This struck a chord! Sometimes I suffer from Impulsive Curiosity. "I wonder what will happen if...?" I like to think of it as a semi-scientific version of "Hold my beer & watch this".
We have a saying around here for that instance. When we look at bent mesh floors, bent tongues and axles, busted (cheep) shovels, pails that have carried too much, knives used as can openers, or anything else pushed to their mechanical capacity...and perhaps beyond . . . we'd describe that item as Russel-ized (if my last name was Russel). Hence I have started overbuilding everything I can, and I try to buy things whose mechanical capacity I'm very unlikely to exceed.
I like and use this approach. I split with the hydro and load directly into the wheeler. When the wheeler is full, off to the stack for placement. A change of pace and, as you said, don't have to look at that seemingly insurmountable pile of splits!repeat!
Not a great picture but what I found. Keep 3-4 totes by the splitter and toss as we split. Some totes are left as thrown-in while we stack others. This allows us to sort the wood as we go as well, short, long, chunks or firepit wood. He then uses his tractor to move and the cycle continues.
I really like the way you guys have come up with to stack splits . I’ve been cribbing the ends for so long that I find it quick and easy . Have 6 stacks like this around the property and will start another shortly . But , as you may have noticed , I have an Aspen that needs to be disposed of first , and a gate to hang . . Shame that Aspen is almost useless for firewood .
I am eyeing over 5’ tall (minimum; assuming 4’ gate height) and stack looks to be longer than 2 gate lengths