witching for water

[scalerman]

my grandmother said she used to be able to find water in the ground using a forked stick. I think it was a willow stick. You held the fork in your hands and walked around. When you find water the stick will bend toward the ground. Anyone else have any experience with this.

[Macs II]

I never tried it but I know it works.....seen it many times.

[Gwanita]

i heard about this but i heard it was more like rolling the fat girl in flour and seeing if oyu can find the wet spot...i am also sure this wasn't a willow stick !!!!

[Andre]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gwanita</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i heard about this but i heard it was more like rolling the fat girl in flour and seeing if oyu can find the wet spot...i am also sure this wasn't a willow stick !!!! </div></div>

Fat girls tend to sweat a lot therefore having many wet spots and causing a large number of false positives when using the floor method.

/what someone had to test the theory

[Calis]

Tested.. very true.

Get a large bag of flour..

[Gwanita]

LOL

[*Angel*]

I Know a lady who can do this accurately....its pretty neat
she was struck my lightening when she was little and now has certain things she can do...kinda creepy but cool

[Toto]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: scalerman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">my grandmother said she used to be able to find water in the ground using a forked stick. I think it was a willow stick. You held the fork in your hands and walked around. When you find water the stick will bend toward the ground. Anyone else have any experience with this. </div></div>

I haven't had any experience with it but I know it's true - my grandmother told me about it. It's called a divining rod.

From Wikipedia: A forked (or "Y" shaped) willow branch. The two ends on the forked side are to be held one in each hand with the third pointing straight ahead. Often the branches are grasped palms down. The pointing end turns up or down when water is found. This method is sometimes known as 'Willow Witching'.

[tippikitty]

Do I even dare say....cause I'm not in the mood today.

I never heard of this until I met my husband. He father wrote an article some time ago for a magazine in regards to how to do this actuality. Apparently some people can do and some can't, at least not well. Lucky me (roll my eyes) I am very good at it and now I have to witch for water every time we are out ice fishing and we need to find a current. My husband can not do this so I get stuck doing it. Even if it's -40 and you have to do it with bare hands.
Also can use any stick as long as it has a fork in it.

[adigirl]

If anyone tries this method, let me know if it works I be really interested in knowing it. It would be great fun to do it with my son this summer out at Camp.

[Macs II]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: adigirl</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If anyone tries this method, let me know if it works I be really interested in knowing it. It would be great fun to do it with my son this summer out at Camp. </div></div>

It does work and just about anyone can do it with a little practice

[adigirl]

Thanks Macs I will have to give it a try!

[Larimar]

I have dowsing sticks, I use it to find everything LOL.

[Macs II]

you can also use two things made out of metal coat hangers (bent L shape) ...when they cross each other there is water

[starterwiz]

anything bent in an L shape will work....as long as you hold the vertical leg of the upside down L loosely enough (losely for those with spelling issues) for the sticks to move freely.
I got an awesome well this way, and we re-tested with everyone that came by and had no clue....Everyone's sticks crossed at exactly the same spot.
Mark out the stream, and then walk along it. When the sticks bounce off your chest, you know you're at the big pocket.

[cheeky]

My grandfather used to witch for wells for years. He was never wrong. I can do it too, but my Mom can't, so I don't think anyone can do it with a proper diving rod. jmo

Any skeptics?
Has Amazing Randi done any control tests on this?

[MaO3]

My Father in law could do it and I've watched Tippi's father in law do it many times. Its an amazing sight, to watch the stick spin around enough to have the bark fall off in his hands.

[bouffant]

Get the fire burning we have some witches to cook!

[EyelashExtensions]

I had been asked many times if my grandfather used this method for drilling wells in Goulais, but I had never once seen him do it and I used to go with him to work all the time. But he got water every single time. Out of 40 years of well drilling he only missed water a few times.

[hp2]

there are many people in our town whom can do it as most people whom drill wells, will hire someone to come witch for water prior to drilling, this is not un common!! and I have heard it must be willow!!

[Andre]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: La Piu Bella Pamparinella</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Get the fire burning we have some witches to cook! </div></div>

"A witch! ... A duck! A duck! Fetch a duck.
Here is a duck, Sir Bedevere.
We shall use my largest scales."
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f308/Andrjohson/Pics4/scale.jpg

[EyelashExtensions]

My grandfather just had a natural sense, experience and knew the land very well. I think with him it was rumors people had started to add to his mystery. He never hired anyone other than himself and another man to help him because he was blind, maybe that had something to do with why he never missed.

[MaO3]

My dad was just talking about your grandfather the other day Lizzard. They are looking at putting in a new well and he mentioned the blind man who used to drill wells.

I thought it was pretty amazing that he did that without sight.

[EyelashExtensions]

Ya he worked right up until a month before he passed away, he still had wells lined up! I miss him like crazy /ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

[MaO3]

My dad had nothing but good things to say about him thats for sure.

He had watched him work a time or two and was amazed at how he did that kind of work with out sight

[Andre]

I worked at plumbing shop years ago that sold well supplies and stuff and it was quite common to hear people locating their wells with diviners. There seemed to be many different methods. Some used sticks, others used metal rods. Some Y shaped and sometimes two L shaped.
I doubt people would be paying to have a well drilled if this method didn't work and work fairly accurately.

[kalam]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Aydeloof</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any skeptics?
Has Amazing Randi done any control tests on this?
</div></div>

Here's Randi's take...

The Matter of Dowsing (http://www.randi.org/library/dowsing/)

KaL

[tippikitty]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Andre</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I worked at plumbing shop years ago that sold well supplies and stuff and it was quite common to hear people locating their wells with diviners. There seemed to be many different methods. Some used sticks, others used metal rods. Some Y shaped and sometimes two L shaped.
I doubt people would be paying to have a well drilled if this method didn't work and work fairly accurately. </div></div>

What plumbing shop did you work at?

[SusyQ]

Plumbers Butt Inc. LOL!

[Andre]

My giant, dark, hairy crack. That is my legacy.

*sniff*

I couldn't be prouder /ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wavey.gif

[tippikitty]

Some plumbers buts are really sexy.......

Do you not watch Desperate Housewives?

[Dreamin]

I will now

[MaO3]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: *~TippiKitty~*</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Some plumbers buts are really sexy.......

</div></div>

Two words

BUTTLESS CHAPS!

[AmdWolfman]

lol

[tippikitty]

lol

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MaO3</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: *~TippiKitty~*</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Some plumbers buts are really sexy.......

</div></div>

Two words

BUTTLESS CHAPS! </div></div>

Paully Shore called them Cheek Chillers.

[Dreamin]

lol, that was the only Paully Shore movie I liked.

Youtube has some water witching vids. Neat stuff.

[Super Gram]

My late uncle who lived in Hawk Junction used to witch for water.Years ago that is how most farmers dug their wells. Someone witched for it.

[DogsRule]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: scalerman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">my grandmother said she used to be able to find water in the ground using a forked stick. I think it was a willow stick. You held the fork in your hands and walked around. When you find water the stick will bend toward the ground. Anyone else have any experience with this. </div></div>

This was great grandma right?

Yeah, that woman could do a ton of things!

[Barney Rubble]

we gotta get that family secret goin & find us some undiscovered oil!

[DogsRule]

Lol, good luck getting it from her

[Barney Rubble]

i wonder if she handed the technique to anyone??
meh!!! google!!!

[pearls6]

my mom showed me how to do that when i was a kid but it has to be a certain stick it was a lot of fun we got water at aunt joanns that way she probably remembers how to do it lol

[Barney Rubble]

isnt it willow?