All Finished with Pic's

[basswidow]

Rented a splitter last weekend at 3pm Sat and didn't need to turn it back in until Monday morning - all for $ 60. I was done with my wood by noon on sunday (3 hrs each day) so I let a buddy split his wood too. With prices like this, I may never buy a splitter.

By Sunday night we had it all but stacked. I was running out of room - so we decided to do one of those Holz Hausen things. The problem is - my split maple pieces were all different sizes and I had a bunch of ugly pieces that just wouldn't stack. We started the Holz just fine, making the sides straight and the splits angled in. Everything was looking good and I was pleased. Except we decided to put the shorts and ugly pieces in the middle and instead of stacking and placing them in correctly, the kids and I just tossed them in. That was a mistake and in a matter of time we had a side blow out.

To correct it, I took it down a notch and tightened it up on the inside and hopefully it will make it thru.

I have to say - I am more of a fan of straight stacking. Although the Holz didn't take long to do, it would have been easier with smaller and more uniform splits.

Here's the pic's . Now - I'm checking out of here until next fall - so I can get some fishing in between cutting the grass. I hope we get a long hot summer to get me ready for next winter. I'd like to think I'll put down the chain saw, but I know I won't be able to pass by if I have an opportunity for some good wood.

 

[basswidow]

Here's some of my main stack. I haven't measured it yet = but with this and the Holz, I should be just fine.

It's Cherry, Oak, Locust, and Maple. Most of the Cherry and Oak I put up last October. The oak was dead for quite sometime and should be good and ready. The Locust I split by hand in Jan and the Maple is the most recent. I hope it drys out and burns good.

If you look at the second picture, you can see the cherry to the right and the oak in the middle. The locust is all the way left and the maple tops the whole stack.

 

[thewoodlands]

Looks good, I like your guard dog.

zap

 

[basswidow]

The dog gave us a scare while I was splitting. She was out in the yard and when I am in the zone splitting - and tossing splits, I am not keeping a eye on anything except the business end of the splitter. 3 hours later, Momma asked where the dog was and I worried she may have gotten knocked out and buried under the pile of splits. She sees me tossing splits and she thinks it's a throw for her. The pile was so high that if she took a split to the head on the other side and got knocked out, I surely would have covered her over. My wife was horrified when I explained this and we both peered at the pile to see if she was in there.

Luckily - Momma left the elect collar off her and she was discovered down the road on a jail break happy as she could be. Glad I didn't kill the dog. Family would not be able to forgive that.

 

[thewoodlands]

The dog gave us a scare while I was splitting. She was out in the yard and when I am in the zone splitting - and tossing splits, I am not keeping a eye on anything except the business end of the splitter. 3 hours later, Momma asked where the dog was and I worried she may have gotten knocked out and buried under the pile of splits. She sees me tossing splits and she things it's a throw for her. The pile was so high that if she took a split to the head on the other side and got knocked out, I surely would have covered her over. My wife was horrified when I explained this and we both peered at the pile to see if she was in there.

Luckily - Momma left the elect collar off her and she was discovered down the road on a jail break happy as she could be. Glad I didn't kill the dog. Family would not be able to forgive that.

A good story for around the fire on christmas, thats some nice looking stacks.

zap

 

[bogydave]

Holly Cow!
Nice stacks of fire wood.
Very good job!

 

[ColdNH]

How many cord do you estimate you have stacked there? That is a mighty fine pile.

 

[basswidow]

I figure somewhere between 4-5 total. I'd have to measure it. I know it's atleast a cord more then I went thru this past season...... of which there's a fire going right now. Burning some at night and morning - as we are still dipping into the 20's and 30's overnight.

