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You gotta wrap the beams in hd bbq foil as you get closer.

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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

Got the 4x6s and hanging volts for set #2. Feeling pretty good about it. 

The slotted angle iron is there to hold up shoring. 

20240112_125021.thumb.jpg.4a78eaef443a8c3d73342ad979583fea.jpg

Inevitably I find that some walls need to be widened a little. Pulled out about 16 buckets and didn't get any deeper. It's crazy how much volume is in a half inch of 3x4 surface area.

20240113_102859.thumb.jpg.16be5e8cca2a6cdff684a34a95c35965.jpg

Looking down. About a foot to a foot amd a half below the second set. The posts aren't really in yet, just friction fit. I'll nail the spreader to the main and glue. I probably should cut the 5/8 threaded so it doesn't poke me. 

20240113_122134.thumb.jpg.45fe8a45aef909bcc678a836af53dbf3.jpg

Bottom level view:

20240113_122439.thumb.jpg.a416f5105534e9306faf1e332c6a31ca.jpg

You should leave watch up top and compare times with your phone when you get out of the hole.  Eventually you are going to get to the point where you get close enough to the Titan’s world that time dilation will become a problem

I thought I saw a ventilation fan a long while back but don’t in your latest pictures. I don’t think the air would turn over very well down there, so you should hook one up. Also might not be a bad idea to get an o2 monitor. You can get them for about $100

  • Author

I have a tube that bypasses the lid, but it's mainly for venting humidity. In the heat I point a big fan down. But yeah, I should be more careful. Eventually I do want to use plastic corrupted pipe and forced air. 

I like the hole that you've dug, it's very nice.

I would like to point out that had you gone with a wider shallower hole you could've had a nice ice skating rink this weekend.

  • Author
16 hours ago, Hornbeliever said:

Surly wants to hold you accountable.  What is your depth goal by Dec 31 2024?

I'd love to be at 13 ft by the end of year. Deep enough to drop the next set in. I figure it's about 36 buckets to do a foot. Im at about 9 ft now, altnough instell need to do the lagging for the second set. A good day is 18-24 buckets. Summer heat always slows me down, and the kids sports will start having games this spring.

On 1/13/2024 at 1:16 PM, CleverNickname said:

Got the 4x6s and hanging volts for set #2. Feeling pretty good about it. 

The slotted angle iron is there to hold up shoring. 

20240112_125021.thumb.jpg.4a78eaef443a8c3d73342ad979583fea.jpg

Inevitably I find that some walls need to be widened a little. Pulled out about 16 buckets and didn't get any deeper. It's crazy how much volume is in a half inch of 3x4 surface area.

20240113_102859.thumb.jpg.16be5e8cca2a6cdff684a34a95c35965.jpg

Looking down. About a foot to a foot amd a half below the second set. The posts aren't really in yet, just friction fit. I'll nail the spreader to the main and glue. I probably should cut the 5/8 threaded so it doesn't poke me. 

20240113_122134.thumb.jpg.45fe8a45aef909bcc678a836af53dbf3.jpg

Bottom level view:

20240113_122439.thumb.jpg.a416f5105534e9306faf1e332c6a31ca.jpg

Such progress now that every time I see updated pics, I cant help but think of....👇

 

th-1752185964.jpg

On 1/15/2024 at 12:36 PM, CleverNickname said:

I'd love to be at 13 ft by the end of year. Deep enough to drop the next set in. I figure it's about 36 buckets to do a foot. Im at about 9 ft now, altnough instell need to do the lagging for the second set. A good day is 18-24 buckets. Summer heat always slows me down, and the kids sports will start having games this spring.

If you hit a cavern you still have to dig 13 feet, those extra "cavern feet" don't count in the total. 

  • Author

It's like Forrest Gump running across America. One day I'll decide I'm done. Ain't that day. Gonna take Friday off and get some digging in. I want to blow past 10ft, at least on one end. It'll be below freezing when I start, but down in the hole it ain't too bad. Hoping to get a new 24" mattock delivered. Bigger than a rock hammer, but smaller than the 36er which is too big for close quarters caliche combat.

Let me know if anyone wants to meet me up there. I could use somebody to call 911 if shit goes wrong, and a somebody to haul up buckets. My buddies don't seem interested, for some reason. Weirdos.

On 1/15/2024 at 3:06 PM, BillyGoatHill said:

Such progress now that every time I see updated pics, I cant help but think of....👇

 

th-1752185964.jpg

I was thinking more the Count of Monte Cristo.

