# Any privy diggers ever seen this before?



## RICKJJ59W (Jun 17, 2012)

This pit has a fire brick liner. The top has 6 tiers of red brick (where the out house sat) it probes over 10 feet deep so far,never touched bottom. I have been digging it my self. There is no time limit on this one.the guy said "the yard ain't going no where" [] I love those kind of owners.

 The house is 1880 we dug a new-er pit not even making TOC. so there is an older one somewhere.I  Just don't know if this is it yet. 
    I just want to know if anyone ever dug a fire brick liner? I guess you use what ya got. Maybe that's all they had. I seen a lot but I never seen this. 

 Any input is appreciated. 


 Probe is buried that's a lot of fire brick! I wonder if it is a deep burn pit? naaa no air for a fire.[]


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 17, 2012)

another shot


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## myersdiggers1998 (Jun 17, 2012)

They might be reused bricks from a delinquent factory Rick.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 17, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  myersdiggers1998
> 
> They might be reused bricks from a delinquent factory Rick.


 
 yeah I was thinking that to,but I never seen a whole liner built out of them. I have seen them just tossed in a pit. At first i thought it was a shallow burn hole but it keeps probing. Only one way to see whats at the bottom. Dig it out[]

 Hey Gordon i sent you a PM.


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## JOETHECROW (Jun 17, 2012)

That one looks interesting Rick....Can't wait to see what's down there!


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## beendiggin (Jun 17, 2012)

Do the bricks have burn stains or glazed over areas?  That would indicate whether they were recycled or not.  Around here, a lot of people set up lime kilns in their backyards for making powdered lime out of burning quarried limestone rock.  Either way, hope you get something good.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 17, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  beendiggin
> 
> Do the bricks have burn stains or glazed over areas?  That would indicate whether they were recycled or not.  Around here, a lot of people set up lime kilns in their backyards for making powdered lime out of burning quarried limestone rock.  Either way, hope you get something good.


 
 That's the first thing I looked for was burn marks,not a one. But i have not reached the bottom yet so who knows its all about the mystery []


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## AntiqueMeds (Jun 17, 2012)

Are they refractory brick or just burned brick?
 If its just burned brick its probably from a chimney someone pulled down.
 Recycling was big in the 18th century especially with European immagrants who learned it during hard times back in the old country.
 I have lots of recycled materials in my house. THey used a 1751 stove plate as a fireback in one of the flireplaces and a 3 gallon crock to line a flue thimble to name a few recycled items.


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## midwestdigger (Jun 17, 2012)

Looks like a reclaimed well that was turned into a privy.  If your rockliner (as it appears in the bottom) starts to narrow then that's probably what happened.  I have seen that before in st Louis, and in other Midwestern cities.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 17, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  AntiqueMeds
> 
> Are they refractory brick or just burned brick?
> If its just burned brick its probably from a chimney someone pulled down.
> ...


 
 Gunth So far all of the ones that were knocked into the pit were clean "no burn  marks" so they must be refractory. Like I said I have never come across this in  all my privy diggin days.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 17, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  midwestdigger
> 
> Looks like a reclaimed well that was turned into a privy.  If your rockliner (as it appears in the bottom) starts to narrow then that's probably what happened.  I have seen that before in st Louis, and in other Midwestern cities.


 

 Na its not a well.  That is not rock you see it is Victorian slate stacked. It was laid first on the bottom of the red brick. The house sat on the red brick. plus we dug a pit behind this one,it would be to close for a well. Unless you like poop water [8D]


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## PASodas (Jun 18, 2012)

Not sure how competitive privy digging was back then however resources were probably quite limited and I'm thinking they probably used whatever they could get their hands on cheapest.  Is there a factory or fire brick kiln nearby? Just a thought.


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## RCO (Jun 18, 2012)

i'd keep digging there is bound to be something good down there , it looks to have some age .


