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Frugal and Energy Efficient Living

mbperrin

(7,672 posts) Sat Mar 31, 2012, 02:40 PM Mar 2012

A property we bought has a water well which was abandoned by filling with bricks. [View all]

It's about 40 feet deep. The city made people with wells abandon them when they extended water lines out there 40 years ago.

We've removed the bricks about 4' down by hand - they're not mortared in place.

Any ideas for a tool or technique to pull the others out?

37 replies

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A property we bought has a water well which was abandoned by filling with bricks. [View all] mbperrin Mar 2012 OP

Make sure you do not do it this way: Turbineguy Mar 2012 #1

Good advice! nt mbperrin Mar 2012 #2

Priceless! Thanks for sharing. Starboard Tack Mar 2012 #3

Good that you are looking after it. We were walking around the garden in the snow when I was 4 when applegrove Mar 2012 #4

I see what you mean. This well is a 5" steel casing mbperrin Mar 2012 #5

some kind of heavy duty vacuum? Kali Apr 2012 #6

$7500 and a 4 month wait for a new well. This area is in year 3 of a horrific drought mbperrin Apr 2012 #7

if you get a vacuum that will do it you might wet them down a bit Kali Apr 2012 #8

Hey, thanks! mbperrin Apr 2012 #9

First, there's no such thing as a "brick vacuum", so don't even go there.... NYC_SKP Apr 2012 #10

It's a 5" diameter steel casing in the ground. mbperrin Apr 2012 #11

I love challenges... If these bricks are dry and fairly clean... NYC_SKP Apr 2012 #12

Make up a gob of five minute epoxy for each brick that has to be pulled up Kolesar Apr 2012 #16

There were 17 bricks in the top 4 feet. mbperrin Apr 2012 #19

actually there is, but that isn't what I was talking about Kali Apr 2012 #29

It could work, but.... NYC_SKP Apr 2012 #31

I think what you need maybe is something like this but with RKP5637 Apr 2012 #13

Looks good. I believe I can fabricate one and I'll test it this weekend. mbperrin Apr 2012 #14

How about some sort of tool grabber thing? It won't get you down 40 ft, but uppityperson Apr 2012 #15

Put rain barrels under every downspout and hope for lots of rain Kolesar Apr 2012 #17

We've gotten 2.6" inches of rain in the last 37 months. mbperrin Apr 2012 #18

This, some PVC and a little ingenuity.............. dimbear Apr 2012 #20

Thank you! mbperrin Apr 2012 #23

It's probably going to take making a custom tool to do it.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #21

This looks promising. My neighbor is a welder, so mbperrin Apr 2012 #22

2 people, a rope, 5 gal bucket, and ladders. kristopher Apr 2012 #24

It's 5" in diameter. mbperrin Apr 2012 #25

Tired eyes, I read it as 5'. kristopher Apr 2012 #26

We have received less than 3" of rain in the last 3 years. Statewide, 500 million trees have died. mbperrin Apr 2012 #27

sorry to take so long getting back to you, not that I have anything good to offer Kali Apr 2012 #28

Yes, we are down to 15' so far using a paintpole extension kindly suggested by a poster here mbperrin Apr 2012 #30

Be sure to check zoning/water rights guardian Apr 2012 #32

hey there, Kali May 2012 #33

We got to 20' and ran out of room to operate. mbperrin May 2012 #34

How about this: a post-hole digger with PVC pipes to extend the arms? NickB79 May 2012 #35

*Solution* cbrer Jun 2012 #36

Or simply cbrer Jun 2012 #37