diff --git a/mine.lua b/mine.lua
index d2eb74f..2912df1 100644
--- a/mine.lua
+++ b/mine.lua
@@ -6,9 +6,13 @@ local FUEL_RESERVE = 800
 local FUEL_REFUEL_UNIT = 8 -- how many items to refuel with at a time
 local FULL_CHECK_SLOT = 14 -- slot to check for "fullness"
 
+
+-- what size is good for a medium-size piece
+local MED_DIM = 11
+
 -- what size of a dimension is considered big enough to split into medium-size
 -- pieces
-local BIG_DIM = 7
+local BIG_DIM = MED_DIM * 3
 
 local V_ZERO = vector.new(0, 0, 0)
 local UNIT_X = vector.new(1, 0, 0)
@@ -280,32 +284,19 @@ end
 
 function splitHorizontal (block)
     -- TODO make this less naive?
-    -- Future work: potentially split a large block into smaller blocks
-    -- based on currentPos (think splitting down the middle instead of
-    -- splitting off of one end)
-    local differentSigns = function (a, b)
-        return math.abs(a + b) < math.abs(a) + math.abs(b)
-    end
+    local take_amt = 1
     local bigBlock = function (block)
-        return (block.v2.x >= BIG_DIM) and (block.v2.z >= BIG_DIM)
+        return (block.v2.x >= BIG_DIM) or (block.v2.z >= BIG_DIM)
     end
-    local inMiddleOfBlock = function (block)
-        local middle_of_x = differentSigns(block.v1.x, block.v2.x)
-        local middle_of_z = differentSigns(block.v1.z, block.v2.z)
-        return middle_of_x or middle_of_z
-    end
-    local inMiddleOfBigBlock = function (block)
-        return bigBlock(block) and inMiddleOfBlock(block)
-    end
-    if inMiddleOfBigBlock(block) then
-        -- TODO split the big block at where the turtle is near
+    if bigBlock(block) then
+        take_amt = MED_DIM
     end
     -- decide whether to take a slice off of the x or z direction
-    -- (criteria: take the dimension that is not too big)
-    if math.abs(block.v2.z) < BIG_DIM then
-        return block:take(1, "z")
+    -- (criteria: bite a piece off the bigger dimension)
+    if math.abs(block.v2.z) >= math.abs(block.v2.x) then
+        return block:take(take_amt, "z")
     else
-        return block:take(1, "x")
+        return block:take(take_amt, "x")
     end
 end