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 18, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  RCO
> 
> i'd keep digging there is bound to be something good down there , it looks to have some age .


 

 That's the plan when ever I get back there. No time and no help lately


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## THE BADGER (Jun 18, 2012)

JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED HELP SICKSTER,I'LL BE THERE I THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING THAT HOLE WITH PAUL. BADGER


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## Penn Digger (Jun 19, 2012)

Sure ya did Badger.  Now that he has it to the tripod/bucket/pulley level.  LOL. [] 

 PD


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## druggistnut (Jun 19, 2012)

Hey Rick,
 The top (rectangular portion) sure looks like a number of Water Closets I have dug. The round hole under it throws me, though.
 I have seen fire brick used in pits.
 Let us know if you find a pipe running in to it.
 Bill


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 19, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  druggistnut
> 
> Hey Rick,
> The top (rectangular portion) sure looks like a number of Water Closets I have dug. The round hole under it throws me, though.
> ...


 

 That crossed my mind also,no pipe at that level though I think im safe. I will put this thing to rest shortly. If it was shallow i would have stopped a long time ago. But since it goes deep who knows lurks down there,


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 19, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  THE BADGER
> 
> JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED HELP SICKSTER,I'LL BE THERE I THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING THAT HOLE WITH PAUL. BADGER


 

 yeah i don't know what wrong with that boy. He has been "hooked" on fishing lately. Remember what I said, its a weirddddddd situation. I'll let ya know.


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## tftfan (Jun 19, 2012)

my first thought, but not if it keeps going down.


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## maxbitters (Jun 20, 2012)

Years ago I dug a round six footer that was lined from top to bottom with clinker bricks. All the bricks were so twisted and distorted they must have had a hard time stacking them. The pit contained mostly 1870s material. Itâ€™s not un-common to find a brick lined pit like this that starts square and turns round here in California. In fact good things often happen when we run into this and most are usually deep and very old. The square part provided a foundation and large opening for the house, the round was for stability being much more structurally  stable than square.[/align]


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## Ratzilla (Jun 20, 2012)

It's very, very common to find deep holes in Philly that go from a square foundation box to a round pit like that, perhaps your privy builder used to work in Philly....the fire brick construction is odd, but I've seen all sorts of recycled weirdness used to build holes, if someone was trying to get rid of any sort of stone or masonary stuff the privy builders would happily use it, who was gonna see it down there?  I've even seen holes switch material (stone to brick, clinker brick to soft brick, etc.) halfway down, when they used up one load and started another.  I have yet to find a privy wall constructed of old bottles yet, though - but still hoping[]...


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## botlguy (Jun 20, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  RICKJJ59W
> 
> another shot


 Hey Rick. I'm just curious. Is that hole actually round at that level or have you just not dug it out to the coners? It seems to me your question is more the use of Fire Brick rather than the square then round configuration. 

 This inquiring mind would like to know. Whatever the case, I am VERY intrigued by this thread. I just wish I could be with you youngns.


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## surfaceone (Jun 21, 2012)

> It's very, very common to find deep holes in Philly that go from a square foundation box to a round pit like that, perhaps your privy builder used to work in Philly....


 
 Hey Tom,

 Thanks for that keen insight. I had asked Rick about that, but had not heard back yet. I wanna see a brick, meself, unless it's a dead giveaway...


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 21, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  botlguy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah Jim I was just wondering if anyone has ever seen the use of fire brick in privy pit  construction. I have dug many "square to round"  pits. The square is where the outhouse it self sat. 

 So far the hole looks round I only dug that far on my own and thats what I came up with. Sat the badger and me will find out more. Will we dig it or will we filler in,that is the question[]


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 21, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  surfaceone
> 
> 
> 
> ...


   I know I posted a brick on here some where. I just dont feel like digging through my archives now. Its time to go to work blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa[]


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 21, 2012)

Ok here now im gonna be late for work!  thanx Surf [:-]


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## madpaddla (Jun 21, 2012)

Awesome.  Very interesting.  Never seen anything like it.  Lets hope she keeps going.  And is loaded ....blue sodas preferred.[sm=thumbup1.gif]


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 21, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  madpaddla
> 
> Awesome.  Very interesting.  Never seen anything like it.  Lets hope she keeps going.  And is loaded ....blue sodas preferred.[sm=thumbup1.gif]


 

 yeah MAD that would be the ideal outcome[]


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## surfaceone (Jun 21, 2012)

Hey Rick,

 "Sat the Badger..." sounds like the start of a great Indian digging legend. Here's hoping so.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 21, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  tftfan
> 
> my first thought, but not if it keeps going down.


 

 na the bricks are smoke and burn free


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## sem_yeto (Jun 21, 2012)

I've seen lots of brick-lined square pits go round after 4' or so, probably because they were deep, and round is more stable as MaxBitters stated.  (the arch principal=strength).
 What would bother me Rick, is that most Fire Brick like those in your pics , that I've seen, arent real old where I dig.  If it were in my area, i would say it by the firebricks, that your hole is no older than 1890

 Sem


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 21, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  Ratzilla
> 
> It's very, very common to find deep holes in Philly that go from a square foundation box to a round pit like that, perhaps your privy builder used to work in Philly....the fire brick construction is odd, but I've seen all sorts of recycled weirdness used to build holes, if someone was trying to get rid of any sort of stone or masonary stuff the privy builders would happily use it, who was gonna see it down there?  I've even seen holes switch material (stone to brick, clinker brick to soft brick, etc.) halfway down, when they used up one load and started another.  I have yet to find a privy wall constructed of old bottles yet, though - but still hoping[]...


 




 Maybe there is a privy made of bottles behind this house??[]

 Check out the site bottle houses

 http://rhyolitesite.com/bottle1.html


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 21, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  sem_yeto
> 
> I've seen lots of brick-lined square pits go round after 4' or so, probably because they were deep, and round is more stable as MaxBitters stated.  (the arch principal=strength).
> What would bother me Rick, is that most Fire Brick like those in your pics , that I've seen, arent real old where I dig.  If it were in my area, i would say it by the firebricks, that your hole is no older than 1890
> ...


 
 thats why I was trying  to find out when "Clearfield" started and stopped making bricks. Like I said the house is 1880 and we didn't get an 80 pit yet.


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## RED Matthews (Jun 21, 2012)

Thank you RICKJJ59W  Fantastic work and history.  It really gave me a lot of memories because I visited this house several years ago when we made a big circular trip in our Motorhome from NY to Chicago IL  to Seatle Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada. Arizona and then working back to New York.   I don't how many glass factories we called on but it was over a two month trip.

 We visited that bottle house on that trip.  I also saw one in Australia a few years later, but I don't remember where it was - there.   That was quite a rebuild - but I didn't see exactly when it was done, in the linked pictures.    There was another one I saw years ago - but I can't even remember where that one was.

 RED Matthews


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## RED Matthews (Jun 21, 2012)

I just went back to the whole coverage and read all the details and construction pictures.  It is just a great job and Rick - I would like to gain some of your computer savy and homepage creation concepts.  I have one started but I have a heck of a time putting all the blogs together that I know should be created for others to enjoy.  Great work.  RED Matthews


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## surfaceone (Jun 21, 2012)

Hey Rick,

 Remember this part:

 "No. 1 Clearfield Fire Brick Works, Erected, 1873 By Clearfield Fire Brick Co." From.

 Are you gonna add any to your brick collection?


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 22, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  RED Matthews
> 
> I just went back to the whole coverage and read all the details and construction pictures.  It is just a great job and Rick - I would like to gain some of your computer savy and homepage creation concepts.  I have one started but I have a heck of a time putting all the blogs together that I know should be created for others to enjoy.  Great work.  RED Matthews


 

 I just kind of wing it Red [] but I could help you.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 22, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  surfaceone
> 
> Hey Rick,
> 
> ...


