5 ms·

Hobby Tunneling

23 points by dynm 3y ago

MrAlex94 3y ago
Related, the story of William Lyttle[1], the “Mole Man of Hackney”, is rather fascinating. Dug for years underneath his house and surrounding streets in London. He was then evicted by the local council, the house sold, renovated by an architect and a well known artist moved in[2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lyttle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lyttle [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks5QdYhvHWg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks5QdYhvHWg
metadat 3y ago
Why is it only males who have risen to the rank of Notable Hobby Tunneler? Anyone with two arms is eligible to dig!
- happytoexplain 3y ago
  There is a joke about the male-centric allure of simple hole-digging. https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2029839-yes-chad https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2029839-yes-chad
- xnx 3y ago
  This woman is doing a very "unique"/diy basement/tunnel project: https://www.tiktok.com/@engineer.everything https://www.tiktok.com/@engineer.everything
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
Dig1t 3y ago
Reminds me of this Reddit post: “How can I get my boyfriend to stop digging his tunnel?” https://www.reddit.com/r/Advice/comments/u3qipy/how_can_i_get_my_boyfriend_to_stop_digging_his/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Advice/comments/u3qipy/how_can_i_ge... Growing up in Southern California we spent a lot of summers at the beach, and I can attest that spending all day digging a big hole was one of the funnest things to do. I do really wonder why boys find it so much fun to dig.
- m463 3y ago
  I loved this book as a kid: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=the+diggingest+dog&iax=images&ia=images https://duckduckgo.com/?q=the+diggingest+dog&iax=images&ia=i... That said, boys also like trains. and the boring company. tunnels and flamethrowers¹ [1] not
kqr2 3y ago
Be sure to read the article's link to Seymour Cray: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Cray https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Cray Another favorite pastime was digging a tunnel under his home; he attributed the secret of his success to "visits by elves" while he worked in the tunnel: "While I'm digging in the tunnel, the elves will often come to me with solutions to my problem."
lioeters 3y ago
Many interesting stories of hobby tunnel diggers. I remember a news story a few years ago, a "tech bro" type person had a tunnel project where a guy he hired died (or hospitalized?) due to unsafe working conditions. Ah yes, here's an article about it. A Paranoid Tech Bro, a Homemade Nuclear Bunker, and a Shocking Death - https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/09/08/paranoid-tech-bro-homemade-nuclear-bunker-shocking-death-askia-khafra-daniel-beckwitt/ https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/09/08/paranoid-tech-bro-h...
sanex 3y ago
I just found my new hobby.
grousewood 3y ago
Can remember when the Elton McDonald tunnel in Toronto was discovered but still a mystery. All the “experts” making claims of nefarious this n that. Turns out was just some dude who wanted to dig a tunnel.
nagonago 3y ago
Although not really a hobby tunneler, one of my favorite people on this list is William John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, the reclusive 5th Duke of Portland who built an extensive series of tunnels under his estate. His life is fascinating. Recommended reading: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-duke-who-loved-tunnels-so-much-he-was-immortalized-as-a-literary-badger https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-duke-who-loved-tun... http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/portland1907/portland7.htm http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/portland1907/portland7.htm
Enderboi 3y ago
Colin Furze has a fun series where he tunneled around his yard a bit :) Supercut video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RVLim5tVwU&ab_channel=colinfurze https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RVLim5tVwU&ab_channel=colin...
ompogUe 3y ago
Watched this doc on Baldassare Forestiere recently. Amazing. He dug out acres and acres over his life in Fresno. Was raised as a fruit tree grower in Italy, and has fruit trees growing from down in the caves he made through to the special sky lights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUKRPoQKynk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUKRPoQKynk

23 points by dynm 3y ago

Related, the story of William Lyttle[1], the “Mole Man of Hackney”, is rather fascinating. Dug for years underneath his house and surrounding streets in London. He was then evicted by the local council, the house sold, renovated by an architect and a well known artist moved in[2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lyttle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lyttle [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks5QdYhvHWg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks5QdYhvHWg

metadat 3y ago

Why is it only males who have risen to the rank of Notable Hobby Tunneler? Anyone with two arms is eligible to dig!

happytoexplain 3y ago
There is a joke about the male-centric allure of simple hole-digging. https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2029839-yes-chad https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2029839-yes-chad
xnx 3y ago
This woman is doing a very "unique"/diy basement/tunnel project: https://www.tiktok.com/@engineer.everything https://www.tiktok.com/@engineer.everything
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

Dig1t 3y ago

Reminds me of this Reddit post: “How can I get my boyfriend to stop digging his tunnel?” https://www.reddit.com/r/Advice/comments/u3qipy/how_can_i_get_my_boyfriend_to_stop_digging_his/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Advice/comments/u3qipy/how_can_i_ge... Growing up in Southern California we spent a lot of summers at the beach, and I can attest that spending all day digging a big hole was one of the funnest things to do. I do really wonder why boys find it so much fun to dig.

m463 3y ago
I loved this book as a kid: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=the+diggingest+dog&iax=images&ia=images https://duckduckgo.com/?q=the+diggingest+dog&iax=images&ia=i... That said, boys also like trains. and the boring company. tunnels and flamethrowers¹ [1] not

kqr2 3y ago

Be sure to read the article's link to Seymour Cray: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Cray https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Cray Another favorite pastime was digging a tunnel under his home; he attributed the secret of his success to "visits by elves" while he worked in the tunnel: "While I'm digging in the tunnel, the elves will often come to me with solutions to my problem."

lioeters 3y ago

Many interesting stories of hobby tunnel diggers. I remember a news story a few years ago, a "tech bro" type person had a tunnel project where a guy he hired died (or hospitalized?) due to unsafe working conditions. Ah yes, here's an article about it. A Paranoid Tech Bro, a Homemade Nuclear Bunker, and a Shocking Death - https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/09/08/paranoid-tech-bro-homemade-nuclear-bunker-shocking-death-askia-khafra-daniel-beckwitt/ https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/09/08/paranoid-tech-bro-h...

sanex 3y ago

I just found my new hobby.

grousewood 3y ago

Can remember when the Elton McDonald tunnel in Toronto was discovered but still a mystery. All the “experts” making claims of nefarious this n that. Turns out was just some dude who wanted to dig a tunnel.

nagonago 3y ago

Although not really a hobby tunneler, one of my favorite people on this list is William John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, the reclusive 5th Duke of Portland who built an extensive series of tunnels under his estate. His life is fascinating. Recommended reading: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-duke-who-loved-tunnels-so-much-he-was-immortalized-as-a-literary-badger https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-duke-who-loved-tun... http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/portland1907/portland7.htm http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/portland1907/portland7.htm

Enderboi 3y ago

Colin Furze has a fun series where he tunneled around his yard a bit :) Supercut video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RVLim5tVwU&ab_channel=colinfurze https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RVLim5tVwU&ab_channel=colin...

ompogUe 3y ago

Watched this doc on Baldassare Forestiere recently. Amazing. He dug out acres and acres over his life in Fresno. Was raised as a fruit tree grower in Italy, and has fruit trees growing from down in the caves he made through to the special sky lights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUKRPoQKynk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUKRPoQKynk