Columnist John Schmitt critiques family’s longtime Bucyrus-Erie 20W.

Columnist John Schmitt explains the spudding system on his family’s old Bucyrus-Erie 20W.

Columnist John Schmitt discusses the bull, sand and casing reels of his family’s Bucyrus-Erie 20W.

Columnist John Schmitt delves into his family’s first steel spudder rig.

Columnist John Schmitt reflects on the drill rig his family used in the 1950s, 1960s.

Rationing affected many drilling basics, like pipe and pumps.

Columnist puts rig series on hold for WWII recollections.

In about 1950, my dad found a well-used 1935 Ford truck chassis and decided that would be a great basis for his new and improved shop-built rig.

This month's column deals with an improved rig that my dad and I first put into service in 1953.