In a yard in Arizona, a man stood triumphantly next to several feet of rubble. Tipped off by the house’s previous owners, he knew he had discovered something remarkable beneath the earth in the yard. But as he began to pry open the door, he was struck by a terrifying thought. Whatever was down there had been buried for 50 years…and may not have wanted to be unearthed.
His dream home
It was 2015, and John Sims was on the hunt for his dream home. A fire department rescue technician from Tucson, Arizona, Sims was determined to find a house that wasn’t only comfortable, but affordable. So when his friend put his house up for sale, it seemed like the perfect solution for Sims.
The house’s secret
“Seemed” being the operative word. Although the home had a lot of potential, it also had a secret. Sims’ friend had something to say about the property that was a little different from the usual sales pitch.
A mysterious hatch
According to Sims’ friend, a mysterious hatch was rumored to be buried in the yard. Sims was immediately intrigued by the notion. Why would there be a hidden underground hatch in his yard?! Apparently, the rumor was based on something that happened all the way back in the 1960s.
The rumored shelter
At the height of the Cold War, the U.S. government prepared for potential nuclear conflict at a military base in Tucson, and with explosive results. This led Sims’ friend to suspect that the hatch might lead to some kind of secret fallout shelter beneath the property.
Difficult to resist
For Sims, it was a mystery that was difficult to resist. Who wouldn’t want to uncover a 50-year-old secret hideout in their yard? “The first thing I did was ask if he had a shovel,” Sims confessed to the Arizona Daily Star. “‘I’ll dig it up right now,’” he said.
Did it even exist?
Sims decided to purchase the house in the summer of 2015. And soon after moving in, he became so curious about the rumors of a hatch in the yard that he began to make his own investigations. First, he had to confirm the rumored history of the alleged bunker.
Only one way to find out
So, he hit the books. And at the local record office, Sims found a permit for construction on the property that contained a rough sketch of an underground structure. Although the question remained, was the underground structure ever created? There was only one way for Sims to find out.
He grabbed a shovel
Sims grabbed a shovel and started to dig. At first, Sims’ work was in vain. His excavations revealed nothing, and he began to fear that the hatch and whatever was beneath it were gone for good – if they had ever existed at all.
An expert’s help
He needed an expert’s help if he was ever going to solve this mystery! Sims decided to employ the services of a specialist who used metal detectors to inspect the yard and determine the best areas to dig.
He had a gut feeling
Sims probably would’ve tried using a metal detector on his own, but he knew it was too big of an undertaking for a novice. With the help of an expert metal detectorist — and his own gut feeling that something special was waiting to be unearthed — Sims kept digging.
They struck gold
The first time the metal detectorist identified a potential metal structure, all of their digging ended up being for naught: all they found was dirt. But the second time the detector went off, Sims knew it was the real deal. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the men struck gold.
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A metal hatch
Underneath three feet of earth, Sims uncovered a metal hatch just like the one his friend had told him about. Eager to find out what was inside, he pried open the covering – but then stopped. Frustratingly, he knew he’d have to wait a little longer until he could properly explore.
Dangerous
As a specialist in confined space rescues for the fire department, Sims knew exactly how dangerous it could be to venture down through the hatch alone and without proper preparation. First, he invited some coworkers around with equipment to test that the air was safe.
Tread lightly
Sims also knew that he needed to have others around for his own safety. “I know too much about confined space and I was alone at home,” he said. “Especially if the lid fell back in, there was no way I could lift it from underneath it.”
It existed!
Finally, Sims was ready to descend down through the hatch. There, buried beneath his backyard, he found the fallout shelter that his friend had suspected lay there all along – and it was in surprisingly good condition.
The structure was sound
Although the shelter was filled with rubble, the structure seemed to be sound. It consisted of a spiral staircase plunging ten feet below the ground, leading into a domed building with a diameter of 12 feet.
A meaningful history
The shelter would have been used to provide a safe space for residents of the property to retreat to in the event of a nuclear blast. An air filtration system existed to pump safe air from the surface to the people hiding below.
