Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/608970
My First Wells The second story from my youth is one that occurred a few years earlier than the previous one. I was around 6 or 7 years old and in those years I had observed my father working with a cable tool more times than I could count. I felt I was pretty knowledgeable about the art of cable tool drilling—so knowl- edgeable, in fact, I believed I could drill one. I didn't have my personal well drilling rig, of course, so I decided it was up to me to improvise and manufacture one. Fortunately, my father's well drilling firm had a ready supply of tools and supplies lying in and around the yard. The first and most important item I had to find was a drill bit. For that, I procured some window weights hanging in our shop. These were perfect for bits. Not only did they have a hole in the upper end for connecting to the drilling cable (the cable was a hemp rope) and a blunt end for the drilling, but they were available in various weights—you know, the heavier versions for those deeper wells. For my bailers I used tired and worn-out shock absorbers. They were not too efficient and didn't store much water, but they also had a hole on one end for a connection and they worked. I was able to find several random lengths of 6-inch well casing with 5- to 10-foot lengths lying around the yard. The next few months revolved around going out to my var- ious "drilling sites" located around our few acres of yard and pasture. The drilling of the wells was fairly smooth as I raised and dropped the tools from the top of a wooden 2-inch × 8- inch × 10-foot plank with a notch cut into the upper end. Driving of the well casing was performed in the same man- ner, but I placed a block of wood across the top of the pipe and dropped the drill bit (window weight) along the perimeter of the pipe until it reached a rock or something, or I just got tired. Within a few weeks I was the proud well driller who had successfully "completed" more than 10 wells throughout our property. With all this success, you might ask: So what stopped you? In one word: Dad. Although my father wasn't usually a violent or strict father, he did get occasionally miffed when he had to confront a few things. One was the potential for a hurt employee and the other was the potential for a worker's compensation claim. Following several complaints from employees of stubbed toes, trips, and twisted ankles, the days of my well drilling ad- ventures came to a close as my father discovered my covert activities. He made me spend the next two weeks digging out and removing all of my 5-foot to 10-foot-deep wells around the yard. Well, I still believe to this day I was an experienced driller back then, for in addition to all those successful wells I can say I ended up abandoning the same number. Learning to Walk Again My third story is a more recent incident. During the last week of July, my wife, JoAnne, and I were at home on a Sat- urday evening and decided to go to bed just before 10 p.m. As we began our nightly ritual of turning off the television and lights, I decided to have a glass of strawberry milk to settle my stomach. I tipped my head back to finish the last of the milk and this action resulted in some disorientation. I then found myself off-balance and falling backwards. As I hit the floor, I heard and felt my left hip and leg break. Believe me, that's some- thing you don't want to feel. As I lay upon the carpet, I realized I could not move and was essentially paralyzed. After a few attempts to move, along with JoAnne's help, we both understood this was serious and JoAnne called the paramedics. Within 20 minutes or so, a group of the nicest paramedics, firefighters, ambulance drivers, etc. you ever wanted to meet were in our house. They worked to place me on a stretcher and take me to the local hospital. On the trip to the hospital I was given various medicines to ease my pain and calm me down. I was given X-rays in the emergency room and informed I indeed had a broken hip and would require surgery. Surgery was performed the next morning and I was back into my room by the afternoon. By this time I was relieved the surgery was done and I was on my road to recovery. But within a few days my surgeon informed me I required a second surgery. So, on July 29, my 57th birthday, I was wheeled back into the operating room and had a follow-up surgery. I was released from the hospital within a week and trans- ferred to a nearby rehabilitation center where I spent the next six weeks learning how to walk all over again. Although I still need crutches to move about, I am grateful to all those who have helped me with all the work and effort it has required. I am most grateful to my wife and family. Second, thanks must be expressed to the doctors, nurses, therapists, and others at the Marion County Fire Department, Salem Hospital, and Avamere Home for their help. I am still a little gimpy, but I am walking again, driving, and able to function and work. But I sure don't plan to drink any more strawberry milk anytime soon! Finally, I wish to express Happy Holidays to all and I hope the next year is a successful and healthy one for you. Until then, always work safe and smart. WWJ Ed Butts, PE, CPI, is the chief engineer at 4B Engineering & Consulting, Salem, Oregon. He has more than 35 years experience in the water well business, specializing in engineering and business management. He can be reached at epbpe@juno.com. Learn How to Engineer Success for Your Business Engineering Your Business: A series of articles serving as a guide to the groundwater business is a compilation of works from long-time Water Well Journal columnist Ed Butts, PE, CPI. The hardback book features 37 complete "Engineering Your Business" columns and the figures and tables that originally ran with the articles. The columns cover the groundwater industry and are divided into six areas: contractor classroom, getting started, troubleshooting pumps, rehabilitation, business basics, and tricks of the trade. Visit NGWA's Online Bookstore at www.NGWA.org for more information. 46 December 2015 WWJ waterwelljournal.com POTPOURRI from page 44