Who knows about old hand pumps?

Ok I have an old hand pump Next to the house that sill has water in the well but the pump won't pull the water up because the old leather seals are shot. Has anyone ever restored one of these before ? I will post some photos and other information soon . I even found the patent online with the patent office. I tried pulling it out last year but it's so damn long!

It has solid brass tubing too ! I didn't know they used brass for well pumps .



It's a Myers Pump and has two valves in the well

I grew up in a home with a cistern. It collected roof rain water and was the only source of water for my grandparents. The WPA programs of almost a century ago brought public water to the town. The cistern was left in place and used for watering flower pots and garden plants. As a kid I helped my father repair the hand pump. We cut our own gaskets from leather sheet purchased from the local feed store. The hand pump was next to the kitchen sink, a slate counter top and back splash with a white enameled cast iron sink. Outside over the top of he cistern was a crank pump. It's what discharged water to the garden via metal rain gutters. The pump had a chain in a loop down in to the water. The up segment of the chain was in the pipe. The chain had leather washers the same diameter as the ID of the pipe. Turning the crank, my job as a kid, simply pulled the water up. We replaced washers on the chain many times. All fond memories.

Petes Belting in Seattle on first avenue had the molds to shape the leather cups for many cylinder sizes, I'm sure you can find somone closer, Petes may be gone, haven't been there for years. I just checked and they have no web presence, try some local flat belt supplier.

try pouring a little water down the top of the pump it might make the leather swell up enough to pump water up...

how do you know this well has water in it? You can buy these old fashion pumps in a reproduction that will have silicon and more functional long term use if you wish for much less money and hassle then dealing with the genuine article... here is a sample of your pump to buy http://www.ebay.com/itm/F-E-MYERS-BRO-C ... 27c0ae8b30

Doesn't Hitzer or DS Machine also produce hand pumps? One of them does, maybe some parts could be found? Great old pump though. I would try and refurb that bad boy.

SteveZee wrote:Doesn't Hitzer or DS Machine also produce hand pumps? One of them does, maybe some parts could be found? Great old pump though. I would try and refurb that bad boy.

I was just gonna say that I would call DS they are in the amish community surely they will know of someone in there community that can hook you up with the right parts.


Eric

Hitzer does.

buffalo bob wrote:try pouring a little water down the top of the pump it might make the leather swell up enough to pump water up...

I tried priming it and it didn't work . I pulled it up half way and looked at the first valve and the leathers are basically gone. I need about two more people to help me pull it out of the well.

dcrane wrote:how do you know this well has water in it? You can buy these old fashion pumps in a reproduction that will have silicon and more functional long term use if you wish for much less money and hassle then dealing with the genuine article... here is a sample of your pump to buy http://www.ebay.com/itm/F-E-MYERS-BRO-C ... 27c0ae8b30

When I pulled the pump up half way out of the well I dropped a line down and found water.
The pump functions fine it just needs the leathers or something comparable in the valves .

I might drive a new well for a new pump but this old one shall work again one day.

I did notice hitzers site and the pumps last night!

If you have a fleet farm, or farm fleet, or tractor supply store, they sell the leathers. Or cut them yourself. Heres the two fleet farm has and you can order them if they are right.
http://www.fleetfarm.com/mff/detail/cam ... 0000008727
http://www.fleetfarm.com/mff/detail/cam ... 0000008723

Lehman's in Kidron, OH
lehmans.com

They sell all sorts of non-electric stuff, prices are decent to a bit high but hey, if they have it and no-one nearby does...

If no joy there, there's a place local to me that might have some bits, plumbing/pipe/pumps place that has been around forever.

This is a deep-well pump, yes? With the pump cylinder down in the well, and a sucker rod that runs down through the drop pipe to the cylinder?

Depending on how far down the water is--if no more than 20 feet--you might be able to just put one of those $40 shallow-well hand pumps from TSC on the well, if all you're after is water for a garden or something. You'd still have to remove the old pump first. But 20 feet of PVC sure is a lot lighter than the same length of galvanized and the operating parts would be easily accessible in case of failure. Though that old pump sure looks neat.

For pulling the old drop pipe, you can get a "pipe grabber", that you can attach a winch or come-along to, attached to a tripod set up over the wellhead. If you take it apart, joint by joint, when removing it--DON'T drop the remaining lengths down the well

Jacob

If you want to use it much I would take the pump part to a machine shop and have them make a new piston that will take O rings so you dont have to mess with the leathers anymore.

I can't remember what the depth is but it is considered a shallow well and it is maybe 6" in diameter and made of terracotta .
I specifically want to make this old pump work . Also the pipe is brass all the way down! Can you believe that?

I am going to try to pull it section by section but I need two other people to help me.
The leathers should last a good while although the piston idea is a great one!

It has two cylinders . I need to find the old pattent to how you guys .