Abandoned for years
Most likely, the shelter was never used, thankfully. Sims estimates that it was filled in at some time between the late 1960s and the mid-1970s. The lonely space sat beneath the ground for all that time, waiting for someone to find it — and perhaps even transform it.
Tricky business
Yes, Sims has been hard at work restoring the shelter to its former glory. First, he used buckets to remove all of the rubble from the structure by hand. We imagine this was tricky business since the rubble had decades to accumulate.
Sims had plans
Then he began to work on making the shelter more accessible. He enlisted the help of friends working in construction and poured concrete over a frame to create a new and improved entrance. Some people would have simply filled in the space or totally ignored it, but Sims had plans in mind for the old hideaway.
Time to transform
Looking toward the future, Sims planned to tackle a rebuild of the stairs leading down into the shelter. On Reddit, where the story has generated hundreds of thousands of views, people came up with their own suggestions as to how Sims could transform the space.
Endless possibilities
Many thought the space would make the ideal location for a “man cave” complete with surround sound, while others noted that its year-round cool temperature would make for an ideal wine cellar. The possibilities are endless, but there’s one man who could probably serve as inspiration for Sims.
The literal “man cave”
Sims could definitely try to turn his underground bunker into a cool hang-out spot, especially since one guy on the other side of the world did him one better. If you haven’t heard this story yet, you’re about to! In this story, the man dug into the side of a mountain and carved out an all-new house! Yes, a man known only as “Mr. Tiger” made a literal man cave for himself, and it was a truly transformative experience. Keep reading to learn all about it!
Mr. Tiger’s motivation
No joke! It might be hard to believe at first, but Mr. Tiger had the right tools and skills to attack this incredibly ambitious project. Why did he want to do it, though? What drove him on? Well, the answer to that is certainly more straightforward than the job itself.
Saying goodbye to the hustle and bustle
Yes, Mr. Tiger had a home in a busy metropolis prior to the project. But he fell out of love with the place due to the lively surroundings. The guy began to pine for something a little more peaceful, so he set his sights on the area where he grew up. Specifically, a nearby mountainside.
Filming the project
It wasn’t a decision Mr. Tiger took lightly. Far from it, as he knew it would take a lot of hard graft to pull off the job successfully. But once he’d made up his mind on the matter, he opted to grab some cameras for the work ahead. Yep, the builder wanted to document everything for his new YouTube channel.
It begins…
On that note, let’s dive into the project from the very start. We hope you’re ready to be amazed, folks! After picking out the ideal spot on the mountainside, Mr. Tiger gets hold of a “diamond core drill bit” which he uses to chip away at the rock. It’s a pretty powerful piece of kit — perfect for the job, right?
A challenging start
Mind you, Mr. Tiger is under no illusions here. As he even states in the title for his opening video, “The most difficult is to start.” It requires a huge amount of drilling to carve space into the mountain. He also needs to hammer away at parts of the surface, bringing a couple of chisels along to help, too.
Gorgeous sculpture
But Mr. Tiger’s focus isn’t just on creating an opening in the mountainside. Once he’s dug out a fair bit of rock, he zones in on a specific spot. Using his drill and a bit of rebar, he then carves a beautiful sculpture of a big cat. Given his name, it shouldn’t be difficult to guess what one he went for!
Creating a doorway
Eventually, Mr. Tiger goes on to make a sizable entrance with the tools at his disposal. It’s like looking at the mouth of a cave. Yet it doesn’t stay that way for long. You see, the time has come to create a doorway, with the builder bringing one to the area. He fits it to the opening, ahead of the next step.
Looking good!
With the door and its frame in place, Mr. Tiger begins to stack up large pieces of rock that he dug out earlier. Why? Simple — he wants to build a wall around it. So, after mixing up some concrete, he sticks the slabs down, leaving a slight opening on the right-hand side for a window. Pretty cool, wouldn’t you agree?
Curious bystanders
It certainly catches the attention of the locals, who start to gather by the mountainside. Wouldn’t you be curious? Mr. Tiger couldn’t join them in admiring his handiwork, though. He knew he had a long way to go before this project was done. So, the craftsman continues to chip away at the interior.
