Re: ..OT: Watch your snow load!
I wrote:
> The drilling technology is also 19th century. Although a rotary drill is
> faster (though still 19th century technology) a cable drill is something
> that anyone able to keep any sort of machinery running could maintain:
> it's just a heavy weight on a cable, lifted up and dropped over and over.
Roberto writes:
> I see. Minimal moving parts, right?
Right. Does need a hardened steel bit, of course. Google knows all about
it, as well as other approaches such as jet drilling.
I wrote:
> I suspect that a more serious barrier is the cost of the steel casing.
Roberto writes:
> True. However, PVC casings are also used. They are probably not as
> good, but a foot of 6" PVC is way cheaper than a foot of 6" steel casing.
Plastic wouldn't stand up to the forces exerted by a cable drill. I think
you could use plastic with a rotary drill, though. In the long run plastic
would be better as it would never rust out. Steel always does, eventually.
Might there also be regulatory barriers and/or water-rights problems? I
can imagine that a guy with an expensive drill rig might not be willing to
drill an "illegal" well, whereas a bunch of guys with shovels...
--
John Hasler
Reply to: