bunker: February 2010 Archives

a bunker in my swimming pool

02.27.2010
a bunker in my swimming pool

Here you can see the RECESS nearing structural completion. The steel roof will span across the top course of block. Above that, we'll pour several inches of concrete, lay an insulation layer, and pour the final deck. The exterior walls require water proofing, then we begin the challenge of concealing the entire bunker in the new landscaping.

Seeing it Come Together

02.19.2010
main bunker structure completed

closing the door to your friends and neighbors

02.15.2010
RECESS bunker door - front Close quarters are easiest to tolerate with loved ones, and I would highly recommend leaving it at that. Your RECESS is your insurance policy, not the neighborhoods'. Once you've sealed yourself and your family in, settle in and be comforted by your foresight, vigilance, and preparedness.

Friends, frienimies, and food suppliers who are aware of the bunker may come knocking in a crisis. Your best course of action is to create your guest list ahead of time, and stick to it. If discretion fails and a hostile entity or panicked acquaintance tries to force their way into your bunker, an intimidating and adequate barrier will save your life.

The door on my RECESS is made of a mixture of plate, angle iron, and square tube steel. The design is optimized to intimidate and defend against breach. The outer layer is made of welded vertical strips of angle iron to deflect gun fire and reduce surface purchase. Behind the angle iron is 250 lb of reinforcement. The door swings in to avoid accidental entrapment, seating flush into a 4" square tube steel frame. (see my bunker door ballistics tests here)

bunker door design sketch
 ,
Be wary of any design that is over-complicated or places you at risk of being trapped. My door uses no locks, just a simple set of U hangers and a pair of steel bracing bars.

I'm a terrible welder, so my friend Mo Mata-Hill has been helping me out with the metal fabrication.  *UPDATE* - Installation shots of the bomb shelter door can be seen here.

bunker door design sketch
 

Walling Ourselves In

02.14.2010
Walling ourselves into the safety shelter

Given the speed of the block work, RECESS began to take shape rapidly. We worked in tandem, rushing to get the main structure complete before nosy neighbors could get eyes on it.

the first course

02.14.2010
the first course of block laid in my bunker

After the foundation cured, my friend Nolan and I began laying the block that would form the walls of the RECESS. Block goes up easily with tools and materials readily available from Home Depot. If question your skills, try a smaller project first, or hire a professional. If you go the professional route; my recommendation is to hire someone from far out-of-town. Doing so will eliminate much of the risk that your builder will come knocking in a crisis.

In this image, you can see the remaining block walls of the pool which we chose to leave intact for reinforcement of the new structure. The cavity on the left was the former pool light, later used to route city electric into the bunker. The large white PVC pipe in the front of the frame is an external tie in to the shelter drain.

the ground floor

02. 7.2010
the ground floor of my survival bunker

After months of difficult excavation, beginning the build out stage is exceptionally satisfying. Here is a shot of my buddy Nolan working the interior floor. Nolan and I have had many adventures in several continents over the years.

Notice the drain in the middle: This pipe drops 7 feet below the surface of my yard exiting through a block wall into my downhill neighbors' rose garden. It serves as a flood prevention measure, and a sanitary way to flush black water, waste, and blood. In a long term crisis, the garden side outlet can be cracked open to allow the flush of solids.


Nolan troweling the floor

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