Adding an archway
With each bit of drilling, more and more rubble gets shoveled out of the doorway. But Mr. Tiger isn’t done with his entrance just yet, either. To really make it feel like home, he constructs an arch over the door using bits of metal and bamboo, before adding concrete. It looks awesome!
Out comes the jackhammer
As for the interior, Mr. Tiger calls upon an additional tool to help dig out the rock. Yep, he uses a jackhammer for the job, which drills cylindrical openings into the surface. He then removes the stone shapes and stacks them outside. At a quick glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a pile of firewood!
Plans for the interior
Now, here’s something to keep in mind, folks — Mr. Tiger isn’t hacking away at the rock at random. That could be dangerous. Instead, he’s got a plan. You see, while carving out his new living space, he leaves a large column in the center. It’s a similar shape to the cylindrical blocks he removed earlier.
Dealing with the central column
Once Mr. Tiger clears enough space, he then starts to cut this column into pieces, carefully removing it. Luckily, there’s no cave-in! He intends to use the upper sections as wheels during the build, and has eyes on turning the lower part into a table. Talk about creative thinking. Nothing’s going to waste here.
Aesthetics
Yet there’s still more hard work on the way. For instance, after taking out the column, Mr. Tiger’s next challenge is to figure out the interior’s aesthetic. How does he want it to look? Well, the craftsman grabs some paint and draws lines across the stone “walls.” He then drills into them, creating markings that resemble a tree.
Moving on to the floor…
Beats a boring coat of paint, right? Anyway, the drilling and digging inside is far from over. The floor is the next thing on Mr. Tiger’s massive to-do list. And on paper at least, it seems to be one of the toughest jobs so far. After all, how can he ensure that the surface is both flat enough and level?
“Laser level”
Thankfully, Mr. Tiger can call upon another helpful tool for the task — he sets up a “laser level.” The green lines serve as the perfect guide for flattening out the floor. Now don’t get us wrong, it’s still tricky, but it isn’t as hard as it could’ve been. Before he can progress even further, though, there’s an additional job to do.
Stairs?
You see, Mr. Tiger wants his mountainside home to have two levels — he’s currently working on the ground floor. With this in mind, he begins to cut an opening into one of the walls that’ll eventually become a flight of stairs. Again, he uses the laser level to make sure all his carvings are straight.
Looking the part
Then, after that’s done, Mr. Tiger turns his focus back to the floor. With a completely level surface to work with now, he can finally get on putting the tiles down. The YouTuber opts for grayish slabs, which he carefully slots into place. This living area is starting to look the part, wouldn’t you say?’
The water situation
But there are a few other things to address before Mr. Tiger can pat himself on the back. For example, where’s the water supply going to come from? Well, he gets hold of a tank and places it outside. The builder intends to thread piping from here to the space that’ll serve as a bathroom on the ground floor.
Mountain bathroom
Mr. Tiger builds this piping into the rock wall, alongside a “small compact water heater” and shower head. Plus, he also crafts a stylish sink in this space, too. When it’s all in place, the craftsman slathers the surfaces of the bathroom with a water-resistant mixture, ahead of his next move.
A brick wall
As you can see, this spot is pretty exposed for a bathroom at the moment! So, Mr. Tiger went about putting that right. Yep, he gets his hands on some bricks and builds a wall to separate it from the rest of the living area. From here, he adds a nifty curtain to cover the entrance — there’s no door.
The electrics
Given the limited space — and its close proximity to the front door — that’s the best Mr. Tiger can do. Still, we quite like it! Meanwhile, he had one more major job to deal with during this period, too. That was sorting out the electricity. Could the creative-thinker even get power inside his new mountain home?
Wiring the space
The simple answer? You bet. Mr. Tiger was able to use a power source from outside the mountain, connecting it to both a socket and light switch built into the wall. He then fastened an overhead bulb from the ceiling and carefully threaded the wiring down to the outlet. Let there be light!
The next job
So, that’s the flooring, water, and electricity taken care of. What’s next? Well, Mr. Tiger wanted to improve on one of the “windows” he’d fashioned before. At this moment, it’s just a messy hole leading outside. To fix it, he equips his laser level again and starts to cut into the space below.
