Making Half-Tires

To make the half tire, lay the tire to be cut atop the packed tire adjacent that it will eventually be attached to, align it with it's final position below, and mark the radius you will cut, with a pen.  First, make the center cut with a Sawzall and a hack-saw blade.  Then, make the four "bead" cuts with the bolt cutter.  Next, make the sidewall cuts with the jig-saw and the special blade described here.

Now, open the flaps and snug the half tire up into it's final position and screw the flaps to the adjacent packed tire with at least eight #10 x 2" construction screws for each flap.  The half tire is now ready to be filled with earth and compacted as the others.  Be careful not to over-compact.

Note: When a half-tire is employed to end a wall, the whole tire in this assembly should be located at the actual end of the wall, as seen below.   

Two, 2'-long rebar stakes should be 'nailed' through the packed center of each whole tire to 'nail' it to the tire below.  Placing the half-tire between two whole tires supports the attachment of the flaps and precludes any failures.