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Thread: Basement Pit

  1. #1
    A Jones's Avatar
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    Default Basement Pit

    Any ideas what this is? It was in the basement of a house built in the 1940s. On the side that is not visible two metal pipes were mounted as if they were rungs of a ladder.

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    At the time it may have been the beginnings of a bomb shelter entry point.


  3. #3
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    Quote Originally Posted by A Jones View Post
    .
    Any ideas what this is?r.
    .
    Al Capone's Vault - YouTube
    ....
    .

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
    Billy J. Stephens HI Service Memphis TN.

  4. #4
    James Duffin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    Could be the base for a boiler. Was there a chimney nearby?


  5. #5
    A Jones's Avatar
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    There is a chimney but about 5-6' to the right, the current boiler is on the basement floor level next to the hole. Too bad the pit is filled with with dirt and broken block. I guess they need to dig it up to see what is at the bottom. My thought was perhaps a pit for working on cars but currently the house has no grade level entry so I guess Al Capone's vault will have to do


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  7. #7
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    Did the vendor offer an explanation?


  8. #8
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    For those who have not clicked the link yet:
    - What a waste of time to view something which has no value whatsoever.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Peck View Post
    .
    For those who have not clicked the link yet:
    What a waste of time to view something which has no value whatsoever.
    .
    If You Don't Count The First 4 minutes and 26 seconds it wasn't that bad.
    .

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
    Billy J. Stephens HI Service Memphis TN.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    for those of you who watched the first 4 minutes, you watched 3 minutes and 58 seconds more than i did. The title alone was enough to ppresent the joke. which is what it was and what the post was leading towards.
    Lighten up a little.
    It's been a weird year
    here's one you might understand

    Chanowski & his other Polak drinking buddy are sitting at a bar . " See those guys over there ? " Chanowski says. " I'm going over there and ask them what they think of Polaks. " Chanowki walks up to the two guys sitting at the other end of the bar and asks them what they think of Polaks. One of the men gives Chanowski the finger. The middle finger. Chanowski then walks back to his drinking buddy. " Well , what do they think of Polaks? " he asks. "We're still number one , " replies Chanowski.

    Comprende compadre?


  11. #11
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    Default Re: Basement Pit

    Suspect a relationship with former coal-fired cast original equipment may or may not have been converted to fuel oil or gas after or initial post war installation, return air or vitrified air trench pit (always longer than the appliance itself). Suspicions better confirmed, if when debris removed a sloped (upwards long-wise, that is the T side towards the o/s wall is deeper than the equipment side narrower side) base or floor of the air pit/air trench is found.

    Did you see evidence of patched subfloor for a larger area above the deeper "T" end of the pit for a nearby (floor grate return) source and/or patched for housing former chase (could have been, and likely would have been unlined) to a wall cavity above for the first and/or second floor perhaps a floor or hallway wall grate, for example? The usual subfloor of that vintage would have been sawn lumber planks on 45s to joists.

    Last edited by H.G. Watson, Sr.; 09-07-2011 at 09:50 AM.

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