Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

I promised myself I would develop a "safe and sane" method for pulling my 120 feet of steel sucker rod. My son and I have always used muscle and vice grip pliers but I have always seen the danger in that method.
Thanks for sharing your techniques.

Is it 7/16 galvanized type?

Yes. 7/16 steel but not galvanized. 20 foot threaded sections.

I made the following tool for my wells. Made from a farm disc, or such material. Goes over the open well. Pull the rod up through the hole and slot. When a connector comes through, rest it in the slot. Your design may be a better model.

WARNING.. if the connector is very worn, or so thin that the threads are showing, it may slip through.
We always use a good large vice grips under the connector on the jet rod. OR 2 pairs.
This tool will not accomodate a well pipe. But you didn't ask for that anyway.

Oops. Forgot the picture.

Thanks, Bob. A great idea!
Have you ever tried to pull it up using a pulley and rope attached up in the tower?

Yep. Anything you can do to make it easier and safer. If fact, if a guy welded a good set of vice grips to a plate (of sorts) you could even pull the rod up through the vice grips, and clamp it easy. But I would weld them up off the plate a little, to get your hands around them easy.

Place over the well opening to prevent sucker rod from falling back into the well. Easy to fabricate.

Here's my version. Black pipe and angle iron.