 

[BucksCounty]

BW, Looks great. I am in the process of splitting now. I had a similar experience last year with the splitter. My father and brother rented one for the weekend and we got a whole lot done....I estimated 5-6 cords over 2 full days. Problem is, I only have 2 pallets of seasoned wood left from that work with the splitter. Everything I have been doing is by hand now. Figure I will use the fiskars I got for Christmas. I am hoping I will get done soon. I must say mulberry and hard maple split very nice! I figure I will end up will just about the same you have....12-13 pallets worth. Although I don't have the luxury of staking in a single line in the open like you. Must say you look to have a cool view there! And, I am also with you in that I am ready to get fishing...soon!

 

[basswidow]

I really like mulberry. I think I got some sassafras too, it was sort of stringing and strange green/gray color and smelled of rootbeer. This maple had a nice pink color to it and the sap was pleasant and didn't stink like oak and others.

 

[LLigetfa]

Dunno... looks a bit precarious, leaning out at the top. I'd wrap some wire fencing around it before the dog knocks it over chasing a squirrel and gets killed.

 

[basswidow]

Yeah - the holz has a bulge still on the side toward the boat trailer. I swear it was straight as we built it - but as the middle got filled - it bulged. You have to place the center pieces correctly leaning inward or this happens. Can't just toss them in. Probably wouldn't hurt to put some wire fencing - but I'd probably just knock it down and restack it the standard way instead. My other stack is higher then I normally stack. The wife and kids helped out while I was at work. Time will tell if they hold. the kids know not to go near the wood, but the dog does love to chase snakes, mice, and chipmunks. I did give all of it a good wiggle and shake to make sure it was set up good. That bulge is anchored by some longer pieces that reach into the center more and then have some other splits bracing on top. But who knows as it shrinks with moisture loss - the whole thing could come down. We'll see.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Lot of good work done there. No go fishing.

 

[smokinj]

Looking sweeet, wish I could stack Like that!

 

[firefighterjake]

Sweet stacks of wood.

Re: Holz miete . . . I actually find the holz miete works well with the chunks and uglies . . . the pieces that I cut that are shorter than normal and the pieces that split badly, have crotches or branch nubs . . . I tend to use these on the corners.

I also just toss in whatever wood I have into the center . . . keeping the center at or slightly below the "ring" of wood as I build it up . . . I find that the wood in the center helps somewhat to keep the wood in place . . . and finally I find it is important to keep the wood angled in towards the center and as such I start to have the wood taper in towards the middle, giving the holz miete more of a rounded, haystack looking appearance. It's what works for me . . . of course in fairness I have to say that I have only built one . . . although I have a second 2/3 built.

 

[70marlin]

Nice pile!

 

[basswidow]

Sweet stacks of wood.

Re: Holz miete . . . I actually find the holz miete works well with the chunks and uglies . . . the pieces that I cut that are shorter than normal and the pieces that split badly, have crotches or branch nubs . . . I tend to use these on the corners.

I also just toss in whatever wood I have into the center . . . keeping the center at or slightly below the "ring" of wood as I build it up . . . I find that the wood in the center helps somewhat to keep the wood in place . . . and finally I find it is important to keep the wood angled in towards the center and as such I start to have the wood taper in towards the middle, giving the holz miete more of a rounded, haystack looking appearance. It's what works for me . . . of course in fairness I have to say that I have only built one . . . although I have a second 2/3 built.

I didn't think a circle had corners? In order to make a circle - the interior of the splits touched - but the outside of the splits had about an inch of spacing. Unless your splits are pie shaped - you are gonna have space between the splits around the outside. So I had no need for corners or inbetween pieces. All my shorts and crotches went into the middle - tossed in a random fashion. I put anything I couldn't stack inside. I will say that smaller diameter splits work better. I was taking my time, making sure I was laying all the pieces perfectly and angled in toward the center and when ever it leveled off, starting the next layer with a shim to angle it back. I did have the wife and kids working on this too. It really didn't take long - less than an hour. I don't think the wife and kids were as particular placing their pieces and if I went behind and made adjustments - I got called a perfectionist. But I didn't want it to fall - which it did. I think it's because the kids were shooting baskets with the bigger odd sized chunks and this was bulging it. The more you pile in the center - the more downward force there is on the interior to bulge. I think it's better to also stack the center so that it is leaning into the center - and for the center to be solid but not making any outward pressure.

