I built tonogodhime… but elevated it on pallets to keep it drier

PalletPilot first season
Posted: Sep 6, 2007 · 8:22 AM
I built a tonogodhime stack (alternating 2×2 log layers, rotated 90° each layer), but I put it on pallets because my yard stays wet and I thought it would keep the logs drier. Now the stack feels a bit wobbly and the logs seem to dry unevenly.

Did I just invent a bad version of tonogodhime?
SoilSettler
Posted: Sep 6, 2007 · 8:41 AM
Tonogodhime traditionally sits directly on the ground. The base logs settle in and add friction so the whole “log cabin” locks up. Pallets are slick and springy, so you lose that stability.
MoistureMath wet site
Posted: Sep 6, 2007 · 9:05 AM
Elevation changes moisture behavior a lot. On soil, the logs buffer moisture and don’t swing as hard. On a pallet, airflow under the stack can dry the bottom fast while the top stays damp after rain.

If your ground is truly swampy, I’d move to a better draining spot rather than pallet it.
PalletPilot
Posted: Sep 6, 2007 · 9:18 AM
That explains what I’m seeing. I might scrape a patch and set it on soil instead of trying to “engineer” around the wet spot.