Well Screen

Hi all,
I am putting in a well on my own. I have already dug down 30' with a clamshell auger and am meeting the local codes as far as my hole is concerned. The thing I am really scratching my head on is a well screen. I have not put in the casement yet and I am sure I will need some kind of sand screen for the well as the pump I dropped down to tinker around filled with sand immediately, even though it had a screen...

The code just says something durable and casement/screen information seems to be hidden. Has anyone worked with well screens? What are they? I'm about to go buy the head for a point well and do something funky to put on the end of my casement. That or figure out a package for some cloth diapers and jam in the bottom.

Any ideas on where to buy or pointers for making my own woul be appreciated.

Thanks

I just did a quick search and found this.
http://www.lifewater.ca/drill_manual/Section_7.htm

If you are doing a drive point well casing you should use a drive point screen.

This site has several different kinds:  Dean Bennet Supply  

If your bore hole is larger than the drive point (you aren't actually driving the screen into the sediment), it is a good idea to place clean silica sand around the screen and put a bentonite seal above the sand pack before back filling the hole.

Other screens you could use include slotted PVC and steel pipe screens,  Wire-wrapped screens (except drive point wire-wrapped) are more for larger wells and are quite expensive.  A good pipe supply company near you either has slotted screen or could get it for you.  You can slot pipe with a hack saw or chop saw.  This generally makes slots that are wide and allow sediment into the well.  And most people get tired of cutting slots and don't make enough.  If you were to slot your own pipe, wrap the outside of the pipe with a decent filter fabric.

I would strongly recommend against packing cloth around an open pipe as you suggested.

Hi Ardilla,
Roy's link got me the right code words and I think I'll use my chop saw to make cuts on a pipe. I was still concerned about the sand even after I pack the surrounding with gravel. Thanks to your mention of filter fabric I found stuff  I could use.

So now I think I will use a perforated filter fabric with some stainless collars to hold it in place, pack that section with gravel  per code, then grout to grade, cause that's the code damnit.

I didn't want to go with a point well head as I got really excited when I dug it out easily and bought a really expensive solar pump which needs at least a 4" pipe. I know, dumb youth...

Thanks for the help. I might upload some photos and videos and change to a wiki