My first holz hausen wood stack

[OhioBurner©]

So I decided to try to make the HH. Thought they always looked neat and I had all this ash I just cut that will probably set until next year. I decided to just do a small one first, on 4 pallets.



Think its about 6' or a little more where the roof starts. I think its good enough for my first one, but the 'roof' isnt quite right. Looking on the net for pictures, seems many have the first course of the roof stic out further than the wall. I might try to redo the roof.

Also it seemed with the small HH that it has a greater curvature, and side by side pieces often have a pretty good angle between them (think V). This created big gaps and made it hard to stack pieces on top of. I was really thankful of a lot of splits with knots or starts of branches at one end, to help fill the gap. In other instances I used little chunks stuffed into the gap of the v's to hold the piece above.

I'm debating if I should try another similar sized one or a larger one (3x3 pallets?). Even if the larger one solves the curvature issue it still seems it would be harder to fill the interior neatly and of course once you get over 6'. The one above I stacked 3 rows on the interior, with a small space left over to loose fill on one side. I cut wood to two lengths, 18-20" for e/w loading and 12-13" for n/s loading. This year I aimed to cut everything to 18" except really big pieces or crotch pieces that I thought would be harder to split I did 13". I love loading the stoves n/s but the short pieces are just a pain to deal with - more cutting and they don't stack well. The HH made my two sizes stack together nicely... my 18"ers around the outside and 13" in a few rows on the inside.

I know the interior will probably take longer than normal to season, and by putting the shorter pieces in there might help balance that back out. I did stack them pretty tight though.

One nice thing... this came out seemingly sturdier than most of my other stacks (even though its way taller too!). We'll see if it holds up for a year.

 

[BuckeyeWilly]

Looks good, OhioBurner. I am going to have to try one.

 

[SawdustSA]

Looking good. I'm on my 5th one now. I find that if the walls are leaning inwards slightly it becomes more stable. On my 1st one, I tried to make the walls vertical and i had a section which ballooned and then collapsed.

 

[Applesister]

So, Ohioburner, not to be nosey, but did you copyright your username?
I know on the keypad you can just type that symbol.
I kinda understand the north/south east/west burn thing and things can get real technical on here about stoves and burning. Directions and angles might have something to it. And proportions. I have some questions about that, 4 pallets, so it looks 8' diameter. And 6' high.
First, I think your hauzen looks great, I like the ones that keep the walls close to the vertical with only a slight lean in just for a small stability measure. The ones that really lean in to the center don't look right. But esthetics might not come into play with function. As we all know.
There seems to be alot of us who are curious about these structures and what I have read thru links from here is a proportion of 8' x 8' with nothing fancy about the roof except the angle you have. (Which I think yours looks great) It looks great, wouldn't mess with it.
If I went to the trouble I would want the structure to stay a while, Id probably use oak. Since it sits around forever anyway.
So, question? Why 6'? Did you have to use a ladder or scaffolding? And reaching in toward the center with splits looks backbreaking. 8' diameter with a 4' radius, thats a long reach.
I would probably quit at 6' too, but Im superstitious about correct proportions.
Question 2, the shorties...alot of people throw wood inside haphazard and it makes sense but what Ive read is you need to create a wind or airflow direction for the proper drying(or quicker drying) So the wood in the center gets stacked on end angled toward the center, sort of forming a teepee. With the outer row or wall resting against the inner. To help draw the air up thru the center.
I want to do this and its all great but I realistically see myself throwing crotches and twisted knot pieces in the center any which way.
Question 3, have you heard about the use of a pole in the center to measure drying? On 8' it will drop anywhere around 7". Would you try this?
Question 4, how were the pallets to work on? Do you think they will stay sound? Do you think it helps dry?

 

[Therivermonster]

Now that's a pretty HH. You did a great job on the roof so no worries. If anything, put your efforts into stacking another.

I love HHs. I have stacked a number of them and I plan to stack that way going forward. From my somewhat limited experience so far, the middle has seasoned just as well as the outside wood.

All the wood in the middle is at the same 17% - 14% MC as the wood on the outside. All unsplit limb wood too.
(broken link removed to http://advblane.smugmug.com/Wood-Stove-Project/i-xBsKGj7/A)

 

[firefighterjake]

Nothing wrong with that holtz miete . . . looks pretty good actually.

