# Length, Tee Posts For Wood Stacks



## HDRock (Dec 19, 2012)

Trying to determine what length I need
Is driving them in 1ft deep enough ???
I was thinking 5ft post ,drive in 1ft, or 5 1/2 ft or 6ft ????
Going to put them at end of pallets


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## onetracker (Dec 19, 2012)

HDRock said:


> Trying to determine what length I need
> Is driving them in 1ft deep enough ???
> I was thinking 5ft post ,drive in 1ft, or 5 1/2 ft or 6ft ????
> Going to put them at end of pallets


 
if you tie the top ends together with fence wire you'll only need a few inches.
its super cheap, you can twist it to customize the length, it's unobtrusive and ain't gonna break.


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## oldogy (Dec 19, 2012)

Depth planted would be determined by the soil they're going into. Loose, sandy soil would require much more depth than heavy clay. I plant mine just far enough for the flat plate to be below ground surface and in my heavy clay they hold just fine. As mentioned, wire would help.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 19, 2012)

Oldogy is right with the depth. You no doubt would want 6' or 7' depending on how high you wish to stack. However, I would not waste any money on t-posts because they are not needed.


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## bogydave (Dec 19, 2012)

18" to 24" is typical.
Like said soil type is a factor.
Get/make a post pounder. Sledge hammer not a good tool for setting/driving metal posts


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## HDRock (Dec 19, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> Oldogy is right with the depth. You no doubt would want 6' or 7' depending on how high you wish to stack. However, I would not waste any money on t-posts because they are not needed.


 
Why are they are not needed ? I know you have a better idea.What is it ?????
Is it stacking alternately 90% on the ends or what ?? that doesn't seem to work to well, unless all pieces are uniform size.
Edit:   Maybe  I just did it wrong


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## HDRock (Dec 19, 2012)

bogydave said:


> 18" to 24" is typical.
> Like said soil type is a factor.
> Get/make a post pounder. Sledge hammer not a good tool for setting/driving metal posts


 
So, what  is a post pounder ?? How to make one ??
Is it like a slide hammer ?


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## oldogy (Dec 19, 2012)

Should not be too hard to make one. They're available many places, most farm supply stores. Here is a link to a picture.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200322188_200322188


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## HDRock (Dec 19, 2012)

I went out and stacked the end alternating the pieces, and it seems like a time consuming PITA to find the perfect pieces to stack it good, and it's still not as good as It should be.

Bare with me here cuz IDK,  whats the difference if you use a slide hammer /post pounder or a plane old hammer ???


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## oldogy (Dec 19, 2012)

The end of T stakes are subject to chipping small pieces of steel when struck with a maul. The end of the T stake is hard to hit with a maul. The T stale driver captures any steel chips within the tool.


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## Nixon (Dec 19, 2012)

HDRock , 
There's a method over at www.woodheat.org that is simple , doesn't involve t post ,or cross stacking . Basically it involves using cord to stabilize the stacks . Pretty interesting method .


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## bogydave (Dec 19, 2012)

HDRock said:


> Bare with me here cuz IDK, whats the difference if you use a slide hammer /post pounder or a plane old hammer ???


 
Try a hammer, may work .
Not sure how a slide hammer would pound a post.

Post pounder is a 2' long or so piece of pipe that slides over the post you want to pound into the ground with a heavy cap in one end.
Some have handles welded on, smaller ones don't need handles.
Slide it on the fence post, raise it up & pull it down to pound the post 

Pic from oldogy link:


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## swagler85 (Dec 19, 2012)

Before I started stacking on pallet racks I just cross stacked the ends. If your stacking a row you can sort through as you stack and find uniform pieces for the end cross stack. They don't have to be perfect or even square, just two pieces of similar size placed next to each other. Half rounds work there great as well, just work your way up and lean the end in towards the stack if it needs to. You could even use a pallet on end with a 2x4 nailed onto another pallet at a 45* angle to make an end.


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## HDRock (Dec 20, 2012)

bogydave said:


> Try a hammer, may work .
> Not sure how a slide hammer would pound a post.
> 
> Post pounder is a 2' long or so piece of pipe that slides over the post you want to pound into the ground with a heavy cap in one end.
> ...


