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Drilling a Well

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:28 am
by Wayne
Cultavating the Garden 001.jpg
Drilling a well in Lampasas County Texas. I also have a photo of the Steam Engine pulling a threshing machine on the same farm. The first picture I find interesting because of the number of people working in the garden. Makes me wonder if it is the depression and they are working for food? The picture comes from the farm that had the Original Monitor on it!
Well Drilling Lampasa Co Tx 002.jpg

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 4:42 pm
by kozzy
Possibly post depression during WW2 when they dragged in a lot of females and teens to do the farm work? The clothing sort of implies that era but it's not specific enough to be sure.

There were a ton of those programs to drag city kids out to farms to work as well as bring women out who might just be sitting at home with a spouse overseas. Remember, not every area had war production factories that which employ them but virtually every area had farms desperate for labor.

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:09 pm
by JLM
The drilling rig is definitely a factory built machine.You can see the large manilla rope they used to drill with beside the rig. Throughout most of Texas the Ft.Worth Spudder was a popular machine. Their rigs had a wooden frame with huge beams.In fact they continued to build them that way long after other manufacturers switched over to steel frames.

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2019 8:23 am
by Wayne
I've got a yard stick that advertises the Ft Worth Spudder. Pretty amazing machine. Did you notice that pile of rope by the rear wheel it must be 2 inches are better in diam.

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2019 10:00 pm
by JLM
Yes that is huge manilla rope from what I understand the old timers were very cautious with their ropes that they did not rub on anything whether drilling or pulling wells. Around this area west of San Antonio alot of wells were drilled with horsepowers they were built by Krueger machine known later as Samsco and by Alamo Iron Works. I have some original pictures of a portable drill rig and a horse power set up beside the Krueger machine shop in San Antonio. I will try and post those for everyone to look at.

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 8:57 am
by Wayne
That would be great look forward to seeing them. There is a picture in one of out history books showing an early rotary drill built here in Corsicana and it is being turned by a horse power!

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 7:37 am
by JBarker
Great pic of an old water well drilling rig and truck.

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 9:08 am
by Wayne
Don't see an engine wonder what they powered it with?

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 11:08 am
by JBarker
Wayne wrote: Tue Dec 10, 2019 9:08 am Don't see an engine wonder what they powered it with?
I wonder too, maybe someone else can explain

Re: Drilling a Well

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 7:01 pm
by JLM
cabletool-canon-drilling-3962945-h.jpg
Here is pic of a old rig at the ranching heritage museum in Lubbock. On those larger rigs I guess they would bring in a engine on a wagon. I do know some of the old timers would power their rigs with a flatbelt off of the tractor they pulled the rig around with.