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I've decided to dig a hole

CleverNickname

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CleverNickname

CleverNickname 1308

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I got to thinking. Lots of people think about digging a hole (maybe?). I have property where a guy could build a hole. And sure about 16 inches down it becomes partially cemented caliche. But only partially. I own a San Angelo bar. And I don't think I will hit a big layer of solid limestone. I saw them dig a septic ta k, and it never had a big problem. So not only could I dig a hole, but that hole could be dug.

Picked a spot. 

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Started digging. Off with the grass.. Old scrap cedar 2x of the approximate size for frame of reference. Once I'm down a ways the goal is to be 2.5x4 ft clear with sets made from 4x6s. Or maybe steel panels. It sure yet. I figure I've got plenty of back breaking labor before I have to decide.

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My helper. I told him I was going to dig a hole. He's in. One day he will inherit my hole. Our hole.

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Only got about 2 hours of labor in the hole. Hoping to go back out soon and get it all squared up and dug to the harder layer. Then it will be time for my cheap electric jackhammer. 

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davidg
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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

I got to thinking. Lots of people think about digging a hole (maybe?). I have property where a guy could build a hole. And sure about 16 inches down it becomes partially cemented caliche. But only par

davidg
davidg

I'm surprised that the line is as straight as it is.  When my grandfather decided he wanted to build the lake, he contacted the Corp of Engineers about building it for soil erosion as a lot of that wa

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UT_OB1

UT_OB1 2213

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I’m not sure what’s going on here, but this thread has potential?  
 

Have you thought about renting a big ass back hoe?  Kid would have fun running that.

What about dynamite to clear out the hole?  That would be quick and entertaining for everyone (make sure to video). 

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Herbie Hancock

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A lot of holes in the desert, and a lot of problems are buried in those holes. But you gotta do it right. I mean, you gotta have the hole already dug before you show up with a package in the trunk. Otherwise, you're talking about a half-hour to forty-five minutes worth of digging. And who knows who's gonna come along in that time? Pretty soon, you gotta dig a few more holes. You could be there all f***in' night.

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CleverNickname

CleverNickname 1308

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I think the thread subject pretty much answers most questions asked. 

In retrospect I should have a least rented a mini backhoe and dug down thw first 4 ft. But now it will be all manual labor. It may be a other 2 weeks before I get back out and finish mucking out my topsoil. Then the hard work begins. 

I have purchased metal brackets to make a platform out of 4x4s. I figure it will be nice to make a roof over the hole, and eventually mount a winch. 

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Pescado_Rojo

Pescado_Rojo 19411

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13 hours ago, CleverNickname said:

I think the thread subject pretty much answers most questions asked. 

In retrospect I should have a least rented a mini backhoe and dug down thw first 4 ft. But now it will be all manual labor. It may be a other 2 weeks before I get back out and finish mucking out my topsoil. Then the hard work begins. 

I have purchased metal brackets to make a platform out of 4x4s. I figure it will be nice to make a roof over the hole, and eventually mount a winch. 

I don't know shit about digging holes, but I do enjoy mounting a wench. 

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JSB

JSB 677

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Just now, CleverNickname said:

What's stopping you?

At the moment, lack of a pick axe. I've got a couple shovels, but should probably procure a pick axe or something to break up the dirt. 

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CleverNickname

CleverNickname 1308

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2 hours ago, Armybrat said:

If you decide you no longer want to keep that hole, my helper can fill it in for you....

 

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I say this with complete sincerety: any Surly (or minor wards you can kidnap) are welcome to come to my next hole digging session. No pay. No benefits. No OSHA, no MSHA oversight. I have water, but it's untreated rain water and last time I had to clear a dead mouse from the tank screen. Lots of angry fire ants. But there is Hole.

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Elvis

Elvis 3369

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Dirt holes is easy.  Hitting round rock limestone when you're only dick deep takes a commitment.  I broke a tooth from gritting my teeth while hammering a spike to break that shit out.  That was an expensive hole.

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davidg

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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 place back in December of 2012.

We have a 12 acre lake on our property that was built back in 1952.  I grew up coming over to the property, fishing  and duck hunting on our little lake and hunting squirrels in our creek bottom (that was about 100 acres of native pecan trees) below the lake.  In the '80s, a large reservoir was built and when it filled it flooded that hundred acres of pecan trees.  

The normal spillway elevation of our little lake is about 16' above the elevation of the big lake.  The spillway is constructed of 3 4' joints of 36" dia  concrete pipe for the vertical and 12 joints of 24" for the horizontal. The outlet of horizontal pipe falls 4' into a small pool, which then flows down the old creek bed until it hits open water of the big lake.  After a good rain and the lake level is up a couple of feet, there will be a 2' dia water jet from the outlet.  This water tends to wash the tar between the pipe joints which then started the pipe to crack and the joints to widen.

Normally there is some seepage between some of  the vertical joints and the pipe always has a trickle of water.  But, with it being so dry that fall,  the lake level was down 5+' and the pipe was dried up. Dad had wanted to check out the pipe and unknown to the rest of the family had crawled through it a week before to inspect the pipe and see if it needed some repairs.  We were up at the place for the opening of duck season and after shooting a few birds that morning dad mentioned he'd like to go see about repairing some spots on the pipe.   

  We got some caulking tar and some mortar mix and headed down in the hole.  Dad went down in the hole and into the horizontal.  I went down to the bottom of the vertical and my buddy and son mixed up mortar and lowered to me in a bucket and then dad pulled another bucket with a refill back and forth from me.
 
Oh yeah,  here's a pic of my Dad when he was done. He turned 80 the following month.

 

Lake and spillway 

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Vertical section

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Horizontal section, you really can see light at the end of the tunnel

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old gopher

 

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Elvis

Elvis 3369

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Now that the topic of climbing through drainage tunnels has come up, I’ll tell this short story of childhood stupidity. 

This little public park had horizontal  concrete drainage pipes where you could see a little bit of light from one end to the other.  We were small, probably 6yo. 
 

Yep, we went for it, and made it!

We found another tunnel and decided to go for it, but we couldn’t see light. 
 

I went first and learned that it narrowed in diameter about 30 feet into it. Stuck!  We all had to back up like a damn human centipede.  


No teachers or moms had any idea where we were.  When we got out we acted like nothing happened.  
 

 

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G650

G650 14229

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1 hour ago, davidg said:

Horizontal section, you really can see light at the end of the tunnel

 

 

Need to work on line and grade there my friend.

 

That's definitely some old pipe, they haven't made 4 foot joints in half a century at least. Probably non reinforced too, that line is in really good shape for its age.

 

Is your pops still with us?

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