Replace leathers on a pitcher hand pump

I need to replace the leathers on a pitcher hand pump. Does anyone know if you have to soak the leather before you install them? If so how long and in what? I have heard that if they are properly installed they will last f or years, otherwise you are lucky if they will last the season. But I have had a hard time finding out exactly how to prep the leathers before instil lation.

Thanks, Jim

Reply to
jimmyDahGeek
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if you have to soak the leather before you install them? If so how long an d in what? I have heard that if they are properly installed they will last for years, otherwise you are lucky if they will last the season. But I ha ve had a hard time finding out exactly how to prep the leathers before inst illation.

We had a pitcher pump on the farm years ago. No special treatment as far as I know. Make sure the shiny side is up.

Reply to
Roy

"JimmyDahGeek@DON'T_SPAM_ME_gmail.com" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com... I need to replace the leathers on a pitcher hand pump. # Does anyone know if you have to soak the leather before # you install them? If so how long and in what?

Soak in water for a couple of hours to a day so that they are supple

# I have heard that if they are properly installed they will last for years, # otherwise you are lucky if they will last the season.

That depends on how much you use the pump Since the leather flexes with ever stroke, more use = more wear

# But I have had a hard time finding out exactly how to prep # the leathers before instillation.

No prep required for install But easier if leather is supple But you MUST soak before trying to use the pump

Reply to
Attila Iskander

Thanks!!! I will soak them in water for 24 hours before I install them this week.

Jim

Reply to
jimmyDahGeek

"JimmyDahGeek@DON'T_SPAM_ME_gmail.com" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com...

Don't forget to make sure that you have a lock washer for the bolt & nut that attach the weight to the central part of the leather flapper. That's usually the first point of failure of a pitcher pump.

Reply to
Attila Iskander

Oh and another thing Make sure that you use really clean water to prime your pump. Since our cabin is in Wisconsin, I need to clear the well pipe for winter. Unfortunately, the person who was doing all the closing and opening of the cabin, allowed the well to be infected

So when starting things up in the spring, I do the following

1) I actually drop a gallon of bleach down the pipe the day before I prime the well 2) Using a plunger I built from 1" pipe, I pump the well about 10 times, slow and easy to make sure the bleach spreads into the area surrounding the sand point. 3) A day later, I prime the pump using water that has been boiled and stored in gallon jugs for that purpose 4) I then flush the chlorinated water that comes up the well, throughout all the household pipes, until the chorine odor is gone. I also drop some to that chlorinated water around the well pipe to disinfect the soil around the pipe. This process takes about 1-2 hours to completely run clear.

This does 2 things. It kills anything that may have drifted into your pipes and well during the off-season It kills any iron bacteria that may already be present and near your well.

After 3 years of doing this, Last year was the first summer where I had rust-free water all summer.

Reply to
Attila Iskander

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