Well retrieval tools & methods questions & answers set#3.

This article series describes methods & tools bought or home-made that can be used to fish materials out of a water well if you've dropped the pipe, well pump, or tools down into the well casing.

Well Pipe & Pump Grabbers FAQs-3

These questions & answers about how to pull out anything you've dropped down a well were posted originally

at WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS - topic home. Be sure to see the tools and advice given there.

On 2019-01-08 by (mod) - retrieving more WATER from the well?

Amos

Please see

WELL FLOW RATE IMPROVEMENTS

On 2019-01-07 by Amos

the borehole I found is dry cause I dropped a rope inside to check whether is there any water ,some peole told me that there was water before so my question is what equipment can I use to retract or make it work again

On 2019-01-01 by (mod) - retrieving a dropped pumping machine inside a borehole

Tapfeeq

See

WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS

Take a look through those tools as one of them will probably work for you. Sometimes if you can't find the tool locally it can be fabricated.

On 2019-01-01 by Taofeeq Popoola

retrieving a dropped pumping machine inside a borehole

On 2018-09-08 by (mod) - Grinding or chopping up stuff stuck in a well

Gail,

Grinding or chopping up stuff stuck in a well is a common, if advanced technique for clearing a blockage.

Watch out: The question that occurs to me is whether or not the drilled crushed pump motor might have contained PCBs, other lubricants, or something else harmful to the water supply.

You might want to check with your local water test company for advice about what tests to perform on the water to put your mind at ease.

On 2018-09-08 by Gail

I purchased a parcel of land it had a deep well pump stuck couldn't get it out they drilled in same casing with out removing pump never heard of leaving one in and drilling threw it crushing poulverising it

what I'll health effects can it have have u ever heard of this Ben trying to drain it their are silver partials plasticcoming out If any can't fathom this is safe for consumption would appreciate any input u can give me

On 2017-10-25 by (mod) -

Darn, let's think about this.

I understand the reluctance to hire someone, though an old-timer well driller from nearby often has experience with jiggling and rigging stuff out of a well.

The buffer you describe not only prevents noise, it keeps the well pipe from whipping around in the well so badly that it breaks.

I would keep chipping at the wedge itself - if you can split it apart it'll soften and may come out. If you can take photos of the situation send me what you can - page bottom CONTACT link.

On 2017-10-25 by Michael Hoban

@Michael Hoban,
PS...I keep trying to pull it out with my chain (originally used to pull the old galvenized pipe) however it's only kinking and streaching.my new vinal pipe;
Im afraid it'll break before.it moves!

The casing is 4 inches, (i believe) not home to check? The old galvenized...as new vinal pipe is 2 in.

The "buffer" is a thick rubber triangular shaped on both ends (about a foot long) sleeve (with slots on the triangleed part) that the pipe runs through. Its purpose is to buffer the rattling nose that would be made when the pump goes on...against the casing. Its probably not meant for vinal pipe but id gotten it as part og a package on Amazon so i.put it on to be extra conservative!!! It is above the pump...

so any rubber hopefull chipped away will sit on top of the pump and be pull out with the pump;
or dropped into the well with the pump if i accidently sever the pipe.

At this point (nearly a year bumbing neighbirs water) " Frankly, I don't give a damn"!

All I want (need) is to get the small green wood (or id be rotten by now) wedge unstuck from the "buffer"...by chopping it or the buffer aeay;

Then I can simply pull it all back up.

So...what's the most apropos...most workable way;
Im too poor to hire a pro but am ok at juryrigging;

As I made my own *($15.00 Amazon parts)
down under camera, that plugs into a desktop screen. And Im chipping with a modified garden tool cut and sharpened into a harpoon...weilded to tv antenna pipe.

Again...any new ideas to improve what Im doing appreciated.

On 2017-10-25by (mod) - dynamite down the well?

Michael

Although my friend Paul Galow, who grew up in a poor, rural coal mining area in Pennsylvania 80 years ago, says on the farm he and his dad often used dynamite to restore water flow to their well, I do NOT recommend using an explosion in your well bore.

The risks include a total collapse of the well as well as being killed or injured by shrapnel flying out of the bore.

The oil drilling industry has more experience than anybody else in grinding away hard or steel materials that have been dropped into a well, sometimes at great depth.

Take a look at the assortment of well retrieval tools at WELL PIPE RETRIEVAL TOOLS

You don't mention your well bore diameter, nor its construction materials, but in any casing larger than 2" we might to be able to use a solid pipe to tap the wedge loose, permitting it to fall to the well bottom. Or perhaps I don't understand exactly how it's jammed - use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send me photos if you can.

