Witching Sticks

[Dusty Britches]

I just read a post on cutting phone lines with a t-post and another reply on not believing the locator guys with their equipment.

If I think I'm crossing or digging in an area with water, electrical, or phone lines or anything of that nature, I pull out my witching sticks. Never failed me.

Anyone else use or seen someone use witching sticks?

 

[millstreaminn]

I just read a post on cutting phone lines with a t-post and another reply on not believing the locator guys with their equipment.

If I think I'm crossing or digging in an area with water, electrical, or phone lines or anything of that nature, I pull out my witching sticks. Never failed me.

Anyone else use or seen someone use witching sticks?

I've done it before. If I recall correctly, I used bare copper wire and it seemed to work.

I bought a backhoe 4 years ago and have dug up ALL the lines on my farm. :shock:

 

[oscar p]

Old timers use to say peach tree limbs worked best

 

[denoginnizer]

Take two metal coathangers and make two L shapes maybe 2 feet long on the long end and around 8 inches on the short end.

Put a glass of water on the floor and walk over it holding the short part of the L . The coathangers will come together making an X over the water every time.

 

[Gale Seddon]

Wait a sec...are you talking about the "Miss Utility" thing or dowsing to finding water?

 

[john250]

I just read a post on cutting phone lines with a t-post and another reply on not believing the locator guys with their equipment.

If I think I'm crossing or digging in an area with water, electrical, or phone lines or anything of that nature, I pull out my witching sticks. Never failed me.

Anyone else use or seen someone use witching sticks?

I've watched a witcher work. He found water alright, but it bubbles up everywhere here--so I remain sceptical.
Legally, once you call the locator guys you are off the hook. The cost of cutting a cable can be significant. Lots of fiber optics run around here. If you hit one, clean out your bank acct and just leave town.
Witchin' sticks aren't as good in court. Depending on the judge.

 

[dun]

I just read a post on cutting phone lines with a t-post and another reply on not believing the locator guys with their equipment.

If I think I'm crossing or digging in an area with water, electrical, or phone lines or anything of that nature, I pull out my witching sticks. Never failed me.

Anyone else use or seen someone use witching sticks?

I've watched a witcher work. He found water alright, but it bubbles up everywhere here--so I remain sceptical.
Legally, once you call the locator guys you are off the hook. The cost of cutting a cable can be significant. Lots of fiber optics run around here. If you hit one, clean out your bank acct and just leave town.
Witchin' sticks aren't as good in court. Depending on the judge.

I can witch water and metal, have my doubts about glass and plastic (fiber optics)

dun

 

[john250]

I just read a post on cutting phone lines with a t-post and another reply on not believing the locator guys with their equipment.

If I think I'm crossing or digging in an area with water, electrical, or phone lines or anything of that nature, I pull out my witching sticks. Never failed me.

Anyone else use or seen someone use witching sticks?

I've watched a witcher work. He found water alright, but it bubbles up everywhere here--so I remain sceptical.
Legally, once you call the locator guys you are off the hook. The cost of cutting a cable can be significant. Lots of fiber optics run around here. If you hit one, clean out your bank acct and just leave town.
Witchin' sticks aren't as good in court. Depending on the judge.

I can witch water and metal, have my doubts about glass and plastic (fiber optics)

dun

I remain sceptical, but I wouldn't bet against you.

The rural water guys and the regular phone guys and whatever--they won't destroy you. But do not cut a fiber optic. Always call the locators if you are digging or grading or whatever moves dirt. Protect yourselves.

 

[Gate Opener]

My dad does it with sticks. He came to our place here and looked through the trees until he found some he liked. He would go over a spot and those sticks were bending down so strong that it was hurting his hands. Really neat to watch. I've heard that it doesn't work for everyone.

 

[docgraybull]

Take two metal coathangers and make two L shapes maybe 2 feet long on the long end and around 8 inches on the short end.

Put a glass of water on the floor and walk over it holding the short part of the L . The coathangers will come together making an X over the water every time.

I have a friend who does percolation tests and septic inspection tests, and this is the way he witches water lines and lateral lines. I was skeptical too, but tried it, and it actually worked.

 

[bward]

Willow is the stick of choice here. The stick is a single piece, branched and cut into a Y shape. One fellow out here gets cuts on his hands as the willow bends to the ground.

I tried it once and felt the stick move.... gave me the heebeegeebees and a thrill all in one.

 

[Dusty Britches]

I use the coat hangers and I have found everything I put my mind on. Water lines, electrical lines, etc. On the coat hangers, I cut the cardboard tubes that come with the pant hangers down to hand size and use those as handles when holding the wire. Some people say I move the wire myself, but when they see the "handles" they become believers.

You can use a single soft stick, like a willow, to find how deep a water well is and how much water is in it.

I have also used crystals to locate things on a map, but I've never taken that to the next step of physically going to the map location to check it out.

I once heard about a lady who could douse with her bare hands.

I started dousing when the locator guy came out, put his flags out and said, "You can't dig within 20 feet of either side of that line of flags." :shock: And you came out for what?

 

[Jogeephus]

If you are looking for PVC, it helps if you turn the water on - seems like it works better with running water. Dusty, I do it same way. Ever tried just holding one out after you find the stream? It will turn in the direction of the water flow. Pretty neat. IMO

 

[Wewild]

We had an instance one morning when we were suppose to bury my Great Aunt in just a few hours, we received a call from the grave diggers saying that there was someone already buried in the plot that they were suppose to bury Aunt Sarah. So here we go. They got out the rods and showed us how they crossed on the spot. They told us they would dig but if someone was down there they would have to charge us for 2 digs ( big deal at this point????).

I used the sticks for the first time and they worked. The diggers didn't know there was a cedar tree there at one time but I did.

I told them to dig and we had the service on time.

It was a wee bit unsettling going through all of that. It was the first time I realized my dad was slipping as he couldn't make a decision. At the time I thought it was grief. Alzheimers is a bad thing

 

[MillIronQH]

A friend of mine that's a welder made me a pair out of brass brazing rods. Dead on accurate.Z