 

 Brick collection? when did I start a brick collection?My wife would kill me if I started collecting bricks [8D]


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## surfaceone (Jun 22, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  RICKJJ59W
> 
> Brick collection? when did I start a brick collection?My wife would kill me if I started collecting bricks [8D]


 
 I try to drag home some of the cooler "talking" bricks. I think that Clearfield Stove is just the sort I would be grabbing, especially since it's your dating point, if nothing else.

 I would say this, though not having the remotest clue of your home landscape situation. You could have a talking brick path, patio, gazebo floor, border or somesuch, that the bride might think was somehow charming.

 The first brick that really spoke to me was the Worlds Fair:






 I'm not trying to make work for you, either. Criminy, I already made you late for work. [8D]

 Here's one of Zane's old threads, and here's some From Todd.









From.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 22, 2012)

My bride? I been married 25 years  [8|]

 But yeah that would be cool unfortunately  I don't find enough talking brick's []


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## David Fertig (Jun 22, 2012)

Over here in central PA, we don't get too many brick liners.  Mostly stone.  The last brick hole I dug was red brick.  Square.  Not parged.  About 4x5' or so.  We dug to the bottom and at 12' deep, it was the deepest one so far in this town.  Most are 5-9' or so.  No poo.  No shards.  No nothing except a really cool (although quite rusted) deco period toaster smack dab in the bottom.

 Better luck to you.

 And I'll have to sketch up my self-dumping bucket puller tri-pod idea.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 23, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  David Fertig
> 
> Over here in central PA, we don't get too many brick liners.  Mostly stone.  The last brick hole I dug was red brick.  Square.  Not parged.  About 4x5' or so.  We dug to the bottom and at 12' deep, it was the deepest one so far in this town.  Most are 5-9' or so.  No poo.  No shards.  No nothing except a really cool (although quite rusted) deco period toaster smack dab in the bottom.
> 
> ...


 

 Dave did you "pop it up" ? ya never know.[8D]


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## surfaceone (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey Rick,

 Is it "Sat the Badger" day yet?


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## THE BADGER (Jun 23, 2012)

LOOK AT ME I LOOK ANGRY.WHATS UP ALL,FIGURED I WOULD MAKE AN APPEARANCE.WE ARE HAVING SOME FUN DIGGIN THIS STRANGE ONE JUST WISH SOME BOTTLES WERE POPPIN. MAYBE TOMORROW WILL BE THE DAY. BADGER


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 23, 2012)

Well we found out a little more about this thing. Today the dreaded iron pipe appeared in the wall. It looks like this might have been the original privy,but they highjacked it when they got plumbing  and used it as a water closet.

 The fire brick DOSE NOT go all the way down. It looks like they ripped out a section of the red brick wall when they put in the pipe.Under the pipe  is all the old red brick. 
    This thing is narrow and deep.The probe still buries. (12 foot now)The question that remains is, did they clean the bottom when they converted this thing. I hate pipes,but since this thing is so narrow and deep there might be a chance they didn't mess with the bottom. Who wants to be covered in fresh night soil?

 We can leave it open as long as we want so we just might dig to the bottom just for closure. "Pipes in pits" never were a good thing for me.Nothing good ever came from them.I said I would never dig another, and here I am again. 

 So that's my story and im sticking to it.[]


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 23, 2012)

We got some "talking bricks" surf []


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 23, 2012)

Badger got a brick hes happy.[8D]


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## lexdigger (Jun 24, 2012)

I love the old bricks and keep any I find or dig unless they are Very common. The ones we dig usually say Hallwood or Kentucky Block on them but every now and then we get some odd balls. I have used them as a border for my flower beds at Four residences now. The BEST ones that we dig are not glazed and have Maysville embossed into the face.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 27, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  lexdigger
> 
> I love the old bricks and keep any I find or dig unless they are Very common. The ones we dig usually say Hallwood or Kentucky Block on them but every now and then we get some odd balls. I have used them as a border for my flower beds at Four residences now. The BEST ones that we dig are not glazed and have Maysville embossed into the face.