By "rubber buffer" I think you're describing a rubber plug with a central hole that is used to keep the well pipe centered in the well bore.
Other references call this a well pipe guide or guide seal.

The guides with which I'm familiar are inside of a metal or plastic well casing and might be pulled up out of the well by centering a retriever through the center hole of the guide (normally the guide would come out with the well pipe).

If we can loosen the wedge and let it fall, it can be left on the well bottom, or a grabber can be used to extract it.

Or you may need to continue chiseling until you've removed the whole rubber buffer.

In that case, as I don't like the prospect of clogging piping or pumps with rubber fragments, you may need to pump out the debris from the well bottom.

We might take a look at some of the existing solutions for freeing up stuck well pipes and stuck well components, besides the tools I list at the well retrieval tool InspectApedia.com article I cited above.

For readers using a submersible well pump, take a look at Fernco's Water Well Debris Traps - "Debris Traps eliminate the common problem of loose dirt and stones invading the pump suction area in water wells."

• "Freeing pipe stuck in a borehole." U.S. Patent 3,104,707, issued September 24, 1963.
  

On 2017-10-25 by Michael Hoban

Forgive all the poor spelling...my texting sucks;
I was excited about getting your help and posted without editing!

Thanks for your "Godsend" imformation.
Just pulled my old galvenized pipe and pump out, (65 ft) with home made 12 ft triangle and chain pully host ...no problem.
However...while replacing it with new pump and vinal pipe I dropped a 2x2 wedge into the well .
I dumbly tried pulling it all out too fast,
and at 45 ft. It jammed between the casing and rubber buffer (a foot above the pump) .

I've chistled away most of the top half of the buffer with a sharpened 2 inch galvenized pipe connections. I also have an infrared mini cam (from Amazon) apoxied to 1/2 pvc pipe...the wire running through pipe);
So i can monitor whats happening.

There is only around a 15 foot pool of water below the pipe's ending. I dont mind if I have to cut the pipe at the pump (and wedge)...allowing it to fall away into my well. This is Central Fla. and so is a collection of pools in porious coral rock.
However...there is probably not enough depth to allow the entire 65 foot (to the top of well) to drop down.

How may I cut (grind) either the wedge and/or pipe with pump to pull it out, or let it drop?

Someone suggested nuking it with a flare!
I believe that would posdibly just melt lots of pladtic into the pump and further fuse it in!

Id also consider some kind.of small explision. Perhaps a juryrigged shotgun charge in a pipe and set off electronically to cut it away; or with the charge only to create a concussion?

Thanks so much...any suggestions aopreciated;
This us not a joke!

On 2017-02-16 by Kauami - How do I break and or make a hole in pvc caisings stuck in a borehole

How do I break and or make a hole in pvc caisings stuck in a borehole

On 2016-10-17 by Bob B

My friend Has 20' 2" well Had deep well picture pump at 16'shaft broke at piston i can pull up pieces of leather but cant move piston do you make tool to hook piston

On 2016-09-03 by (mod) - magnetic tools for retrieving things from a well

Anon: about Magnetic Retrieval Tools for fishing stuff out of a well bore:

Hole Products sells well fishing tools including magnetic retrieval tools.

We illustrate their magnets in the article WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS.

Their well fishing tool or retrieval magnets include one that can lift 400 lbs. The company has offices around the U.S. - their website will find one closest to you: www.holeproducts.com/contact

Or call their Global Sales Office at 888.465.1569

Harbor Freight sells a magnet with a 250 lb lifting capacity as do well suppliers.

I'm doubtful that a conventional magnet will work well if the bit is at all jammed as it may keep sticking to the well casing wall; one might work in a plastic well bore where there's no steel casing to foul up the magnet as you try to drop it in the well. But I'd look through the retrieval tools listed above.

If an Alnico magnet with sufficient lifting strength doesn't work, a tool that slips over the exterior of a round shaft (such as a pipe section) may work also to grab the bit.
flag like

On 2016-09-03 by Anonymous - how to lift a fallan 4.6mm borewell bit

as iam bore well contractor . how to lift a fallan 4.6mm borewell bit by using electro magnet or any other option.

On 2016-08-24 by (mod) - Fetch pipe retrieval tool

Thanks Dapalco, we've added an image and more detailed description of your Fetch pipe retrieval tool in WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS. We also welcome content critique, suggestions, questions.

InspectAPedia is an independent publisher of building, environmental, and forensic inspection, diagnosis, and repair information provided free to the public - we have no business nor financial connection with any manufacturer or service provider discussed at our website.

