# My Zero Tool Built Firewood Rack...



## PSYS

I got this link last night from REDBARN (_*thank you!*_) and I set it up this afternoon.  Ran to Menards and got the cinder blocks (12" + 50 lbs. each) along with (2) 2x4 x 12' and (2) 2x4 x 8'.  I spent a total of $19.58 (including tax) and it took me all of 15 minutes to "put it together".  So it's essentially 12' in length and then I cut each of the 8' pieces in half to give me the sides for stability purposes.  I probably over did it with a 4th cinder block but they were $1.19 ea. 

http://www.instructables.com/id/No-tools-firewood-rack/

It's not a permanent solution by a long shot, but it will definitely serve its purpose temporarily.  Next Spring, my wife & I plan on constructing a wood shed of some sort in the backyard.  Grow Food.  Stack wood.  To heck with grass. 

My neighbor was doing some yard work this afternoon in between rain showers and brought out his chainsaw and cut down the large stump you see in this first photo.  The tree had been cut down when he bought the house a couple of years ago and all that remained was this large chunk 'o stump.  I'm not sure what kind of tree it was, but my thought process was it would be a perfect chopping block for splitting wood?  I'm just a hair over 6'0" and figured it would help alleviate back strain... is this pretty much what everyone else uses as a base for splitting/chopping wood is another large tree?  ...sorry in advance for the newbie questions!

Thank you to all of you, wood freaks here at The Hearth and thank you again Redbarn for the endless amounts of information and data!  Best.  Internet.  Forum.  Ever.


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## Woody Stover

I cut my chopping block a little shorter, about 8" or so. I'll cut them out of crotch pieces and they seem to be pretty durable. I guess if I cut them out of Sweetgum or some other lighter wood, instead of Oak, they would be easier to move around once they dried out.


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## PSYS

I honestly haven't even given it a try to see how the height is... it may be a bit on the high side.  It's pretty stable though and seems like it'll make a good base.


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## DaveGunter

PSYS said:


> I got this link last night from REDBARN (_*thank you!*_) and I set it up this afternoon.  Ran to Menards and got the cinder blocks (12" + 50 lbs. each) along with (2) 2x4 x 12' and (2) 2x4 x 8'.  I spent a total of $19.58 (including tax) and it took me all of 15 minutes to "put it together".  So it's essentially 12' in length and then I cut each of the 8' pieces in half to give me the sides for stability purposes.  I probably over did it with a 4th cinder block but they were $1.19 ea.
> 
> http://www.instructables.com/id/No-tools-firewood-rack/
> 
> It's not a permanent solution by a long shot, but it will definitely serve its purpose temporarily.  Next Spring, my wife & I plan on constructing a wood shed of some sort in the backyard.  Grow Food.  Stack wood.  To heck with grass.
> 
> My neighbor was doing some yard work this afternoon in between rain showers and brought out his chainsaw and cut down the large stump you see in this first photo.  The tree had been cut down when he bought the house a couple of years ago and all that remained was this large chunk 'o stump.  I'm not sure what kind of tree it was, but my thought process was it would be a perfect chopping block for splitting wood?  I'm just a hair over 6'0" and figured it would help alleviate back strain... is this pretty much what everyone else uses as a base for splitting/chopping wood is another large tree?  ...sorry in advance for the newbie questions!
> 
> Thank you to all of you, wood freaks here at The Hearth and thank you again Redbarn for the endless amounts of information and data!  Best.  Internet.  Forum.  Ever.




Looks good.  Attach a 3ft 2x4 to either end and the middle and you can secure that tarp out away from the sides of your stack so the run off doesn't run down the sides of your stack.


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## PSYS

ACK!    Thanks, Dave!  I did not even think about that...  I'll get some additional 2x4's and do that!


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## Woody Stover

I don't know how much wood you've split by hand, but I damn near chopped my foot off a couple of times at the beginning.  I think contacting the wood lower is gonna be safer, but a block is preferable to splitting on the ground, that's for sure.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe...