 

6 hours ago, CleverNickname said:

at least on one end

Wait, are there two holes?

Has this video been posted yet?

I’m almost sure it’s been posted.

If not, it should be posted.

This guy is insane.

He also digs a lot faster than the OP.

 

 

1 hour ago, Superhero said:

Has this video been posted yet?

I’m almost sure it’s been posted.

If not, it should be posted.

This guy is insane.

He also digs a lot faster than the OP.

 

 

I can't believe I just watched a 2.5 hour video of someone digging. This dude is crazy

Before the tunnel, he also built a bunker under his yard which was the awesomest of man caves.

His YouTube channel in general is insane. I’m surprised he hasn’t already died riding on all the contraptions he’s built.

Tunnel youtube guy was posted upthread.  I watched all of the hours in pure fascination.  His arched tunnel metal fabrication is rediculously amazing.

Does the tunnel guy address how he handles any groundwater intrusion into his underground labyrinth?

5 minutes ago, smuggs said:

Does the tunnel guy address how he handles any groundwater intrusion into his underground labyrinth?

He did some tests and it seems like his house is situatued such that groundwater just runs off elsewhere.

 

On 1/17/2024 at 4:21 PM, CleverNickname said:

It's like Forrest Gump running across America. One day I'll decide I'm done. Ain't that day. Gonna take Friday off and get some digging in. I want to blow past 10ft, at least on one end. It'll be below freezing when I start, but down in the hole it ain't too bad. Hoping to get a new 24" mattock delivered. Bigger than a rock hammer, but smaller than the 36er which is too big for close quarters caliche combat.

Let me know if anyone wants to meet me up there. I could use somebody to call 911 if shit goes wrong, and a somebody to haul up buckets. My buddies don't seem interested, for some reason. Weirdos.

I'm not much of a laborer, but I'll stand around and drink your beer and tell you how I'd have done it. 

  • Author

It was about 30 degrees on Friday when I arrived. About 41 in the hole. When I started the deepest point was 17 inches below the second set. 20240119_103233.thumb.jpg.8bfa19c5a7fe06192fdc92b521828cc7.jpg

Had to jackhammer a rock layer.20240119_125217.thumb.jpg.ff609a9c7d317319388470a9cfc4744e.jpg

Got it down (on one side) to about 35 inches below the set

20240119_135943.thumb.jpg.36e777658893b1b86a0b22563117f638.jpg

Total one one side about 136 (11'4")20240119_140242.thumb.jpg.aaebb6e49c787e291deec7a3b69c5381.jpg

20240119_140132.thumb.jpg.79d0024b7c368c625b6b28a15cc95447.jpg

My wooden 8 ft ladder us too short to put in the deep end. I'll have to bring up a new ladder when I switch sides next time. It gets too deep (too much bending to shovel and scoop) if i dont even it out from time to time. 

I haven't checked this thread since the hole was less than 5 feet deep. I'm impressed that you stuck with this project for so long.

No Problem Reaction GIF

On 1/14/2024 at 7:43 AM, UT_OB1 said:

I thought I saw a ventilation fan a long while back but don’t in your latest pictures. I don’t think the air would turn over very well down there, so you should hook one up. Also might not be a bad idea to get an o2 monitor. You can get them for about $100

 

fuck all that, just get a canary. 

 

Also, did y'all know that if you stood in a deep enough hole, you would be able to see stars during the day? 

I think that should be the goal. 

 

 

 

33 minutes ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

fuck all that, just get a canary. 

 

Also, did y'all know that if you stood in a deep enough hole, you would be able to see stars during the day? 

I think that should be the goal. 

 

 

 

Hate to tell you this, but that's not true.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/star-search/

To be fair, it could be the stars you see as you pass out from bad air

And the earth is round. Sure buddy.

For good / breathable air, maybe some of that flex pipe you were talking about & connect a fan up top that pushes fresh air down & in.

Run a bell connected to a string so you can alert someone if you have any serious problems.

Def. get a battery powered flashlight + a backup for when # 1 dies. I think in the tool thread you are on Ryobi? I'm sure they have some decent ones.

At any point are you going to go wider?

Do we have any geologists around here that can discuss how deep (on average) he will need to go & then the soil / dirt / whatever changes to something softer or possibly even more difficult than what is currently being encountered?

& what if you go... maybe 20 ft. deep... any possibility for going sideways?

