Stump

Build your own set. For the love of play.

A round log stump plus a handful of long nails and one hammer. Genuinely easy: a couple of hours if you have a log, mostly drying time and a little sanding.

Materials

• 1 round hardwood or softwood log section. The German Der Stumpf standard calls for a 60 to 80 cm (24 to 31 in) diameter round and the US Hammer-Schlagen trademark asks for at least 18 in (46 cm) across, but for a backyard game none of that is required: any sturdy round works, and an easy-to-find 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 in) log is plenty. Cut it tall enough to bring the top to about 80 to 90 cm (31 to 35 in) off the ground when stood on the floor. Birch, oak, maple, or pine all work. A fresh-cut round is fine, but a seasoned (dried) one will not split as easily.
• Long bright steel nails: 100 to 150 mm (4 to 6 in) common nails. Get a box. You need one per player per round, plus spares because they bend.
• One cross-peen hammer, blacksmith hammer, or a 16 oz brick hammer with a wedge-shaped (not sharp) striking end. A regular claw hammer also works for a casual home set.
• Optional: exterior wood sealer or boiled linseed oil for the end grain, and 4 short rubber or wooden feet, or a wider base round, for stability.

Cut list

• 1 log stump: any sturdy round works for backyard play (an easy-to-find 30 to 50 cm / 12 to 20 in log is plenty); the Der Stumpf competition standard is a wider 60 to 80 cm (24 to 31 in). Cut the height so the flat top sits about 80 to 90 cm (31 to 35 in) from the floor when standing. Both ends cut square and flat.
• Nails: 100 to 150 mm (4 to 6 in) long. One per player per game, plus spares.

Steps

1. Pick your log. A round 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 in) across gives plenty of room for 6 to 8 nails and is easy to source. Go wider, up toward the 60 to 80 cm (24 to 31 in) competition size, if you want big groups.
2. Cut both ends square so the stump stands flat and the playing surface is level. Aim for the top to land around 80 to 90 cm (31 to 35 in) off the floor, the comfortable Der Stumpf playing height. If your log is short, that is fine for a tabletop version.
3. Let the log dry if it is fresh-cut. Green wood splits and lets nails fly. A few weeks in a dry spot, or buy a seasoned round, saves you grief.
4. Sand or plane the top face smooth and knock the sharp edge off the rim so nobody catches a knuckle.
5. Seal the end grain with linseed oil or exterior sealer if you want it to last outdoors. Leave the top face bare so nails bite cleanly.
6. Add stability if it wobbles: screw on a wider base round, or four rubber feet. A tippy stump is a bad stump.
7. Test-tap a nail. It should stand on its own when started about 25 mm (1 in) deep and not fling out when struck at an angle. That is your sweet spot.

Notes

Verified playing dimensions come from Der Stumpf and Hammer-Schlagen: top of the log about 80 to 90 cm (31 to 35 in) off the floor. On diameter there is no backyard-versus-competition rulebook: the German Der Stumpf standard is a single 60 to 80 cm (24 to 31 in) round, and the US Hammer-Schlagen trademark only asks that the wood be at least 18 in (46 cm) across. A smaller 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 in) log is not a regulation, it is just a practical, easy-to-find size that plays great in the yard. Nails are 100 to 150 mm (4 to 6 in); WorldStump calls 4 to 6 in ideal, Hammer-Schlagen uses 16d common nails about 9 cm (3.5 in) protruding roughly 38 mm (1.5 in). Tolerances are forgiving: this is a folk game, not joinery. The two things that matter are a dry, split-resistant log and a wedge-faced hammer head. No measurement here is critical to the millimeter.

Made with love by Moehr Games. Build it, play it, pass it on.