If your well has silt or sand in it, as many do, one FARM SHOW reader has a suggestion: Instead of continually raising the pump to keep it in clear water, just pull the pump and line, and use a well cleaner to eliminate the problem.

When Richard "Red" Guthrie built his own well cleaner, he found inspiration in more than one place.

Initially, the Early, Texas farmer hired a "professional" well cleaning service, but the company used a paddle-tongue device that bent and punched holes in the casing of the best well.

"So much for professionals! Like most farm folk who seldom throw away anything, I had created my own "magic pile," where I could look through and find most all that was needed to build my own well cleaner," Guthrie explains. "We learned years ago, if you need it and don't have it or can't afford it -- make it -- and that is what inspired me to invent my well cleaner."

In an hour or so, he gathered the necessary stuff and put together a safe pneumatic well cleaner that does the job without damaging the well casing.

"My wells have 6 and 8-in. dia. casings, so I used a 4-in. round pipe and cut it 48 inches long," he explains. "I cut teeth in the bottom with a hole in it big enough to allow a 3/8-in. black pipe to protrude 1/2 inch through the bottom of the pipe."

Next, Guthrie let the 3/8-in. pipe stick up two inches above the top, and threaded a quick-coupler to attach an air compressor air hose to it.

"The top is fixed so a cross bar and a few links of chain can be readily attached to a pull rope or cable for lowering or raising the well cleaner. After positioning all components and tacking each in place, I thoroughly welded around the bottom plate, around the 3/8-in. air pipe protruding through the bottom plate, and the top components solidly, to make sure it would give me years of service," he says.

"While holding the air line and the lift line together, you lower it until it hits bottom. Then you turn on the air and the well cleaner will sink into the silt or sand. If it's hard, you bounce the well cleaner up and down and let the teeth break up the compacted layer. As the air agitates, it will carry silt or sand up between the casting and well cleaner, and deposit it inside the well cleaner."

When finished, Guthrie says you need to turn off the air, draw the well cleaner up, and empty the sand. Repeating this procedure will allow you to reach the original well depth.

"It's very important that you not let the well cleaner go further than it's own length, as it can fluidize the sand and go so far you may not be able to retrieve it," he cautions. "I've used this the tool for 40 plus years and loaned it to many satisfied neighbors to clean out their water wells."