I being a rookie this year, I ended up splitting about 3 cords by hand, since probably february, I really loved it, I stArted using a chopping block and as I kept going and going, I got away from it, I find they are good for the smaller diameter stuff, but for the bigger stuff, I just didn't  pick it up anymore and it works just fine if not better, the longer your swing the faster axe speed you can achieve. This is my preference.....
Also nice rack.....


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## Backwoods Savage

I still do not agree with the wood chopping block. I'd much rather split right on the ground. 

PSYS, you speak of back strain. For sure you'll have much less of that if you split on the ground. You will have lots of back strain just picking up each piece to put on top of a chopping block. 

Yes, I tried a chopping block many, many moons ago and never liked it. I will also argue that you get more power in your swing with the wood on the ground. It stands to reason that the longer swing will work in your favor. In addition, not having to lift each log will save lots of energy so you can work longer if you wish.


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## PSYS

Welp, I went outside and split some of the larger pieces of Birch.  You're right, Dennis.  I did not care for the chopping block at all.  BUT I did like it in the sense that I could prop the wood against the stump and then split it on the ground.  I tried several pieces and agree I simply did not have the power by placing the wood on the block.  

In other news, I got my moisture meter in the mail last week.  Some of the smaller pieces I had split last week were ranging anywhere from 12% to 18%.  The larger pieces I split today were ranging anywhere from 26% to 33%.


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## rowerwet

I grew up splitting on a block, I tried splitting on the ground, but found the angle all wrong for what I'm used to. I didn't notice a difference in power, but had more trouble getting the axe where I wanted it to hit, and keeping the rounds stable for splitting.
I think the ground absorbs some of the effort on the wood, the block makes the round take all the impact.


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## rideau

I split on a piece of flat bedrock.  Solves both problems...doesn't absorb any energy, allows for a long swing.


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## maple1

rideau said:


> I split on a piece of flat bedrock.  Solves both problems...doesn't absorb any energy, allows for a long swing.


 
That could be hard on the axe.

Or it would be if I was swinging it.


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## AnalogKid

rideau said:


> I split on a piece of flat bedrock.  Solves both problems...doesn't absorb any energy, allows for a long swing.


Bedrock???  Probably half of all my swings wind up with my axe sunk deep into my chopping block.  

My Fiskars would be destroyed if I was using rock as my base.


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## HDRock

Here is my version , stuck some pieces in the blocks keep the two by fours where  wanted them to stay, used landscape timbers, cost me 35 bucks for 16 foot of rack
the upright 2x 4s  are 5' long which gives you a stack height of just over 4 feet


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## maple1

Check around at your closest concrete place that makes the blocks.

The one here has a huge pile of seconds to pick from, most of which look as good as the ones at the building supply place, for 0.50 ea.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe...

HDRock said:


> Here is my version , stuck some pieces in the blocks keep the two by fours where  wanted them to stay, used landscape timbers, cost me 35 bucks for 16 foot of rack
> the upright 2x 4s  are 5' long which gives you a stack height of just over 4 feet
> 
> View attachment 113831
> View attachment 113832


Looking good. HD....


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## Ram 1500 with an axe...

AnalogKid said:


> Bedrock???  Probably half of all my swings wind up with my axe sunk deep into my chopping block.
> 
> My Fiskars would be destroyed if I was using rock as my base.


I'm chopping on top of a 3/8 in red stone driveway, I don't seem to have any issues that is ruining my fiskars, but I understand your point about it sticking into the wood block and the splits exploding off the block as well. A lot of times when you split on the ground, the whole round stays up without falling over....especially the wider rounds that really don't need to be picked up....you could always try it...


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## AnalogKid

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> I'm chopping on top of a 3/8 in red stone driveway, I don't seem to have any issues that is ruining my fiskars, but I understand your point about it sticking into the wood block and the splits exploding off the block as well. A lot of times when you split on the ground, the whole round stays up without falling over....especially the wider rounds that really don't need to be picked up....you could always try it...


