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  • As I posted above, I have a need to dig a few holes on our place, but before that happens I'll tell a story on one of my favorite holes on our place and one that I currently hate the most.  This took

  • CleverNickname
    CleverNickname

  • CleverNickname
    CleverNickname

    Nice Saturday. Got after it about 3 hours. Not a big update, but satisfying.  Used the big jackhammer today. Very hard rock layer. I'm now about 5 ft below the third set. So that means I ca

Posted Images

  • 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.

20230421_142425.thumb.jpg.294e214dad99b8700547e314085bed28.jpg

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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.

20230421_143423.thumb.jpg.9310afbc6c8c4de2a7260c6aa6ecd060.jpg

12 minutes ago, Kennythetiger said:

That looks like expensive lumber in that hole 

Season 2 Nbc GIF by The Office

  • 2 months later...
  • Author

it's been hot. Down at the bottom its... sligjky less hot? Anyway, not much progress between the heat and vacations. 

Some friends:

20230722_103748.thumb.jpg.e006df8ddc83202829dc51e5310150e2.jpg

Some unwelcome friends:

20230722_105438.thumb.jpg.0014768c5f898a789d111823733bbd8d.jpg

Some very unwelcome friends:

20230722_105210.thumb.jpg.b7921d724d1c41ecc135fb51d2383a0b.jpg

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.

20230722_111442.thumb.jpg.0a7c76397aed7c886c690dcc4b790ed9.jpg

it's been hot. Down at the bottom its... sligjky less hot? Anyway, not much progress between the heat and vacations. 
Some friends:
20230722_103748.thumb.jpg.e006df8ddc83202829dc51e5310150e2.jpg
Some unwelcome friends:
20230722_105438.thumb.jpg.0014768c5f898a789d111823733bbd8d.jpg
Some very unwelcome friends:
20230722_105210.thumb.jpg.b7921d724d1c41ecc135fb51d2383a0b.jpg
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.
20230722_111442.thumb.jpg.0a7c76397aed7c886c690dcc4b790ed9.jpg

Quite possibly the first vertical mine entrance to be sealed off with foam-in-a-can.

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? 

  • 3 weeks later...
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:

20230722_103748.thumb.jpg.e006df8ddc83202829dc51e5310150e2.jpg

Some unwelcome friends:

20230722_105438.thumb.jpg.0014768c5f898a789d111823733bbd8d.jpg

Some very unwelcome friends:

20230722_105210.thumb.jpg.b7921d724d1c41ecc135fb51d2383a0b.jpg

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.

20230722_111442.thumb.jpg.0a7c76397aed7c886c690dcc4b790ed9.jpg

That is a badass scorpion 

 

Any update? How deep are you now?

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 by troph

  • 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 

do you get internet at the bottom of the hole? How else will you communicate with us when you inevitably get trapped down there?

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. 

  • 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

I seen the Health and safety code before

what I haven’t seen is China, in the bottom of your hole 

  • 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:20230904_091751.thumb.jpg.2b528c6b0ab77b5850feab62ab5bd0b8.jpg

 

New ramp. I figure I can make it tailgate high. 

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Shallow side getting there:

20230904_090028.thumb.jpg.46ebeed4a1fb1acf18b215cd3558d71f.jpg

 

20230904_085940.thumb.jpg.3fb2f4e1d1374442f5be0c306fdd3b38.jpg

  • 2 months later...
On 11/13/2023 at 3:06 PM, ChickenNuggets said:

was hoping for an update now that the weather is cooler.... still at it?

Pouring Austin Powers GIF

  • Author

It's been wet. I flipped over the to and let things air out.

20231112_093708.thumb.jpg.f19d33bf15e718f1355ee3590faf2e28.jpg

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. 

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. 

On 11/16/2023 at 7:20 PM, CleverNickname said:

It's been wet. I flipped over the to and let things air out.

20231112_093708.thumb.jpg.f19d33bf15e718f1355ee3590faf2e28.jpg

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. 

  • Author

Sunday I put in some post bases. 

20231119_120403.thumb.jpg.eff4265c103f58ac3c75a4e400b3c745.jpg

Om Weds & Turkey Day I put in the posts. 

20231123_135054.thumb.jpg.49b1487673ecd81f1a6dbd1474c98083.jpg

20231123_135105.thumb.jpg.90f36a57813bba329bd5bc1c4ad2e130.jpg

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. 

4 hours ago, CleverNickname said:

sometimes you gotta put a roof over your hobby hole. 

Ain't that the truth. 

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. 

  • 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. 20231126_130723.thumb.jpg.31b87ebc8d25384a9a743da42cd26a50.jpg20231126_130946.thumb.jpg.d7ded8f35e712c7d6a19f4273bfc32f8.jpg

Edited by CleverNickname

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.

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. 20231126_130723.thumb.jpg.31b87ebc8d25384a9a743da42cd26a50.jpg20231126_130946.thumb.jpg.d7ded8f35e712c7d6a19f4273bfc32f8.jpg

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. 

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!

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. 

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.

  • 3 weeks later...
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. 20231126_130723.thumb.jpg.31b87ebc8d25384a9a743da42cd26a50.jpg20231126_130946.thumb.jpg.d7ded8f35e712c7d6a19f4273bfc32f8.jpg

does water drain in through the sides on wet days? 

  • 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. 

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 

  • Author

Plywood, per suggestion. Also added 3 more purlins.

20231226_122547.thumb.jpg.2718521da40710ebd26176cbca82731a.jpg

 

Bought some screen mesh. The "lid" will be a little bit elevated. Hopefully air it out without inviting critters inside.

20231226_122734.thumb.jpg.bb4a4d85a4f76eb26286b61c6de48a90.jpg

 

2024: no more excuses. Diggy hole.

 

For your family’s sake I sure hope you aren’t related to Peter Keller.

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. 

  • 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.20240101_112839.thumb.jpg.c6ced5bf57a459a565ff060034dbda4e.jpg

also... is tiktok suburban mine lady on my corner? 

  • 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.

20240106_132340.thumb.jpg.7ff706be0c998e965813d9ff0e57b296.jpg

20240106_132208.thumb.jpg.4444e04fcf609b6a16971adb18b47049.jpg

Used our new mule to haul some of the dirt and rocks to some muddle places. 

20240106_104200.thumb.jpg.cd34ccf00e37de2295a761d906b5b400.jpg

Looking down. With the roof, I had to bring a light. 

20240106_103641.thumb.jpg.840690969cd7322ca01abe39d5977ee3.jpg

What the ground is like... some layers of stone, but mostly partially cemented aggregate.

20240106_132217.thumb.jpg.60ca630d3186840d6a13cf67e4804795.jpg

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.

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. 

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...

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.

20240106_132340.thumb.jpg.7ff706be0c998e965813d9ff0e57b296.jpg

20240106_132208.thumb.jpg.4444e04fcf609b6a16971adb18b47049.jpg

Used our new mule to haul some of the dirt and rocks to some muddle places. 

20240106_104200.thumb.jpg.cd34ccf00e37de2295a761d906b5b400.jpg

Looking down. With the roof, I had to bring a light. 

20240106_103641.thumb.jpg.840690969cd7322ca01abe39d5977ee3.jpg

What the ground is like... some layers of stone, but mostly partially cemented aggregate.

20240106_132217.thumb.jpg.60ca630d3186840d6a13cf67e4804795.jpg

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?

  • 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?

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...

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