Well pump restoration project

This project details the restoration of an antique water pump bought at a farmer's market for £25.

The pump was not working and the valves and plunger needed some repair. I am a radio/electronics

Engineer by trade but love tinkering with old things.

Thanks to www.villagepumps.org.uk for their advice and general assistance and www.base-camp.co.uk

for advice on leather work.

There is something very pleasing about the operation and design of an old well pump. It uses nothing more than

oiled leather seals in a cast iron body and can pump water from many tens of feet.

Well pump from France, marked AG

Initially, it was not understood how the pump worked and whether any parts were missing.

However, villagepumps.org were able to supply some pictures of a similar pump

so that the lower valve (clack valve) could be remade. The pump is a "lift" type, having effectively two chambers,

one above and one below the piston.

Pump base, clack valve weight and piston

The piston was dismantled by heating the outer section to release the valve, it was very

badly rusted. This upper valve is similar to a car exhaust valve and uses a metal-to-metal seat

which was ground in with valve grinding paste. The valve closes on the upstroke, sucking water from the well.

The leather washer (flat, not cup as it has to work on both

up and down strokes) was cut from a Stanley chisel wallet. Two were used together:

Piston base, valve and leather seal

The leather discs were soaked in olive oil. They become very slippery and pliable,

like wet chamois leather:

Leather washer soaked in olive oil

The 60mm internal bore of the pump was cleaned with emery cloth to remove surface

rust. The emery was wrapped around a former, just smaller than the bore, then turned by hand.

With a rusty bore, the leather washer would most likely wear very quickly.

Now for the clack valve. This is the lower seal in the chamber and closes on the down stroke.

At this time, the valve in the piston is open, allowing water into the upper chamber above the piston.

Making the clack valve

Now the valve is cut out with its characteristic C-shape, oiled, the weight attached with

stainless steel screws and fitted in the base:

My son Joe re-assembling and oiling the clack valve

Finally, the pump is reassembled using putty as a jointing compound:

Reassembling the pump

Now the pump is fitted to the well with M10 studding and 22mm copper / flexible pipe. There is

an additional non-return valve at the bottom of the well. The coupling to the pump was made

from a modified water tank connector with a modern rubber seal. The pipe was wrapped

in hessian to cover up the bright soldered joints:

Coupling to well in 22mm copper pipe

Finally, the completed pump ready for painting. Waxoyl mixed with a small

amount of bitumen paint makes an ideal coating, remaining slightly matt

with a soft anti rust protective coating.

The base of the well is about 20ft deep, cut into sand stone. The top 6 ft or so is lined

with bricks but the lower section of the well is perfectly round and cut out of solid stone. The top of the well

is actually of smaller diameter than the base. The water that comes out of the

pump is clear but has a slight layer of olive oil floating on it.

Julian Worskett, March 29th 2009

julian @ jwdltd.demon.co.uk

http://www.jwdltd.demon.co.uk/index.htm