I suppose I could try it, having a difficult time envisioning it.  I roll with about an 8-10" block and a 17" tire.  I'm 6'3 and this set-up for me seems to be ideal from the standpoint of swing efficiency.  

I do like hearing about other's systems though.  Always good to get different ideas.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe...

All good....more than 1 way to skin a cat....this site is all about learning....


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## MrWhoopee

I like the clever design of these racks, but.....

I think the cost per cord is a little high. 12' x 4' x 16" = 1/2 cord.


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## HDRock

MrWhoopee said:


> I like the clever design of these racks, but.....
> 
> I think the cost per cord is a little high. 12' x 4' x 16" = 1/2 cord.


 The reason ,I   went with some of these, is to stack oak n hickory on , I think it may dry faster stacked on these ,good air circulation , up high  single rows, and they will last a very long time being treated wood


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## mass_burner

rowerwet said:


> I think the ground absorbs some of the effort on the wood, the block makes the round take all the impact.


 
but isn't the chopping block on the ground too? doesn't the absorption get transferred through the block to the ground?


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## mass_burner

AnalogKid said:


> Bedrock???  Probably half of all my swings wind up with my axe sunk deep into my chopping block.
> 
> My Fiskars would be destroyed if I was using rock as my base.


 

maybe your axe is too sharp. my splitting maul doesn't "cut" into wood. it would bounce off the chopping block at that speed.


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## rowerwet

mass_burner said:


> but isn't the chopping block on the ground too? doesn't the absorption get transferred through the block to the ground?


the ground (in my yard) is soft and sort of spongy, the block is a large mass that doesn't give, I think it works like a bucking bar/rivet gun combination, I do sheetmetal on aircraft for a living, the bucking bar is a heavy metal block you hold on the tail of the rivet while pounding the head with the rivet gun. the mass in the block doesn't let the round move much. 
Using the 4 way wedge and sledge hammer I've driven big rounds into the ground a bit.


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## wh401

Nice job. I too found that link a while back on instructable's, but ended up taking it a bit further. I laid 4 16' treated 4x4's I had across 4 rows of 3 cinder blocks each. I then put 4 pallets across those 4x4's and it gave me a space to hold about 14' x 4' x 4' of splits. I've made two of these so far, all with stuff I had on hand.


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## rowerwet

mass_burner said:


> maybe your axe is too sharp. my splitting maul doesn't "cut" into wood. it would bounce off the chopping block at that speed.


the fiskars works because it is moving fast, the sharper the better for those one hit splits. Just like an aluminum bat swings faster than a wooden one, they both can hit the ball as far, but the wooden bat takes much more effort to swing


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## HDRock

wh401 said:


> Nice job. I too found that link a while back on instructable's, but ended up taking it a bit further. I laid 4 16' treated 4x4's I had across 4 rows of 3 cinder blocks each. I then put 4 pallets across those 4x4's and it gave me a space to hold about 14' x 4' x 4' of splits. I've made two of these so far, all with stuff I had on hand.


 Cool ! good idea,   where are the pics


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## wh401

HDRock said:


> Cool ! good idea,   where are the pics


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## HDRock

wh401 said:


> View attachment 113978


 Yeah , that holds a good bit of wood


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## CMAG

HD I use the cement blocks like that, but I lay the center blocks with the holes side ways gives a bigger foot print in soft soil.


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## PSYS

NICE!   That is an awesome pic!


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## peeworm

cinder block laying on its side has a lot less structural strength than sitting upright that is why they are not layed in a wall with the holes out.


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## Mr A

peeworm said:


> cinder block laying on its side has a lot less structural strength than sitting upright that is why they are not layed in a wall with the holes out.


True, but in a wall they are filled with rebar and grout, making the wall solid. The block by itself is pretty weak


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## Paul L

Mr A said:


> True, but in a wall they are filled with rebar and grout, making the wall solid. The block by itself is pretty weak



Unfilled, upright cement block is what is supporting my floor joists in the crawl space and has been for 60 years.


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