Introduction
My Name is Rob; I am a Member of the ASF Airsoft organization, a multi state unit that has had over five (5) years of experience in not only Airsoft, but props and construction techniques. From realistic looking dead bodies that will make you sick to your stomach (Not Cheap), to exciting pyrotechnics giving a realistic feel to an Airsoft operation. I have decided to bring light on some of those props and how we create them, so I have created “props” blog, which is only brought to you by Airsoftica, the trusted place for Airsoft news!
How many of you have gone to an Airsoft field and have been able to use a bunker, whether that be above ground or below, and have always had a dream of building your own, but always thought it was too hard, too expensive, and or not allowed on public land? Well I am here to tell you that it’s none of the three (excluding some areas where laws are stricter). Don’t get me wrong, building a bunker can take a few bucks, but there are cost effective and cheaper ways to do it, and yes, there are ways to “build it green” leaving no “footprint” on the land that its built on.
In starting this small series on bunkers, I will be giving some small helpful and insightful tips into building bunkers. And a couple of cool ideas that might make you think of something even better. You know… turn that light above your head on…yes even to those of you who never knew there was a light above your head… Please be informed that most of my tips have to do with actual concrete bunkers. Other types of bunkers will be covered in future writings. I would like to stress that in any building of bunkers or other construction or pyrotechnical displays, you should ALWAYS have a waiver of liability! Or you will find yourself screwed to all hell beyond belief….so remember, LIABILITY WAIVER.
Rule Number One
Well my first tip is actually a kind of a rule of engagement no matter what. It’s a little thing called safety; safety is an important rule no matter what construction effort you are engaging in. Without it you obviously are putting people’s health in your hands, sometimes even their lives. In constructing a bunker this is even more important, you have to remember that no matter how you build the bunker system you are going to have people in it. So my real tip is actually “Remember Murphy’s Law” everything will go bad in the most inopportune moment!
Rule Number Two
A second quick tip of mine is that if you’re starting out, and building your first four (4) or so bunkers, be sure to build them simple. Never go too advanced on the first try; it’s a recipe for disaster. I find that square is a great shape to begin with. The walls are all one piece. And it’s quite easy to create slip holes for shooting out of.
For those of you who get stuck at the ceiling and think “how the hell…”… so you want a cheap ceiling of concrete right? (If concrete isn’t your friend read next paragraph) your cheapest bet is to lay plywood on the top, and then firmly secure it in place by some form of drilling. Afterwards you will pour a thin layer of concrete on the top of the wood, NOT A LOT, but enough to hide the fact that the wood is there! This is the most popular effect that bunker builder’s use who does not want fake ceilings! Too much however will create a failure, too little and rain & wind might wash away chunks revealing the wood. So do the math or get someone else to do it for you.
And now a tip for those of you who get stuck at the roof section, and DON’T want concrete…I would hope you don’t want to sacrifice safety in building it. So in essence ill hope that your smart, so the cheapest alternative to concrete and other construction equipment, is some plywood, plaster, and paint (waterproofing might be a concern so get those supplies too!) You can lay the wood properly, firmly drill it in place, cover the entire roof area with plaster, and paint it. After water proofing it step back and as long as you got the right kind of paint you should see no real difference in the look of the bunker. The plaster should give you a concrete texture, you are obviously free to work with the plaster and wood to increase realism, but all in all, you now have a lightweight ceiling to the bunker, that looks real, and as long as there are no tornadoes or hurricanes anytime soon you will be quite alright.
Now a lightweight tip for those of you that do not want to waste a lot of money on concrete and want a less permanent structure, something you might be able to pick up with about five or so people then you might want to use the same steps as in the tip above with the plaster or similar material, paint, and wood. You can construct a lightweight wood bunker, texture, paint, weatherproof, and happily transport it even in a pickup truck. Best of all you can make it look very realistic…ever seen a train set? They are the guys to help in this situation! In addition I would personally have to say that this is the most “green” construction type out there. And you will find that depending on the environment you’re in, and most importantly how you take care of it, the bunker could last a long time. Your only problem is being sure to have a way of anchoring it to the ground. Usually making a bunker that can be covered by a lot of dirt on the outsides (except at entrance, unless on the roof) will be a sufficient anchoring point. Camo netting is also a great use with these, as any imperfect visuals will be hidden by the netting.
Going along the lines of camouflage, it is not only a great tip but a great addition to warfare and can hide a bunker from the enemy if done very well. One thing you can do to hide the bunker is build a bunker partially below ground, that way the roof and a small slit hole is all that can really be visible from the ground. Camo netting and in very small cases paint, will help hide such structure from sight. When is this really good? When you at an event large enough those players aren’t able to see what their enemy has… a true realistic scenario.
A Word to the Wise
One of my final tips well, one that I speak of often, since I find it works, and the cops I have met, at least the ones in my location like the idea and will consider it “green construction” So let’s say you want a real bunker, but also want to stay “green” and leave a minimal if any footprint on the ground you build. ASF calls it the box effect. You dig up a foundation, if it’s an above ground bunker or below ground bunker you dig to the proper depth needed. You then line it with a wooden box that you create. 2×4’s and plywood are once again most popular. You will in essence make a case with an open top. After which you will pour your concrete into the box and continue to create your bunker from the frames that you would obviously have, except with the box area of the frame staying with the bunker. Just remember your not creating a real 100% fireproof bunker, don’t be stupid and make the walls so thick that the bunker weighs five tons. The object of the box is meant for easy removal. You can either get a crane and yank it out, or dig out the sides where the wood lies and smash the concrete and other building materials you used down with a few sledge hammers, and once those materials are in the box destroyed, You will then in essence have a trashcan in the ground from which you can remove, along with the wood, fill up the hole with dirt, plant some seeds, and then the democrats will be off your back!
Well I sure hope that I have at the least turned on some form of light above you head as I stated earlier, or at least put that thinking cap on. There are hundreds of ways to do things, hundreds of tips I could give, and hundreds of ideas I could write. But that’s all for now. In future writings we will go over much more, even detailed plans into building a bunker from scratch. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, you can post on the airsoftica forums! And always remember, Airsoftica is the place for Airsoft news! Have a Good One Everybody!
