooke are an inspiration to us.
1966 prime pump boil water for bathing life with 10 siblings miss the hand pump as i do my siblings
super job, simple needs and no greed. A perfect way to live in balance, good luck.
Dave, Brooke an Scott Damn good Information Let all just have a Happier New year. and by the way Don't forget to get outside an Get Happie !!!!!!
Never knew that was how it was done. Interesting.
Thanks for the tutorial. We just built our off grid cabin and was thinking about putting in a hand drive well. We're a lot older so I'm looking at ways to drive the well pipe.
Wonder if an SDS rotary hammer would work? Makes short work of a ground rod.
Find yourself some decent young folks to come to your property for the day and do the heavy work for you. Maybe a nice barbecue and a lot of ice cold drinks will be plenty enough in return.
If was in the area I'd come hammer the well pipe down during an afternoon or two of camping and cooking out. I'm sure someone will give ya a hand if you throw in some beer. (I don't drink alcohol )
@@InDisskyS131 Great idea!!
That well driver had a round attachment that you might be able to rig a rope system to use. a 3 to 1 haul might work. Good luck.
you guys Rock seriously I have learned so much ..thank you
thanks
That stuff you put on the end of the pipe is DOPE!
I also live in Michigan. And my father did some wells like that when I was small. He was originally from Missouri. And my relatives in Missouri hand dug wells into the 1960's. At least that was the last time we were down there.
right on
Good job. I would recommend anyone doing this use some pulleys or snatch block to lessen the labor
using a tripod too ... good morning too
Don't be lazy, do it the right way.
@@kentitus7550 how's that
I love you guys, your videos are so empowering
Thanks so much for all your tutorials, Guys! Gotta give kudos and props to Brooke for doing a man's backbreaking job. It seems she has no stops at trying and succeeding at whatever comes her way. Impressive, and a huge inspiration to me!!!
she will get hurt if she tries to do a mans job
No rocks, no roots, I think I want to move.
There are rocks and roots so you may have to start over a couple of times. If you're not from an area like that you really need to be mosquito resistant or you really won't like it for very long.
wait until you meet the mosquitoes.
That would not work here there aint no sand just rock.
The rocks grow faster than the grass.
@@shawnr771 haha yuuup! in my area its an old tale that " When the devil was out and sowing stones he tripped and the whole basket went out" so yeaaaa we have a ton of stones around here
@Gary Peterson hey Gary, there is a Peterson well drilling south west of me? Are you part of that family??? Jim.
Every time he says "pipe dope", I'm like....hmmmm :D
Thanks so much for showing us this! I have been looking for ways we ourselves could put in a small hand pump. I have seen many videos, but this was absolutely the best for simplicity and time!
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome training via brother much appreciated and life educational!
Much appreciated
'Round here our pipe dope is a little more green. ;)
Stupid.
@@MichaelAnthony-bw2kl buzzkill.
"Last week we put in an outhouse, this week we are putting in a well." 🤔 I like to keep those two things a lot further apart! 😁
Love that!
Now you have water, so you just need to find a current bush for power.
Be great to see a follow up on how you finish this out. Thank you. Really enjoyed watching how this is done. Love the inegnuity!
That is awesome. Your smiles said it all. 👍😎🇺🇸
Wow just sand and hit no roots ?! Try that where I live you’ll hit rock easily about a foot down! Town I live in is all river bed!!
Now you have water, so you just need to find a current bush for power.
I have a generator
Another awesome video.. I think I was as excited and as happy as you were when I saw the water running:)
I loved this vlog. I remember using that technique to drive in fence posts
Great video, again. Dave, any ideals on driving a well in a rock ( I mean rock) area? Take care and God bless.
Not that I know of
When I was a real little kid, we had a hand pump just outside the door of our four-room tarpaper shack ... quite convenient.
Tonetwisters
WOW! Y'all were Up in the Cotton! We didn't have any tarpaper on the outside of our shack but our pitcher pump was right beside the back porch.
Awesome now ill have to follow this i am about to do that same thing thanks for showing us this great video peace Dave and Brooke
thanks
Thanks for the video. Interesting!
Hi! I just discovered your channel and am really enjoying your content and all I can learn here. I’m wondering a couple things about your well: Can this be used in winter? Will the pipe freeze and split?
HERES A GREAT TIP PEOPLE. I used a harbor freight post hole digger and kept adding sections of 1 inch pipe. Got down 20 feet deep with a 6 inch hole in about an hour. You can do it.
Are you saying you added the pipe to extend the handles of your post hole digger?
@@marquettemich no, actually I added the pipe to the top of the auger bit. Buy a fitting from lowes that will fit over the top of the auger and has threads on the other end. Drill a hole through it and put a strong bolt through it. Then just screw on a section of pipe. I found that 5 foot was easier to deal with. Drill down and add another 5 foot section and keep going. The hardest part was lifting it out of the hole every 3 feet down to remove the dirt.
Great video! Thanks for sharing! Lots of work but water is life.
It sure is!
Tremendously satisfying video. Thank you. I learned a lot.
I always wondered how my dad did that in Mackinac.
Not trying to be a know-it-all (which I'm not), but aren't you mixing up crescent wrench with pipe wrench? Good job (been there, done that)!
LOL....you know I'm always doing voice over and if I dont catch something in the edit.....it never gets fixed. Yes all I was using were pipe wrenches
Monkey Wrench!
Was that a left handed pipe wrench? A favourite for apprentice plumbers to look for at the hardware store .
How much did it cost to put in total parts and all
Love it! Awesome to see two perspectives & styles of the same event. Brook is right. You'll hit the big 💯 pretty quick. ✌️👍
Appreciate it!!
Great video ,,,,, living the good life 😊