A better-looking window
After this, Mr. Tiger drills some of the rock away from outside, creating an arch-like shape at the top. And following a bit more work, he’s now got an awesome-looking window frame made from wood and mosquito nets. In addition to this, he’s installed a small table under the window as well.
Time-consuming
It looks a lot better, right? But again, this modification highlights just how tricky the project is as a whole. There’s no such thing as a quick fix when drilling through mountain rock! Anyway, as the living area continues to come along nicely, Mr. Tiger needs to focus on a new task — making a bed for himself.
Making a bed frame
Nope, Mr. Tiger doesn’t put an order in for a new bed frame. He’s going to create one from scratch. To do that, the YouTuber gathers some “raw logs” outside the mountain home, before cutting them into pieces. He then slots the wood together like a giant jigsaw puzzle to make the structure.
Suits the look
Wooden boards are subsequently placed in the spot where the mattress would sit, while Mr. Tiger also sands the whole thing down. It certainly fits the aesthetic of the living area in its current guise. Speaking of which, that brings him onto another job — he wants a fancy shelving unit inside.
A shelving unit
Sure, Mr. Tiger has made a few indentations along the walls for storage and shelves, but there’s currently no furniture that serves a similar purpose. So, he grabs a large wooden log and starts to cut a few sections off it with a chainsaw. Then, he sticks them to a different pieces of wood at varying heights.
There’s a garden?
As a result of this, the log pieces can now be used as individual shelves next to the table by the window. Nice! Mr. Tiger’s hard work is definitely paying off inside. But he’s still got a few more jobs to complete in his “garden” space. How can he spruce this area up?
Solar light
First things first, Mr. Tiger puts a light up outside. Similar in appearance to a street lamp, he sticks it into the rock to the left of his window. As for how it’s powered, the bulb works off solar batteries, which juice it up ahead of the evenings. There’ll be no scrabbling around in the dark with this baby in place!
Fencing and plants
Moving onto the garden itself, Mr. Tiger calls upon parts of the rock that he dug out before. Remember the cylinders? Yep, the builder trims them into even smaller pieces to construct a nice bit of fencing. He then adds soil and a few plants to the space in between. Talk about a cool little feature.
A pond as well?!
And Mr. Tiger doesn’t stop there, either. He also builds a small pond out front, and spruces up the area near his door. Yes, the YouTuber creates a better step with some cement and bricks. Overall, you can’t fault his incredible effort. It’s crazy to think of how much progress he’s made!
The finished living area
The interior in particular looks stunning with everything in place. The bed is all made up, while a computer sits on the table next to the window. Curtains have been installed, too, with another set covering the unfinished stairwell built into the wall. You’d never have guessed this was inside a mountain at first glance, right?
Months of work
In total, Mr. Tiger spent roughly a year and a half working on this jaw-dropping space. Given how tough the endeavor was, that’s not bad at all. But this project isn’t over yet. There’s still more to be done both outside and above the living area. No time for the YouTuber to relax!
The outdoor kitchen
You see, Mr. Tiger wants to build an outdoor kitchen as well. So, just as he did at the start, he begins to dig away at the mountain rock to the side of his new living area. Thanks to his tools, the craftsman creates a makeshift stove out of the stone, alongside the framework for a roof.
Going up
Mr. Tiger also crafts some steps next to the kitchen, which will eventually lead up to the second floor of his mountainous home. As a plus, this makes the roofing job a lot simpler than it would’ve been, giving him elevated access. He finishes the task by spreading concrete over secured wooden panels.
Still working!
At the time of writing, Mr. Tiger still hasn’t completed this mammoth project. As of his last update via YouTube in February 2022, he was hard at work on the second floor, digging out an entrance above the kitchen. He’d also managed to connect this area to the stairwell he started down in the living space.
Waiting with bated breath…
So, Mr. Tiger is getting there… little by little. People on YouTube have certainly been enthralled by the journey. Since joining the website back in the summer of 2021, his videos have earned over ten million views as it stands. Something tells us that his fans can’t wait to see the finished house. We’re much the same!
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