These Hand Pumps Work

These Hand Pumps Work AG WORLD 30-5-24 Unless an old hand pump is in excellent working order, you might as well turn it into a lawn ornament, says Jim Smith, Smith Steel & Supply. "Even if you find a hand pump on granddad's farm that's in good condition, there may not be any replacement parts available," he says. "Many companies that built them don't exist anymore. Unless you have an aptitude for making parts, you may not be able to keep it working." Smith is in building construction in north central Tennessee, but sells pump systems on the side. He says it is a growing market with urban people moving to the country. "It's an interesting group of people who buy the pumps," he says. "They are fairly affluent and well educated and moving back to the land for a lot of reasons. They want more control over the environment their kids grow up in." Smith installs pumps that draw from springs, rainwater cisterns and even deep wells. One model can lift water from as deep as 300 ft. when attached to a windmill or motor and will pump from as deep as 150 ft. by hand. It can produce 60 lbs. of pressure and push water 30 to 40 ft. or more above the ground. The 50L sells for around $650 without sucker rod. "In this area, we will put a remote 1,000-gal. tank in the attic or barn loft and then gravity flow out of it for the house, barn or stock tanks," explains Smith. Smaller pitcher pumps are installed on cisterns and spring basins. The PHB model has a 3-in. stroke and pumps water up to 30 ft. above the source. It sells for about $190. "If you have a spring in the yard, you can run a flexible 1-in. hose out to it, put a foot valve in the bottom of the spring to prevent back flow and your pipe stays full of water," suggests Smith. "You only have to prime it the first time." He carries a variety of simple mechanical pumps made by Heller-Aller. The firm has bought out a number of other makers and is now one of the last domestic pump manufacturers. Smith says a lot of his customers put in a mechanical pump for the same reason they get a wood stoveàsecurity. "If the power goes out, you can still get by," he says. "If you only pump with electricity, you're out of luck." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Smith Steel and Supply, 545 Salmon Branch Road, Erin, Tenn. 37061 (ph 931 764-0034 or 888 764-0034; smithsteel@peoplepc.com).

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