I can do it. When we built a house 25 years ago I witched the well, but didn't mark it. My wife came out to bring lunch so I had her try it. She found same spot and was amazed. We marked it for the well driller and he drilled the well there. Success. We still have the 1/4 inch copper tubes as my wife won't let them go.
Veteran, NRA Patron Life Member
My grandpa used to do it for all the neighbors. Him and dad always said to use a Peach tree limb. I always used copper rods myself.Originally Posted by Cliffprocraft190
2008 BULLET 21XD 2007 Merc 300xs
Absolutely works.
I was a on a very large project in NC 2007-13 and part of my responsibility evolved into underground locating with very expensive equipment that took much training. We proved the witching method by marking, and then hydro excavation and ultimately digging. Scary how accurate it can be.
Ironically. Me, the guy that marked everything with the locator couldn't do it at all.
My PaPaw could witch water using a Y shaped tree branch.
I did it once and barely believe it works.
Keith Rose
In search of what was lost.
My Father dowsed our well back in the early 50's using a Y branch off of an Apple tree. Found a fantastic vein of water, actually continuation of Spring from farmer's milk house half mile away. Proper terminology is called a Dowser. I couldn't do it but was only 6 years old then, but remember seeing the point turn towards the ground and peeled the bark off the Y branch handles.
I had a plumber introduce me to the wire coat hangar trick to locate underground steam lines. Told me it worked to find Sewer lines, waterlines, underground wiring, weeping tile runs, underground cables for cablevision, Natural gaslines, etc.
When I had to get a locate for a tree removal, the cable locate company could do sewer and water lines but wouldn't locate underground wires. I did with the coat hangars.
I’ve done it. It works. Did it for my neighbor he thought I was crazy. Gave him the wires and he found the exact same spot. Looked at me and still can’t believe it.
It cannot work. There is nothing about water that is magnetic. That said, one of my neighbors was a plumber, I saw him take two metal coathangers and make an "L" shape with them and find an underground water line almost instantly. Weird.
It definitely works for sure. I’m a utility locator and have used it after I’ve exhausted all other options. I’ve found gas, cable, electric, phone, water, and even fiber optic. It doesn’t always work and I’ve actually been on a losing streak the past couple months. There was a stretch of about 10 months where I was within a foot or so when I used it.
I’ve used it to find the depth of utilities as well. You do this by turning the rod upside down and putting it in the bottom of your hand, crouch down then slowly stand up, when the rod spins a full 360 stop. The distance between the rod and the ground is the depth of what you’re looking for. This has been accurate and it’s been way off!
The explanation I’ve been given is this whole deal works because whatever is underground has created a small break in the earth’s magnetic field. Don’t know if this is accurate or not but sounds logical.
It does work, my grandad taught me to do it. We used bare metal welding rods bent into an L, like the type you use with acetylene welding. I can't explain how it works, but numerous times I've used it to locate water lines. Basically you hold a rod loosely in each hand, with one end of the wire pointed down and the other pointed forward, hands shoulder width apart. elbows at your sides, then start walking slowly. As you approach the water line the wires will start to cross towards each other. When on top of it the will be completely crossed. As you walk past they will start to uncross and point forward again. It's a very weird thing when it does it, especially the first time, and in your head common sense it telling you it can't be true. A shovel and a little digging will prove your common sense wrong!
Tom Gates, 2005 Triton TR196DC LE, 200 Opti
I've got a spring running throw a pond dam. That was planned when we found it during construction. We let the groundwater pass. Rods say 7 gallons a minute as of last checkbin March. I have a 20 gallon a ninute vein that comes off a hill is intercepted by a 11 gallona minute leak and go through the dam at 31 gpm.
Im feeding cows on top of the 11gpm leak. These go through the base of the dam 30 below the top. Also have a 2150 gpm aquifer 70 below the earth about 300 feet from the dam. I dontvthink I will need a well there as the cows should smash clay in the found leak above the dam.
Sounds like a good topic for Myth-Busters to have covered. Rods vs high tech vs just picking a random spot to see how they compare.
I witch at work often. One rod or two they both do the same thing. I’m not sure how it works but it’s wild.
Friend of mine uses it to find water lines sometimes. He works for a Rural Water company and they didn't keep very accurate records when they first started laying lines through the country. He says he is good 9/10 times within a foot or two of the line.
The guy who dug our well used a tool that had a 2 piece fiberglass handle and a tube on the end of it. Where it pointed down is where he dug. We got water.
As far as I know, nobody has been able to consistently beat pure chance using witching rods in a simulation test. I believe most of it is subconsciously people just making the rods move where they are guessing they locate water or where a utility is ran. I know people swear the opposite though.
2020 Nitro Z20 Pro Package
Well heck now I gotta try it. I think I have some tig rod in the garage I can spare.
Complete and utter hoax. Hundreds of people tried to win $1,000,000 doing it and not a single one came close. Water doesn’t just exist in spots underground. In most of the world you can dig a well anywhere and hit water. Absolute 100% bullshit.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
i've done it with two pieces of copper wire and (yes i was skeptical) it worked very well, located the water line on my property as well as an AT&T line, wife's B-I-L would use a willow branch and he had people ask if he would come "locate" well placement
Putting a clown in the castle doesn't make him a king, it turns the castle into a circus
I mean for well placement how can you not find a spot. Key is how deep to drill and to my knowledge those rods cannot tell you that. As far as water lines and other lines that is the question on if they really work or subconsciously you are influencing the rods by anticipating where you visually think they should be located based on other available visual cues in the area of concern.
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