Alternative hearth stand

[mfiore]

Somewhere buried in this forum, I recall an 'H' shaped hearth stand that allowed more shallow access to the wood storage areas from front and back, rather than a deep one in the front.

Can someone comment on this or point me in the right direction (preferably with photos)?

Mike

[mfiore]

This was either missed or ignored, so I'm trying again

Originally Posted by mfiore

Somewhere buried in this forum, I recall an 'H' shaped hearth stand that allowed more shallow access to the wood storage areas from front and back, rather than a deep one in the front.

Can someone comment on this or point me in the right direction (preferably with photos)?

Mike

[thebadger]

Mfiore,

I recall that as well but wasn't able to find it. I have a lot of trouble searching the forum (is there a primer out there?) There's just such a huge amount of data that it sometimes is overwhelming especially when you know you've seen but can't remember where...

Regarding your question. My opinioin is that it would work but you would have a space on both sides of the oven. Somenone built a pie shape stand that had open wedges... I think the original plans make the most sense (at least for me) as I plan to put a door on the front to keep my wood drier.

Thanks
Dick

[mfiore]

I agree with trouble searching through such a large forum (over 30k postings now).

The reason I am considering an alternative stand is that it seems the traditional one is very deep, and might be difficult to bend down, crawl in, and get the wood in the back. Two doors, one in front and one in back, might provide two shallow wood storage units without that deep back.

[CajunKnight]

I was also considering the two sided storage stand when I begin. I also plan to have the storage openings to the sides rather than in front below oven opening.
First the H design stand I feel would be stronger supporting the weight and would make the storage area shallower. Also with the seperate compartments you have a better way of seperating types of wood for different use. Or a way to seperate well seasoned wood from not so well seasoned wood. Also as a side note lighting inside the stand would be a must for me. I like to see where I am putting my hands.

Now for the openings being on the sides I like this idea simply because I for one do not like surprises. I have been living in the country all of my life and wood piles and wood storage sheds have always been around. It never fails that a critter of some sort will decide to make a home inside the wood pile. Now picture this... You have a massive pizza with the works on the peel coming out of your WFO and you have the pride of knowing you made it and its going to be great. (Its what my wife calls porky puffing. Thats when your chest swells to twice its normal size and you grin ear to ear). Now remember this pizza just exited a 885 degree oven and you notice a rat or snake has just crawled out of the wood storage area. DISASTER, the hospital personell will be talking about it for years when they were hit in the ER by several people suffering 2nd and 3rd degree burns after some kind of pizza party mishap.

So with this in mind I plan to move the end wall to center leaving openings on both sides and stepping to one side or the other to retrieve another piece of wood for the fire. And dont forget that sometimes if the wood isnt stacked properly that it can shift and toes and firewood sliding off top of pile are never a good combination.

[Dutchoven]

I don't recall seeing one on the forum here...but I know I have seen one... I will do some research and get something for you...I think I actually saw one with even a variation on the "H"...kind of like the Roman Numeral II turned sideways...even more shallow storage areas
Best
Dutch

[SpringJim]

Mike and Dick....just do it....and make sure you post pics of your H build...

....makes sense to me

[gjbingham]

There's three or four H designs at least. When you search, click on the posts box vs. the thead option. There's a lot to learn. You might just save yourself a lot of worries reading a bit more.

The H design is simple though. It uses the standard stand design with openings both in front and back. You need an additional iron angle to bridge the gap of the second opening and you lay concrete blocks side to side in the center, effectively cutting the base of the stand in half - front and back, hence the H design name.

Additionally, you can use two sideways openings, but that gives you the same depth of the wood storage area and smaller openings. Read up!

[carioca]

My I blow my own horn here and recommend my definitely unorthodox star-shaped support structure with a round hearth slab?

Have a look at Picasa Web Albums - carioca - Forno_del_gallo

Cheers,

LMH

[david s]

I agree abou the side storage under the oven for wood. As the wood invariably spills out at the front this creates a fire hazzard for falling coals. The side storage eliminates this problem. Have just finished an oven for my daughter which I made a steel stand because it's mounted on a wooden deck. The oven weighs 200kg and I made the stand from thin walled 40 mm square galv steel. It's ok but if I were to do it again I'd go to 60 mm or use a thick walled steel because there is some flex in the present stand. Shall post a pic when I get one.