Website content contributors whether it is just a small correction or an in-depth article series (which of course invites more search engine attention), are, if they choose, cited, quoted, and linked-to from the appropriate additional web pages and articles - which benefits us both. Those who wish to remain anonymous can also do so.

On 2016-08-24 by (mod) -

Re-posting:

Fetch said:

The Fetch by DAPALCO. is the perfect tool for fetching broken pipes or pumps from wells and other cavities with limited access, saving both time and costly alternatives.

Question: plastic pipe fell down into the well

(Aug 13, 2014) Anonymous said:

I have a 2" black Plastic pipe attached to an old well pump.

I tried to remove the pipe and pump to replace it, however, the pipe cap slipped off the pipe, and the pipe and pump fell into the well. The pipe is approximately 50' down, and leaning against the 6" galvanized pipe. How in the world can I retrieve the pipe and pump?

I have read a few threads, but it doesn't seem like there is anything I can just go to the local Tractor Supply and buy. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Reply:

Most well drillers have a collection of grabbing tools to retrieve a fallen pipe or pump - it's worth making those calls.

See WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS for a description of common well retrieval tools & equipment.

Question: pipe is stuck in the well, we want to cut it off

(Aug 22, 2014) Penny said:
We have a well pump with pipe still attached stuck inside the well. If we can cut the pipe down inside the well we can remove the old pipe and put the new pump in. If there such a tool? How would you make one. Thank you, Penny

Reply:

Penny, in the oil and gas industry experts use chemical cutters (bromine trifluoride) to separate free from jammed pipe sections to enable pipe retrieval from a well, or jet cutters using a circular-shaped charge in very deep wells (much deeper than water wells).

Other well pipe cutting tools include an RCT or radial cutting torch that is actually a ring of metals that ignite to burn through the well pipe, or a DCST - drill collar severing tool, also an explosive charge. These are not appropriate for water wells.

I'm not clear on how cutting off the upper end of the old pipe and leaving the rest in a water-well is anything but trouble; the remaining pipe is likely to prevent dropping the new pump and pipe down to a sufficient depth in the well.

You'll want to free the stuck pipe, possibly simply by manipulating it with a well pipe grabber tool, then retrieve it from the well.

Bottom line, sorry I can't offer smarter help than to say your best bet for fastest repair is to ask for help from a local well driller with some experience (and equipment).

Question: cable broke when re-installing a new deep well pump

Sept 30, 2014) Jackie said:
Tried reinsterting a deep well pump when the cable broke. We can see the water pipe at just 15 ft down the 6" in diameter. Can someone help us figure out the best way to pull it back up?

Reply:

Several well retrieval tools include cable grabbers, or ask your local well driller for help as that may be faster than trying to make your own tool.

See WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS

Question: dropped a plastic cap into the well - is this a problem?

(Oct 19, 2014) Jocelyn said:
I dropped a plastic cap down the well today. Is this a major problem? I'm contacting the well people tomorrow.

Reply: probably not

Jocelyin if the cap is small enough to fall past the pump most likely it's not going to cause harm.

Question: image of a single or double bite metal loop well pipe retriever

(Mar 8, 2015) TOBYRAM said:
Can you post a link of a picture or website that sales this "single or double bite metal loop well pipe retriever"? - I really need one.

Reply:

I'm not sure just what you're asking for, Toby, but the image below is a well casing tool lift tool whose image sounds like your description. This tool is provided by Hole Products and is cited, along with supplier source information

at WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS

Question: how do I retrieve a droped steel pipe from a well?

(Apr 25, 2015) Jim Fath said:
how do i retrieve a droped steal [sic] pipe from a well

Reply:

Store bought or home made single or double bite metal loop well pipe retriever: some well pipes can be successfully retrieved by fabricating a flexible pair of metal rings with squared or sharp edges connected and hinged to a rod that is in turn connected to the bottom of a working pipe long enough to reach down to the top of your well pipe in the well.

When the pair of metal rings slip over the exposed upper end of the well pipe, push the assembly a few feet further down over the pipe.

If you've got your design right (test it above ground first) when you pull up on the assembly the rings will hinge to an angle that will "bite" onto the vertical pipe in the well and allow you to pull the assembly back out.

...

Continue reading at WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• WELL PIPE RETRIEVAL TOOLS - home
  • WELL RETRIEVAL TOOL TYPES
  • WELL RETRIEVAL TOOL LIST
  • WELL FISH TOOL & CAMERA SOURCES
• WELL FISH TOOL DESIGNS & PATENTS

Suggested citation for this web page

WELL PIPE GRABBER FAQs-3 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER SUPPLY, PUMPS TANKS WELLS

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