  I see,   it's a pipe with a cap 
Just sayin ,It's kinda like a slide hammer.
I pounded 7 ft of an 8 ft ground rod in the ground with a hammer


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## bogydave (Dec 20, 2012)

HDRock said:


> I see, it's a pipe with a cap
> Just sayin ,It's kinda like a slide hammer.
> I pounded 7 ft of an 8 ft ground rod in the ground with a hammer


 
 I have too, but sooooo much easier with a post pounder


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## billb3 (Dec 20, 2012)

glacial till gravel here
try to pound a T bar in here and you pretty much end up with metal pretzels
gotta stab the ground first with a 5 foot garden bar to locate the rocks and you usually end up with a post somewhere near your original plan
I do 12 - 18 inches where I use them to support fence to keep the deer out of the fruit trees in the Winter.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 20, 2012)

HDRock said:


> Why are they are not needed ? I know you have a better idea.What is it ?????
> Is it stacking alternately 90% on the ends or what ?? that doesn't seem to work to well, unless all pieces are uniform size.
> Edit: Maybe I just did it wrong


 
All the pieces do not have to be a uniform size. If they did, I'd fail miserably.

Here is some wood that was cut during the 20089-2009 winter. The splitting and stacking was completed in early April of 2009. The 2 stacks on the right side are still there and look the same except for the galvanized roofing that is on top of them. Under the wood are some maple saplings that I cut in the woods. Those stacks are as solid or perhaps more so than when they were stacked 3 1/2 years ago. We'll no doubt burn part of that next year but will still have some left for the following year because there are at least 3 cord left there. But notice, there are no t-posts nor will you find any supports at all. Just a stack of wood. T-posts are not cheap but not super expensive either but if you don't need them, that is money left in the purse to use for other things.


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## Elderthewelder (Dec 20, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> All the pieces do not have to be a uniform size. If they did, I'd fail miserably.
> 
> Here is some wood that was cut during the 20089-2009 winter. The splitting and stacking was completed in early April of 2009. The 2 stacks on the right side are still there and look the same except for the galvanized roofing that is on top of them. Under the wood are some maple saplings that I cut in the woods. Those stacks are as solid or perhaps more so than when they were stacked 3 1/2 years ago. We'll no doubt burn part of that next year but will still have some left for the following year because there are at least 3 cord left there. But notice, there are no t-posts nor will you find any supports at all. Just a stack of wood. T-posts are not cheap but not super expensive either but if you don't need them, that is money left in the purse to use for other things.
> 
> View attachment 85727


 

it also helps that you have a large level / flat  area to stack on, my stacking area is far from level.  Even when I criss cross the ends they still have a tendency to fall over without t posts


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## Gary_602z (Dec 20, 2012)

I thought Zap was the only one to use T-posts!

Gary


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## Gary_602z (Dec 20, 2012)

Elderthewelder said:


> it also helps that you have a large level / flat area to stack on, my stacking area is far from level. Even when I criss cross the ends they still have a tendency to fall over without t posts


 
If I was a few miles closer I would take some of that wood off your hands to give you some more room!

Gary


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## DanCorcoran (Dec 20, 2012)

Hickory split and stacked two weeks ago. No t-posts. I put the uglies on top to keep the wooden doors from blowing off or the bears from knocking them off.


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## Mr A (Dec 20, 2012)

billb3 said:


> glacial till gravel here
> try to pound a T bar in here and you pretty much end up with metal pretzels
> gotta stab the ground first with a 5 foot garden bar to locate the rocks and you usually end up with a post somewhere near your original plan
> I do 12 - 18 inches where I use them to support fence to keep the deer out of the fruit trees in the Winter.


 I understand your problem of too hard of ground to pound a post into. I have access to a lot of tools, a demolition hammer with a 1-1/4 bit should do the trick, something like a Hilti TE-706. Most rental yatds have one or similar.


