General Description
The Junk Basket is a simple fishing tool. This tool is almost always referred to as a Globe Basket. It is used to retrieve all kinds of small loose junk.
The Junk Basket is equipped with one or two catcher assemblies that should revolve freely. These catchers are to retain the junk in the basket.
The junk head is very similar to a rotary shoe and is available in most of the same types as rotary shoes.
The Junk Basket is used to retrieve all sorts of junk that may accumulate at the bottom of the well and which would impede drilling progress. Examples are rock bit, cones, bearings, broken slips, pins, hand tools, cuttings, and other debris.
Construction
The Junk Basket is constructed very much like the Jet Basket and the Reverse Circulating Basket, except is does not have the jetting mechanism. It is made up of a top sub, body or barrel, a junk head, and a catcher assembly.
The upper and lower catchers are identical in construction, the only appreciable difference being the length of the dogs and overall lengths of the catcher assemblies. Each Catcher is composed of an Outer Ring, Inner Ring, Dog Pins, Dog Springs, Rivets, and Dogs. The Dogs vary in length relatively, each Catcher having long, short, and medium length Dogs. The riveted construction eliminates the possibility of missing set screws by loss or neglect.
Operation
The object is to get the basket over the junk and cut a core. To do this, run the basket in the hole a few feet above the fish and put the pump on. Circulate with full circulation and clean the hole. Slack off to the fish and try to wash it clean. Pick up five or ten feet, then cut the pump back to minimum circulation so you will not pump junk to the outside of the hole. Lower the basket slowly while rotating until you are over the fish. You may have to pick up and start several times before getting over the fish. Sometimes you can tell when you are over the fish because the rotary will level out and the basket will rotate smoothly. When you think you have the fish inside the basket, apply the weight that is needed to make a hole and cut a core (one or two feet).
When you have completed this, shut the pump down and continue to rotate while adding weight for two or three minutes. This will burn the core so it will stay in the basket.