April 21, 20232 yr Author One side (in part) down to 5 ft below first set of shoring. Aboyt 9 ft total. Now the ladder is on a ledge and I need to switch sides. I still have to widen things. That may be a trip by itself. Probably time to start gathering and cutting the timber for the next set. Lately I've been moving the spoils to ruts in my internal ranch roads. One good gully washer will probably wash the fine stuff away, but maybe it'll help.
July 22, 20232 yr Author it's been hot. Down at the bottom its... sligjky less hot? Anyway, not much progress between the heat and vacations. Some friends: Some unwelcome friends: Some very unwelcome friends: Not sure what kind of snake. I choose to believe coachwhip or rat snake. I put down some foam tape to better seal the top, and realized the two short sides had a bug gap. Ate 2 cans of foam and need more. I think I will drill holes and do foam all across the top.
July 22, 20232 yr it's been hot. Down at the bottom its... sligjky less hot? Anyway, not much progress between the heat and vacations. Some friends: Some unwelcome friends: Some very unwelcome friends: Not sure what kind of snake. I choose to believe coachwhip or rat snake. I put down some foam tape to better seal the top, and realized the two short sides had a bug gap. Ate 2 cans of foam and need more. I think I will drill holes and do foam all across the top. Quite possibly the first vertical mine entrance to be sealed off with foam-in-a-can.
July 25, 20232 yr you're not digging a hole, you're building a death trap. Keep us posted. Have you tried filling it with water and then seeing how well it drains?
August 16, 20232 yr On 7/22/2023 at 12:06 PM, CleverNickname said: it's been hot. Down at the bottom its... sligjky less hot? Anyway, not much progress between the heat and vacations. Some friends: Some unwelcome friends: Some very unwelcome friends: Not sure what kind of snake. I choose to believe coachwhip or rat snake. I put down some foam tape to better seal the top, and realized the two short sides had a bug gap. Ate 2 cans of foam and need more. I think I will drill holes and do foam all across the top. That is a badass scorpion Any update? How deep are you now?
August 16, 20232 yr 7 hours ago, UT_OB1 said: That is a badass scorpion Any update? How deep are you now? Given his age and sag/gravity coefficient, I’d say about balls deep. Edited August 16, 20232 yr by troph
August 16, 20232 yr Author I'm about 8 ft deep. Nine on one side. Too hot to dig much this summer. I should be able to put the the next 4 ft of lagging/set in this fall. I've cut the 4x6s and the 4x4s, but not the 2x sides yet. Then downward to 12, and so on. I figure 4-6 ft a year is a good pace
August 20, 20232 yr do you get internet at the bottom of the hole? How else will you communicate with us when you inevitably get trapped down there?
August 20, 20232 yr 20 minutes ago, ChickenNuggets said: do you get internet at the bottom of the hole? How else will you communicate with us when you inevitably get trapped down there? Dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot.
August 21, 20232 yr Author 13 hours ago, ChickenNuggets said: do you get internet at the bottom of the hole? How else will you communicate with us when you inevitably get trapped down there? Since the property is > 10ac, I told my wife to just declare it a private cemetery and move on. See Health and Safety Code 711.008
August 27, 20232 yr I seen the Health and safety code before what I haven’t seen is China, in the bottom of your hole
September 4, 20232 yr Author I think I dug about 8 buckets, but I have a new place to put the dirt I'm moving. Weather turning enough to stay overnight amd work at dusk and again the next morning. Current pile: New ramp. I figure I can make it tailgate high. Shallow side getting there:
November 16, 20232 yr On 11/13/2023 at 3:06 PM, ChickenNuggets said: was hoping for an update now that the weather is cooler.... still at it?
November 17, 20232 yr Author It's been wet. I flipped over the to and let things air out. I'm a little concerned how moist things get. To that end l cut off 18" from my sophisticated playset head-frame. I immediately bumped my head on it. My plan is to construct a 12x12 or so shed roof. I'm hoping that will shield enough water. Also I could maybe put in some diverters (maybe out of dryrock?) to diverts surface water.
November 19, 20232 yr Is there a "contractor" digging your way from the South? There's a couple of things I'd like order if that is the case.
November 22, 20232 yr On 11/16/2023 at 7:20 PM, CleverNickname said: It's been wet. I flipped over the to and let things air out. I'm a little concerned how moist things get. To that end l cut off 18" from my sophisticated playset head-frame. I immediately bumped my head on it. My plan is to construct a 12x12 or so shed roof. I'm hoping that will shield enough water. Also I could maybe put in some diverters (maybe out of dryrock?) to diverts surface water. can you do a 360 panoramic shot? I want to see where the prison is in relation to the hole.
November 23, 20232 yr Author Sunday I put in some post bases. Om Weds & Turkey Day I put in the posts. So next time I'm up I'll out up 3 or 4 purlins across the top, and 1 or 2 middle joist. The whole frame is 10x12 and I'll put on 12x12 of roof panels. Probably clear poly in the center, so the hole ain't too dark. The materials are pushing $300 already and the panels will be another $200 (and another $50 in lumber). Wife not super happy with the credit card statement, but sometimes you gotta put a roof over your hobby hole.
November 24, 20232 yr 4 hours ago, CleverNickname said: sometimes you gotta put a roof over your hobby hole. Ain't that the truth.
November 25, 20232 yr sometimes you gotta put a roof over your hobby hole. If she's upset with lumber costs, just wait until you give her the quote for the jellyfish lighting.