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## HDRock (Dec 20, 2012)

HDRock said:


> I went out and stacked the end alternating the pieces, and it seems like a time consuming PITA to find the perfect pieces to stack it good, and it's still not as good as It should be


 
I was getting frustrated last night when I posted this, trying to get it all done, split and stacked.
I got it cross stacked good n stable now


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## rasp21 (Dec 21, 2012)

Elderthewelder said:


> it also helps that you have a large level / flat area to stack on, my stacking area is far from level. Even when I criss cross the ends they still have a tendency to fall over without t posts


 Nice looking rounds,,, more work,,, That red fir??? Doug Fir??   Wenatchee area here,, pine and fir,,, some tamarack,, You are in good shape.. working on 14-15 now,, big rounds. Just scored some black locust on a acrounge  HOO-HOO. 1 cord..


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## billb3 (Dec 21, 2012)

Mr A said:


> I understand your problem of too hard of ground to pound a post into. I have access to a lot of tools, a demolition hammer with a 1-1/4 bit should do the trick, something like a Hilti TE-706. Most rental yatds have one or similar.


 
If the rock is small enuf I just dig it up and put it somewhere else.


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## nate379 (Dec 21, 2012)

Instead of T Posts you can just use a 2x4 "sharpened" to a point at the end.  It will many years before rotting out.  Buy 10ft ers, cut in 1/2.


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## HDRock (Dec 21, 2012)

nate379 said:


> Instead of T Posts you can just use a 2x4 "sharpened" to a point at the end. It will many years before rotting out. Buy 10ft ers, cut in 1/2.


Thats a good idea to


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## kattpound (Dec 21, 2012)

I use 6' t-posts and drive them in 18".  works great for me


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## ozzy73 (Dec 21, 2012)

Elderthewelder

I hope those rounds never roll down hill ...... love the creek running through the back yard.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 21, 2012)

Elderthewelder said:


> it also helps that you have a large level / flat area to stack on, my stacking area is far from level. Even when I criss cross the ends they still have a tendency to fall over without t posts


 
I don't think it should be a big problem stacking on your ground in most areas.  While it is true I have good level ground now, it was not always that way because we have not always lived here so I know what it is like to stack on unlevel ground. Again I'll state, t-posts are unnecessary if you do it right.


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## loadstarken (Dec 21, 2012)

Elderthewelder gets some bonus points for having firewood stacked over a creek!


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## Flatbedford (Dec 21, 2012)

I use 5' posts with a pallet slipped over them. Here's my thread from last year.



https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/how-i-build-my-wood-racks.71727/


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## Flatbedford (Dec 21, 2012)

I had a local welder build this post ponder for me out of scrap that he had laying around about 10 years ago for $35.


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## HDRock (Dec 21, 2012)

I thought my old swing set ,tent deal was going to keep the snow off but, with wind at 25-30 mph it didn't work 
If I had it stacked 5ft it would


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## Elderthewelder (Dec 21, 2012)

loadstarken said:


> Elderthewelder gets some bonus points for having firewood stacked over a creek!


 
And the creek was running low in that pic, running real high now with all our recent snow/rain


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## Elderthewelder (Dec 21, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> I don't think it should be a big problem stacking on your ground in most areas. While it is true I have good level ground now, it was not always that way because we have not always lived here so I know what it is like to stack on unlevel ground. Again I'll state, t-posts are unnecessary if you do it right.


 
well in my limited  experience I have found that stacking wood is an "art form" someday i will master the art form, but I am far from there now


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## Elderthewelder (Dec 21, 2012)

rasp21 said:


> Nice looking rounds,,, more work,,, That red fir??? Doug Fir?? Wenatchee area here,, pine and fir,,, some tamarack,, You are in good shape.. working on 14-15 now,, big rounds. Just scored some black locust on a acrounge HOO-HOO. 1 cord..


 
Doug Fir and Alder in the pics with the unsplit rounds, I figure I am good thru 14-15 easy

I am jealous on your Locust score, really hard to get on this side of the mountains


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 22, 2012)

Elderthewelder said:


> well in my limited experience I have found that stacking wood is an "art form" someday i will master the art form, but I am far from there now


 
Well, I once knew a fellow named Art but I don't have much art when it comes to stacking. I just get it done and forget about it for a few years.


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