 

[bassJAM]

Ohioburner, it looks good, especially for a first attempt! I'd leave the roof alone, it looks fine to me. The only thing I'd change on your next one, is to put in some small splits perpendicular to the stacks. You can see some in Therivermonster's. This will keep the logs tipping towards the center and make it more stable. It will also help with that gap issue you mention.

 

[bassJAM]

I'll try to answer some of these. I've only made 2 of these, but both are incredibly stable and have been for 2 years so far.

So, question? Why 6'? Did you have to use a ladder or scaffolding? And reaching in toward the center with splits looks backbreaking. 8' diameter with a 4' radius, thats a long reach.
I would probably quit at 6' too, but Im superstitious about correct proportions.

I just toss the wood in the center. I'm of the opinion that stacking the wood can make it more unsteady. When it's tossed in, the wood tends to settle on itself as you toss more in. When stacked, it might want to eventually roll as the wood dries and shrinks.

Question 2, the shorties...alot of people throw wood inside haphazard and it makes sense but what Ive read is you need to create a wind or airflow direction for the proper drying(or quicker drying) So the wood in the center gets stacked on end angled toward the center, sort of forming a teepee. With the outer row or wall resting against the inner. To help draw the air up thru the center.
I want to do this and its all great but I realistically see myself throwing crotches and twisted knot pieces in the center any which way.

I believe that this "chimney effect" is a myth. Just toss the wood in and let it dry for as long as you'd normally let wood dry.

Question 3, have you heard about the use of a pole in the center to measure drying? On 8' it will drop anywhere around 7". Would you try this?

I put a pole in the center, but it's more to help build than to tell when the wood has dried. I cut a straight maple sapling and pound it in the ground about 18" and make sure it's plumb. Then I go cut another sapling to the radius I need the holz hausen to be, and make sure that one end of the sapling has a "Y" in it. Then I can put that Y piece up against the pole and use it as a length ruler, and keep a perfect circle as I stack.

Question 4, how were the pallets to work on? Do you think they will stay sound? Do you think it helps dry?

Soundness really depends on how good they are to begin with. Mine weren't the best, but they were new. So far they've held up after 2 years, and they are sitting in a wet part of my yard. And you should always use pallets or something to keep your stacks off the ground, no matter how you stack. Wood needs a little airflow under it, and wet wood can act like a wick. If you stack directly on the ground, that first layer will be soaked after 2-3 years.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Wow lots of comments! And thanks fellas! I went out to split some more today and I tired quickly today splitting wood... thought taking yesterday off from anything physical would leave me fresh today but the first time I picked up the axe I was probably more sore than the last time I set it down. Anyhow after a bit of swinging I was done but still fiddling with stuff outside. Don't have enough wood split for a second one, and probably will take me another week or so to split that much. The roof was nagging at me so I messed with it some. probably should have checked here first but oh well. Don't have any pics yet but I think it came out slightly better.

Looking good. I'm on my 5th one now. I find that if the walls are leaning inwards slightly it becomes more stable. On my 1st one, I tried to make the walls vertical and i had a section which ballooned and then collapsed.

Yeah not only does it curve around but also inward (though just very slightly - and one end of mine turned out nearly vertical) so it adds strength. I'm not a great stacker and it shows when trying to make regular straight rows. But this stack seems much stronger, time will tell.

So, Ohioburner, not to be nosey, but did you copyright your username?
I know on the keypad you can just type that symbol.
I kinda understand the north/south east/west burn thing and things can get real technical on here about stoves and burning. Directions and angles might have something to it. And proportions. I have some questions about that, 4 pallets, so it looks 8' diameter. And 6' high.
First, I think your hauzen looks great, I like the ones that keep the walls close to the vertical with only a slight lean in just for a small stability measure. The ones that really lean in to the center don't look right. But esthetics might not come into play with function. As we all know.
There seems to be alot of us who are curious about these structures and what I have read thru links from here is a proportion of 8' x 8' with nothing fancy about the roof except the angle you have. (Which I think yours looks great) It looks great, wouldn't mess with it.
If I went to the trouble I would want the structure to stay a while, Id probably use oak. Since it sits around forever anyway.
So, question? Why 6'? Did you have to use a ladder or scaffolding? And reaching in toward the center with splits looks backbreaking. 8' diameter with a 4' radius, thats a long reach.
I would probably quit at 6' too, but Im superstitious about correct proportions.
Question 2, the shorties...alot of people throw wood inside haphazard and it makes sense but what Ive read is you need to create a wind or airflow direction for the proper drying(or quicker drying) So the wood in the center gets stacked on end angled toward the center, sort of forming a teepee. With the outer row or wall resting against the inner. To help draw the air up thru the center.
I want to do this and its all great but I realistically see myself throwing crotches and twisted knot pieces in the center any which way.
Question 3, have you heard about the use of a pole in the center to measure drying? On 8' it will drop anywhere around 7". Would you try this?
Question 4, how were the pallets to work on? Do you think they will stay sound? Do you think it helps dry?