I think mine will hold for now. I will say that I like the way they look and I like how they don't take up much space. I may try another right beside it. EDIT - I do see now that it is called a Holz Miete.

 

[firefighterjake]

Sweet stacks of wood.

Re: Holz miete . . . I actually find the holz miete works well with the chunks and uglies . . . the pieces that I cut that are shorter than normal and the pieces that split badly, have crotches or branch nubs . . . I tend to use these on the corners.

I also just toss in whatever wood I have into the center . . . keeping the center at or slightly below the "ring" of wood as I build it up . . . I find that the wood in the center helps somewhat to keep the wood in place . . . and finally I find it is important to keep the wood angled in towards the center and as such I start to have the wood taper in towards the middle, giving the holz miete more of a rounded, haystack looking appearance. It's what works for me . . . of course in fairness I have to say that I have only built one . . . although I have a second 2/3 built.

I didn't think a circle had corners? In order to make a circle - the interior of the splits touched - but the outside of the splits had about an inch of spacing. Unless your splits are pie shaped - you are gonna have space between the splits around the outside. So I had no need for corners or inbetween pieces. All my shorts and crotches went into the middle - tossed in a random fashion. I put anything I couldn't stack inside. I will say that smaller diameter splits work better. I was taking my time, making sure I was laying all the pieces perfectly and angled in toward the center and when ever it leveled off, starting the next layer with a shim to angle it back. I did have the wife and kids working on this too. It really didn't take long - less than an hour. I don't think the wife and kids were as particular placing their pieces and if I went behind and made adjustments - I got called a perfectionist. But I didn't want it to fall - which it did. I think it's because the kids were shooting baskets with the bigger odd sized chunks and this was bulging it. The more you pile in the center - the more downward force there is on the interior to bulge. I think it's better to also stack the center so that it is leaning into the center - and for the center to be solid but not making any outward pressure.

I think mine will hold for now. I will say that I like the way they look and I like how they don't take up much space. I may try another right beside it. EDIT - I do see now that it is called a Holz Miete.

Sure, sure . . . blame the poor kids.

HehHeh . . . I guess a normal holz miete might not have corners since it is a circle . . . and my first one was more of a circle . . . although my latest holz miete most definitely doesn't have a nice, round appearance . . . it is a little more rectangular in shape now that I've looked at it . . . which is why this one has four "corners" -- I mean to say it is still concentric . . . but instead of being even all the way around at four different points the wood curves . . . yeah . . . just a dumb firefighter here . . . I always had problems with my shapes . . . and coloring in between the lines . . . which is probably why I was only allowed to play with the blunt, dull scissors in grade school . . . well that and there was my fondness for eating the paste.

 

[Tony H]

The dog gave us a scare while I was splitting. She was out in the yard and when I am in the zone splitting - and tossing splits, I am not keeping a eye on anything except the business end of the splitter. 3 hours later, Momma asked where the dog was and I worried she may have gotten knocked out and buried under the pile of splits. She sees me tossing splits and she thinks it's a throw for her. The pile was so high that if she took a split to the head on the other side and got knocked out, I surely would have covered her over. My wife was horrified when I explained this and we both peered at the pile to see if she was in there.

Luckily - Momma left the elect collar off her and she was discovered down the road on a jail break happy as she could be. Glad I didn't kill the dog. Family would not be able to forgive that.

I see the older child must be the same hence the bike helmet. ;-)

 

[basswidow]

When it fell - I told the kids to get back and take a break. He was riding his bike before the picture. I'm just glad no one got hurt. It collapsed as I was checking it and rocking it to make sure it was solid. I didn't like the way that side looked and was bulging. It came down pretty easily.

Since then - we've had alot of strong wind and rain. It's held up fine.