Digging. The Aftermath

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Oh I really love Wednesday mornings piling Tuesday's mucky kit on the lawn. I am sure the neighbours think I am mad. My trusty pressure washer does the job though I should not have agreed to a water meter.



 

Goydenman

Well-known member
I have the same routine on my lawn ha
I remember one in drought and water pipe ban our outdoor centre rang water company re washing gear with pressure washer and they said pressure washers use very liitle water...interesting
 
I have a bath set up in my garage and am working on a water butt system to store rain water to supply the bath.  Put kit in bath, beat with broom handle, scrub any "technical bits" with a brush - bosh.  No doubt this is not as quick or easy as a pressure washer mind.
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
I remember my grandma using those, followed shortly afterwards by the "mangle" to squeeze the water out. Superb mechanical device with all cogs and shafts twirling round.

Washing day, in the back yard in winter, was a minor epic . . .

"And you tell that to the children of today - and they won't believe you!"  ;)
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
MJenkinson said:
I have a bath set up in my garage and am working on a water butt system to store rain water to supply the bath.  Put kit in bath, beat with broom handle, scrub any "technical bits" with a brush - bosh.  No doubt this is not as quick or easy as a pressure washer mind.

You could think about having the waterbutt set high off the ground with a hose attached. The higher the better, and the better flow rate you'll get.

Think about not using a standard off the shelf waterbutt and using a bucket the right size (bigger is best ;) ).
When you've selected the correct size, you can attach your own fixing to the size which will allow you to have a bigger diameter hose!

we've been playing with this exact set up recently, but not on domestic water.

other idea, if you're only getting low flow out of one hose.
You could get two "butts" (or put two holes in the same butt). you can then link the two hoses (with a splitter) lower down to give you higher flow.
 

Fulk

Well-known member
I remember my grandma using those, followed shortly afterwards by the "mangle" to squeeze the water out. Superb mechanical device with all cogs and shafts twirling round.

Washing day, in the back yard in winter, was a minor epic . . .

"And you tell that to the children of today - and they won't believe you!"  ;)

I remember that; funny, though, isn't it, that people are always wingeing, saying 'We lead such busy lives these days', as though folk did Sweet Fanny Adams back in the past, without convenience foods, take-ways, washing machines etc.

(And before anybody says anything, no, I'm not longing for a return to the so-called 'Good Old Days'.)
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Yes - but then again they had the advantage of not being bullied into wasting half their waking lives messing about on (anti)social media.  (y)
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
I find standing at the bottom of Gaping Gill main shaft works really well but it's a long way to drive after each trip (plus getting to the bottom would be a real pain). ;)
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
You may jest but some years ago cavers walked down the stream from where they traditionally wash off after a trip into the extremely muddy Pridhamsleigh cavern in Devon and found that a miniature delta had formed at the junction  of the stream with the Dart. They don't say whether there was shack and a blues guitarist on a rocking chair beside it.
 

Roger W

Well-known member
We had one when I was a kid.  And a big old mangle with a cast iron frame and wooden rollers.  Had to watch your fingers with that one!
 

mikekushy

Active member
I have a strong tub I carry my kit in. After a sticky muddy cave trip I fill the bucket full of water and put in all my kit, then stomp on it all with my wellies on, stir it a bit, stomp again....quick rinse and as good as new :)

Been doing it for a few years now and hasn't added any damage to my kit.

 

estelle

Member
our dig at Cutlers is really quite sticky and clay type mud. I find that using a Warmbac PVC oversuit and then hanging it to dry for a week until the next digging session, it dries out nicely and the mud just cracks off. Saves on washing it at all.
 

ZombieCake

Well-known member
I have a strong tub I carry my kit in. After a sticky muddy cave trip I fill the bucket full of water and put in all my kit, then stomp on it all with my wellies on, stir it a bit, stomp again....quick rinse and as good as new
Err... how does that work for cameras?  If it works what on earth are you using?
 
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