Drilling for Water

This is an interesting picture of a man drilling for water at Pie Town, New Mexico. He is using a technique of drilling by impacting. A large bar with a bit like device on the end is lifted up and then dropped. When it hits, it shatters rock and compacts them out of the way to the side. Then the bar is lifted and dropped again. The engine he is standing next to is used to lift the bar. When the guy sort of tightens the rope of the spinning pulley, the bar is lifted, when he loosens the tension it drops. Eventually, with a little luck, he will get down to water.

Operation HAO Update:

To all you naysayers out there, I am pleased to report that operation HAO is ahead of schedule. We are making phenomenal progress. I should say that I do appreciate all the notes of encouragement and offers to help. Unfortunately, there is not really a good way for you to help me. A number of you have indicated a desire to possibly provide financial support for the project, but it really does not make sense. If you were to paypal me $50 to help with the project, IRS would consider that reportable income, and I would have to pay taxes, so your $50 contribution would net result in only $30 help on the project, so while I appreciate the offers of help, it just makes most sense for me to cover costs of this project. 

You can see that we are deep enough now that we actually have to use a rope to get to the bottom.  Also, would you all like  to  hazard a guess as to what the Well Diggers name is? It is perhaps the perfect name for someone digging a well.

The picture below better shows the hole. Notice how round and perfectly straight the hole is . . . all without any measurement tools. Also notice how he has carved himself a ladder is the sidewall of the well, making it easier to get in and out.