My 2nd favorite thing about Hogan's Heroes - # 1 was always the tunnels - # 2 was when they would pop up from a fake tree stump.

I would gladly donate to a fake tree stump fund, however the stump has to be maybe 50 feet away (or more) from where this current hole is, furrher awY from the building... otherwise it's just an access point for this existing hole.

Made of a decent steel or whatever it is they use @ Disney to make fake rocks that don't turn to shit over time.

So, yeah. Fake stump secret exit hatch thingy.

17984aeb181a14c718cefaffc10c0448.jpg



  • Author

The "rule" for digging side tunnels is that the overburden must be 2 or 2.5x the height of the tunnel. I'll do at least 2.5x just to be sure. So at like 16 ft I could do a 4.5 ft adit. Of course going horizontal is more dangerous. I've not yet seen a a big piece of side come down, but a piece of ceiling falling down is terrifying. So my plan is to go down to 16 and keep going. Maybe a nice layer of less fragmented limestone will be present that could serve as a header/ceiling. I could excavate against that and follow the shelf of hard rock. I dunno. Future me problem. It would be rad to go horizontal a long way and meet up with a new vertical tunnel, to make an air current possible. Even if that was just a drilled shaft with like 6 or 8" pvc. But a 30" hole big enough for a ladder would be rad.

I did get this really janky ryobi light that they must 3d print or something off of ebay this week. It's just a bulb that fits over the battery. No switch.

5 hours ago, ROFL BOX said:


Do we have any geologists around here that can discuss how deep (on average) he will need to go & then the soil / dirt / whatever changes to something softer or possibly even more difficult than what is currently being encountered?

 

Use these online tools to find the nearest well and check out their report:

https://www3.twdb.texas.gov/apps/WaterDataInteractive/GroundwaterDataViewer/?map=sdr

Here's a sample near San Angelo (I think that's where @CleverNickname is digging).  Anyway, page 2 details the soil & depths they encountered during the drill:

https://www3.twdb.texas.gov/apps/waterdatainteractive//GetReports.aspx?Num=168240&Type=SDR-Well  

We better check on the wreath funds status

Not going back to read the entire thread, but WHY is the OP digging this hole?

1 hour ago, Superhero said:

Not going back to read the entire thread, but WHY is the OP digging this hole?

Because its there.



The "rule" for digging side tunnels...

Words, words, words...


Fake tree stump. What about the fake tree stump?
Not going back to read the entire thread, but WHY is the OP digging this hole?

Why does rice play Texas?
  • Author

@morehornsepower

Cool. A lot of variety in the area (mills county), I mostly would attribute to well diggers being less than expert and/or lazy. But these seem reasonable guesses:

Screenshot_20240127_143119_Drive.thumb.jpg.c1b51a0fd157b86a80fee59e58fb6b32.jpg

Screenshot_20240127_143231_Drive.thumb.jpg.7d88459c1ca82279d56fa36d6918d926.jpg

Screenshot_20240127_143438_Drive.thumb.jpg.eafd45ebbee0ff4411566ea15ae8ab27.jpg

Because its there.

There’s holes everywhere. You just gotta dig the dirt out of them.
23 hours ago, Superhero said:

Not going back to read the entire thread, but WHY is the OP digging this hole?

Why does Rice play Texas?

40 minutes ago, hornian said:

Why does Rice play Texas?

Because Texas pays them?

 

 

Also to remind us how bad John Mackovic was?

Just now, Superhero said:

Because Texas pays them?

 

 

Also to remind us how bad John Mackovic was?

I'm going to need you to go read a history book and get back to me. 

 

On 1/27/2024 at 8:02 AM, morehornsepower said:

Use these online tools to find the nearest well and check out their report:

https://www3.twdb.texas.gov/apps/WaterDataInteractive/GroundwaterDataViewer/?map=sdr

Here's a sample near San Angelo (I think that's where @CleverNickname is digging).  Anyway, page 2 details the soil & depths they encountered during the drill:

https://www3.twdb.texas.gov/apps/waterdatainteractive//GetReports.aspx?Num=168240&Type=SDR-Well  

This is interesting.  Ive got 360 acres in Runnels county with two wells but neither is listed.

On 1/25/2024 at 4:52 PM, High Plains Drifter said:

 

fuck all that, just get a canary. 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that only works in coal mines. 

Birds are a bad idea. I’ve had all sorts of critters over the years, and the parakeet I had as a kid is the only one I wouldn’t do again.

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