No my handle isnt copywrited. I'm just on so many forums the same old user name gets boring so I try to spice it up with symbols. If you have a regular keyboard and are using windows that symbol is: press and hold alt + (numpad) 0169 then release alt. Often times a username I want is already taken but if I take on something like that then it is unique.

This stack was purely for something interesting to do. I don't buy into any special seasoning ability, windows, special way of stacking the inside, etc. There is a chance I may be selling the house sometime, so besides my own curiosity of HH I thought it might also look a little nicer for folks that may be interested in the house. Speaking of making a 'window', I doubt the outer wall restricts much airflow that a window would make any discernible difference. It least with my fairly open stacking, heck I could put my fist through the gaps here and there, its much looser stacked than a regular one. Now some pics I have seen online they somehow get them much tighter, perhaps it would make some difference then but still I find it hard to believe.

6' was just random. Actually its about all the wood I had split at the time. Its about all I could do without breaking out the ladder (though I did need a stool and then a ladder for the finishes touches of the roof). If I did it over again I might go about another foot, IDK. It greatly adds to the time and 'fiddle factor' having to use a latter to stack each piece once you get that high.

I had not heard of the pole. But I'm not to worried this is 100% ash and I'll be burning some of it this winter even, so I'm pretty confident it would be dry next year. However now I also have a pellet stove in the mix, there is a chance that this (or maybe another HH or whatever else I stack) might even go year after next.

As far as pallets I have always used them. I say sure it helps them dry as opposed to sitting on dirt. But I think getting them on the dirt with anything should have the same effect. They last maybe 3-4 years against the dirt... maybe longer if once the stack is burned in winter if they are put away and allowed to dry instead of being in the weather all the time. But hey they are just free pallets scrounged from local business. Only thing you have to be careful to only step on the parts of the pallets with the support under - especially once they start ageing. I've broken several of the slats just by stepping on them. But they seem to hold up the wood piles just fine. This is the first year I've put plastic down underneath them, to act as a vapor barrier and to stop grass and weeds from still growing up through the pallets. And I have all these plastic bags from pellets, and salt for the softener, so I just cut them open flat and overlapped them.

Ohioburner, it looks good, especially for a first attempt! I'd leave the roof alone, it looks fine to me. The only thing I'd change on your next one, is to put in some small splits perpendicular to the stacks. You can see some in Therivermonster's. This will keep the logs tipping towards the center and make it more stable. It will also help with that gap issue you mention.

Yeah I was prepared to put pieces in cross wise if my walls started going flat but never had that issue. Enough of my pieces were bigger on one end that when they started going a bit flatter I used those pieces with the bigger end out and seemed to maintain a good lean all the way.

 

[BrotherBart]

Just make it dual purpose.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Yeah I've seen that one before that’s crazy!

Would be a lot quicker to do seeing how it doesnt look like they split a single piece.

 

[bwise.157]

I have made 10 HH's over the last couple of years. They work great for me. No need for a wood shed! I just toss splits in the middle. Much quicker to stack! Below are two of the four I have right now. All are about 8' diameter, 6' high. Stone base.

OhioBurner - Where you located? I am around Newark.

(broken image removed)

 

[SawdustSA]

I started stacking my 5th one last night and noticed how much quicker it goes with some practise. My 1st one took a while. You soon learn which way a split should be layed down to keep the angles correct and which ones should go in the middle.
My splits are short due to my stove size, so straight stacks are not stable enough. HH works better for me.