NFR Witching Rods - I tried it …. You?

Non-fishing related
Bonefish Jack

Bonefish Jack

Steelhead
OK, I had never tried it before. I was having some excavation done to prepare for building a shed. Excavator dude shows up, pulls out these two witching rods, found all of the electrical wires and the water line. WTF? He said, “Let’s see if you’ve got it.” I’ve apparently got it. Freaky. So, I’m a witch!? :alien:

What have you experienced?
 
Yup

Witching for decades...
Can't tell ya what line it is, or how deep it is, only that there is something there...pwr, water, gas phone etc...
Always used a locate service when digging as a contractor though, insurance and all...locate services are worth the money for sure.
Never ceases to amaze folks, have no idea how it works, but done it enough to know I can find lines...just dig where they cross, and you'll find something...could be an old unused sleeve, could be the phone line, no way for me to tell.
A foot either way is typical for me.

A local well guy dowses for water...track record is pretty good, but he does not give a gpm on the water until he finds it.
:)
 
I've seen it done by the old boys around here many times. I was at wits end finding a corner stone set in 1889 one time. Tried the welding rods Paul kept in the back of the truck, and soon I found a fence post buried about 18", then another, and finally the stone, about 40' from the plowed field corner. Don't know how, but I've experienced enough weird shit that I always try to keep an open mind.
 
a skeptic until I saw it done with a couple of bent raw welding rods to find cast iron septic tank pipes...the dude handed them to me after finding it, had me hold them the same, slow steps and whoa...physics explains it as 'magnetic resonance'...likely also applies to our reactions the first time we see the gals we end up marrying :)
 
I used it to find pvc pipes, so not much magnetism there...more likely 'unstable equilibrium', where small changes are magnified greatly, like when you step into a slightly sunken or depressed area on the ground where a ditch has settled over time...and having the rods or sticks reflect the change in level underneath you...knowing that there IS a pipe there introduces some bias/subconscious behavior also.

Try it with your eyes closed/ blidfolded...
That gets 'em everytime.
:)
I'm almost old enough to pull off some of that hillbilly geezer shit, but still have enough of my own teeth where it's not quite convincing...plus no dog named 'Blue'...
 
krusty said:
Not a real heavy lift in an area with decent precip and a relatively uniform groundwater level. 😀
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Never did it for wells, just finding lines that locate services did not do (private locates are expensive, utility locates are free) usually old irrigation lines, or a bootlegged power line some homeowner ran to an outbuilding.
Knowing a line IS there introduces bias as I mentioned, and ditches sink over time...two things that most certainly help in 'finding' lines.

But I would consider a demonstration...can post it on Instaface or Bookgram after completed...would be at my usual exorbitant rate of course, plus travel expenses/time,...bearing in mind, at my age there will be no digging involved.
Grab your shovel, and some cash, as you'll need both...🤣
Locate services typically unconditionally guarantee a 3' 'window' from their marks for a utility locate...happy to do the same. That being said, I once dug up a 3 phase power line with a backhoe in the Redmond Valley working on a commercial job, line was a damn long ways from the marks...so anyone can make a mistake.
😁
 
krusty said:
Professional hydrogeologists have conspired for decades to keep the powerful forces of water dowsing at bay. @Guy Gregory
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Yeah. It’s bullshit, but like lots of bullshit, some are gonna believe it every time. It’s been researched and tested for years, nobody’s found any measurable reason why the brass/welding/wood rods cross. I finally gave up arguing and reckoned its poor man’s geophysics. You have a detector, you generate an anomalous response, and you test it. Random chance or some sort of observation can do the same thing, but its so sexy when a fat old fart does it. I will witch your well for $600 cash plus expenses….you’re gonna pay some joker to do it .
 
krusty said:
A reputable excavation contractor will not commence work based on 'witchcraft' locates...besides being illegal in most jurisdictions the liability associated with such silliness is astronomical.
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To be clear, I had the locator service (811) done. I took photos of the marks created by the locator service so I would have a record. Then, it rained like crazy, and those marks had been washed away.

So when the excavator guy showed up, he didn’t know where the marks had been. And he scraped his toe right where the marks had been, verified by the photos.

Further, I knew where the water line was, and it was not in the vicinity where the excavation was to take place. He wanted to make sure, so he walked around until he located the water line.

I offer no explanation … and can only report what I witnessed. It was weird.
 
I didn't believe it - - until I saw it. I had a project one time, and when the dozer operator showed up to begin excavation, he went around with the welding rods to make sure there were no underground lines in the area. I asked how he could be sure, so he walked over to an existing service center building and walked around and found all the water and power lines to it. So he was sure there were none in the area marked off for excavation. I was impressed.
 
It works, and the more you do it the better the result. It would be foolish to start digging without calling for a locate when utilities are present. You need to CYA in that situation.
I've used it, and seen it used at at ski areas to avoid digging up snowmaking pipe and electrical.
If you are looking at planting a tree on your property and you don't want to dig up an irrigation line, it is the way to go.
I wouldn't consider having a well drilled by a driller that didn't witch before he started. Just another tool in the shed.
I understand the scepticism, but I'm a believer. I also think that one rod in your non dominant hand versus two in both hat, yields the best result.
 
Talkin goin feel alone. Rupp! Goin on feel ALONE. That's the way it's all goin these days. I figured i was ruppin' big deals back then.
 
Been there and done that.
Living on a mining claim in NE Oregon the ole guy that owned the claim ask me if I witched?
I said what?
So he took out his rods and we walked around until they crossed and then recrossed the spot.
I dug down a foot or so and panned out the diggings and yep there was some gold.
So to test me he ask me to close my eyes and he walked out behind me then came back and ask me to find the quarter he hid under a rock.
To shorten the story, I found the quarter.
Many months later and after much crossing and digging over an area, I found a pocket of gold to the tune of $20,000.00.
I think I just got lucky that time, but I can still find coins, water lines, power lines, etc.
 
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