 
 Bricks are cool Lex  but I NEED BOTTLES ! Where the hell are they []


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## bloodj2 (Jun 27, 2012)

Well, this is convenient timing. This past weekend, I was out digging with Madman and we came across a privy that was pretty much exactly as you're describing. Two walls of the privy is squared off with white fire bricks about six bricks deep and then it changes to stone. The opposite wall is red brick straight down to the bottom, the other wall was two layers of brick and stone the rest of the way down. 

 Unfortunately, somebody beat us to it because we dug it to the bottom (only about 5 feet before we hit compact clay) and hit 1970's tires including a still inflated temporary spare [] . Only one bottle came out of it and that was a 1920's whitehouse along with lots of shards of 1858 Ball jars. 

 Moral of the story don't dig privies with tires in them...heh.

 Pictures below:


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 28, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  bloodj2
> 
> Well, this is convenient timing. This past weekend, I was out digging with Madman and we came across a privy that was pretty much exactly as you're describing. Two walls of the privy is squared off with white fire bricks about six bricks deep and then it changes to stone. The opposite wall is red brick straight down to the bottom, the other wall was two layers of brick and stone the rest of the way down.
> 
> ...


 

 Don't feel bad once I dug a pit with a sink in it,It was a real sink hole  []


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## mtfdfire22 (Jun 28, 2012)

They never make things easy on us. We dug a Brick liner here in Saginaw Michigan about 2 months ago. Got to the bottom of the 4 footer and it was morter, cleaned off the walls and they were double wide bricks on 3 walls. The 4th wall was made of boulders that ranged from 50lbs to 200lbs. Nice big 8" clay sewer pipe running through the wall and about 10 bottles total. It gave up 2 nice cone inks, a druggist and some slicks right off the bottom. Another privy turned water closet. what a shame.


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## baltbottles (Jun 28, 2012)

> Moral of the story don't dig privies with tires in them...heh


 
 Dug a pretty good pit with tires in the top six feet. I had started digging the pit years before and gave up when I hit the tires. About 6 years ago I herd a story from another digger about a brick liner that they had started behind a certain type of house in a certain part of Baltimore being there are only about 100 houses in that area that matched the general description. Well by time they got down about 6 feet and were finding bottles the home owner changed his mind about them digging and because the pit was very wet they threw in a bunch of tires to make up for the water they took out and dumped down the alley. So lacking a sure thing to dig and since the house had gone abandoned. I got my digging buddy to humor me and go pull the tires out of this pit I had started and see if it was the one the diggers had gotten kicked out of. And well it was the right pit and was pretty good we got a couple Baltimore pontiles and some other cool stuff. This always makes me wonder how many half dug pits are out there...


 Chris


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## twowheelfan (Jun 28, 2012)

i know of a half dug pit in Jersey city! got to the top of the trash/use layer and had to fill it in.


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## mtfdfire22 (Jun 29, 2012)

i would be stuck always wondering. we had a couple real deep ones that we gave up on that i do not regret for safety reasons but in a 5-12 footer, id be pretty depressed if we had to fill it back in.


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## madman (Jun 29, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  baltbottles
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 chris yep  ive found in the south early diggers didnt dig deep in some cases  the big problem is rock hard clay caps  so we gave it a go but it had been dug


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## RICKJJ59W (Jun 29, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  mtfdfire22
> 
> i would be stuck always wondering. we had a couple real deep ones that we gave up on that i do not regret for safety reasons but in a 5-12 footer, id be pretty depressed if we had to fill it back in.


 
 We never had to fill a pit in before its time,knock on wood liner[]


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