November 28, 20232 yr Author Drove up on Sunday. Third trip in a week... maybe a bit too much. Anyway, for now I put a waterproof vinyl tarp up. Much cheaper. Edited November 28, 20232 yr by CleverNickname
November 28, 20232 yr Part of me is like this could turn into the greatest of all out houses. As a Dateline crime show fan I also see potential for a great cover story..... Yeah, he was always out there digging holes, like obsessed. Very impressed with how this has developed.
November 28, 20232 yr 3 hours ago, CleverNickname said: Drove up on Sunday. Third trip in a week... maybe a bit too much. Anyway, for now I put a waterproof vinyl tarp up. Much cheaper. The r/deck comments would be mildly amusing, very predictable… and possibly warranted in this case. Add some more furring strips before you try to put that panel on. Hell for what you’re doing some plywood under that tarp would be cheaper, easier, and last at least as long as it takes the cops to find your body dumping site.
November 28, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, HornsOverIthaca said: Just crank this when you're digging and you'll reach magma in no time: fuck i missed their two and a half week long tour!
November 28, 20232 yr On 11/23/2023 at 4:35 PM, CleverNickname said: The materials are pushing $300 already and the panels will be another $200 (and another $50 in lumber). You're over $500 in the hole.
November 28, 20232 yr 16 hours ago, elfenix said: fuck i missed their two and a half week long tour! Yeah me too. Apparently Italian Dwarven Metal is a thing.
December 18, 20232 yr On 11/27/2023 at 7:15 PM, CleverNickname said: Drove up on Sunday. Third trip in a week... maybe a bit too much. Anyway, for now I put a waterproof vinyl tarp up. Much cheaper. does water drain in through the sides on wet days?
December 18, 20232 yr Author 57 minutes ago, ChickenNuggets said: does water drain in through the sides on wet days? Well... I think it "worked" for a certain definition. But it bowed and pooled between rafters. I'm going to have to put up actual metal panels, or else basically do a plywood deck. Probably in the next couple of weeks. Not this coming week. I'm picking up a kawasaki mule, so ranch toy budget is depleted. But Jan 1 is a whole new year! And I also will build a shed roof for the mule. But at least this canopy made me confident I can that pretty easily.
December 19, 20232 yr 8 hours ago, CleverNickname said: Well... I think it "worked" for a certain definition. But it bowed and pooled between rafters. I'm going to have to put up actual metal panels, or else basically do a plywood deck. Probably in the next couple of weeks. Not this coming week. I'm picking up a kawasaki mule, so ranch toy budget is depleted. But Jan 1 is a whole new year! And I also will build a shed roof for the mule. But at least this canopy made me confident I can that pretty easily. Covid is over, plywood is cheap (ish) again. Just toss a few sheets up and put your tarp back on top of it
December 26, 20231 yr Author Plywood, per suggestion. Also added 3 more purlins. Bought some screen mesh. The "lid" will be a little bit elevated. Hopefully air it out without inviting critters inside. 2024: no more excuses. Diggy hole.
December 27, 20231 yr If you want easier access, you can replace your cross bracing with knee braces about 2.5’ long. Unless your using them to hold up mesh to keep out critters.
January 5, 20241 yr Author Meh. I've been distracted by the roof and now building a shed for my side by side. But I did get 3 buckets out on new years day, and it was nice and dry. I may make some progress this weekend, because it may be too cold to pour concrete. also... is tiktok suburban mine lady on my corner?
January 6, 20241 yr Author Back at it it! Looks like I was at 102" back in Sept on the other side. About a foot deeper today. Probably deep enough to add a set. I think it's mostly wide enough. Used our new mule to haul some of the dirt and rocks to some muddle places. Looking down. With the roof, I had to bring a light. What the ground is like... some layers of stone, but mostly partially cemented aggregate.
January 6, 20241 yr your wife has to think you are completely nuts. At nearly 10 feet deep if you aren't going to at least make a tornado shelter out of it I might have to agree with her.
January 7, 20241 yr 17 hours ago, troph said: your wife has to think you are completely nuts. At nearly 10 feet deep if you aren't going to at least make a tornado shelter out of it I might have to agree with her. Listen, what a man does with his hole is between that man and god. Unless he hits oil. Then it’s between that man and the shareholders.
January 8, 20241 yr First time seeing this thread. Cue meme of the cat reading the newspaper thinking about a boat. I just don't know what I want the hole for though...
January 8, 20241 yr On 1/6/2024 at 4:21 PM, CleverNickname said: Back at it it! Looks like I was at 102" back in Sept on the other side. About a foot deeper today. Probably deep enough to add a set. I think it's mostly wide enough. Used our new mule to haul some of the dirt and rocks to some muddle places. Looking down. With the roof, I had to bring a light. What the ground is like... some layers of stone, but mostly partially cemented aggregate. Until this post I just assumed you were in BFE on your property somewhere, but you’re right by your shop / house. So is this going to actually be used for something? How deep are you going to go before you turn and make a space to walk?
January 8, 20241 yr Author I wanted to be close enough to the power to run a jackhammer. Thoughts on using expanded steel or metal roofing for the shoring? Or should I stick to 2x nominal treated lumber?
January 11, 20241 yr On 1/8/2024 at 1:55 PM, CleverNickname said: I wanted to be close enough to the power to run a jackhammer. Thoughts on using expanded steel or metal roofing for the shoring? Or should I stick to 2x nominal treated lumber? lumber might burn as you near the earth's molten core...
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.