# Wood Splitter Advice



## reaperman (Sep 30, 2007)

Ok, I've been delaying the inevitable for a few years now, its time to buy a splitter.  I'm sick of renting, just feel too rushed get it all done at once.  And my back will be much happier if I split at my leisure.  There aren't too many options in my area for splitters to purchase.  I have Home Depot, and Menards, which both carry the identical splitter.  Which doesnt appeal to me at all.  I do have a Northern Tool store which is new in town.  And the local chainsaw dealer who sells Timberwolf splitters.  I've looked at the Timberwolf, and they do look like a great unit, but 2k, is a bit spendy.  Northern tool does seem to have some nice units which are more reasonably priced than the timberwolf.  And some of the units have a higher tonnage rating than the timberwolf for less $$.  And the Northern 20 ton is a thousand less.  I really dont split that much wood each season.  Somewhere around 6 cords or so.  Is there such a thing as overkill in a splitter.  The one I rent locally has a 5hp briggs, 2 stage pump, and seems to work fine.  I keep asking the shop owner to sell it to me, but he said he has rented that unit out for at least 15 years now and has no reason to upgrade to a new rental unit.  Cant blame him, either.  I know the honda gx engines are very dependable and used in all aspects of construction work.  But if I'm only using it for 6 cords/year, an engine like that particular model may not be necessary.  My woods is primarly red oak, and ash, which both split pretty well.  Looking for input, please.  Thanks.


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## elkimmeg (Sep 30, 2007)

what about a 16 ton electric splitter, no noise, no fumes, no engine repairs, switch it on and off.  it will handle 6 cords a year easily


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## Rich M (Sep 30, 2007)

The Northern Tool splitters have a very good reputation, I would go that route for sure. 20 tons should be plenty for your type and quantity of wood. I don't recommend spending the extra for higher ton rating. The big 37 ton units with 9hp motors are more commericial grade, and the 27 ton units are usually under powered and slower. I've got a 22 ton Huskee with a 6.5hp and 11gpm pump and it splits everything I throw at it (mostly white oak) without ever bogging down. Cycle time is 14 seconds which is a fast enough pace for me. If you ever deal with large rounds the vertical/horizontal option is a great feature. 

I finally retired my maul this season and boy has it been nice.


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 30, 2007)

In your area there should be a Tractor Supply Store and they sell splitters too. We got ours at Quality Farm & Fleet, which was bought out by Tractor Supply...but they were the same things anyway.

Number one in a splitter that I would recommend is to get one that you can stand vertical. Using a splitter and still lifting those blocks up onto the splitter never made a lick of sense to me. Get a 20 ton that you can stand and then you just roll the blocks onto the splitter...no lifting.

5hp is plenty to run this type of splitter. Ours has a Briggs & Stratton. Our neighbor bought one with the Honda. Both have been trouble free. The only thing I don't like with the newer ones that have no throttle control, but you could put one on easy enough.


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## budman (Sep 30, 2007)

reaperman said:
			
		

> Ok, I've been delaying the inevitable for a few years now, its time to buy a splitter.  I'm sick of renting, just feel too rushed get it all done at once.  And my back will be much happier if I split at my leisure.  There aren't too many options in my area for splitters to purchase.  I have Home Depot, and Menards, which both carry the identical splitter.  Which doesnt appeal to me at all.  I do have a Northern Tool store which is new in town.  And the local chainsaw dealer who sells Timberwolf splitters.  I've looked at the Timberwolf, and they do look like a great unit, but 2k, is a bit spendy.  Northern tool does seem to have some nice units which are more reasonably priced than the timberwolf.  And some of the units have a higher tonnage rating than the timberwolf for less $$.  And the Northern 20 ton is a thousand less.  I really dont split that much wood each season.  Somewhere around 6 cords or so.  Is there such a thing as overkill in a splitter.  The one I rent locally has a 5hp briggs, 2 stage pump, and seems to work fine.  I keep asking the shop owner to sell it to me, but he said he has rented that unit out for at least 15 years now and has no reason to upgrade to a new rental unit.  Cant blame him, either.  I know the honda gx engines are very dependable and used in all aspects of construction work.  But if I'm only using it for 6 cords/year, an engine like that particular model may not be necessary.  My woods is primarly red oak, and ash, which both split pretty well.  Looking for input, please.  Thanks.


Reaperman'I own a mtd from hd and split 6 cords a year i am now going on the fourth year
and have not had one problem with it.So far i split 19 cords with it.


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## MrGriz (Sep 30, 2007)

I went the Northern Tool route and bought a North Star from them. It's a 20 ton with a Honda engine and I love it. It has ran flawlessly and handled everything I've thrown through it.

I would say that any well built splitter in the 20 ton range with about a 5hp motor should take care of your needs very well and last a good long time. There are a lot of subtle differences between the different brands of splitters, but they are all built around the same basic design. I would agree that the ability to split horizontally and vertically is very important. I also liked the fact that the wedge on mine wraps around the I-beam, rather than riding in a channel mounted to the top of the beam. That channel just looked like a good spot to get clogged up with all sorts of debris. The unit I bought also has a cradle on either side of the beam to keep the logs from rolling off and to help hold them when split. I would also say that auto return is a must, but most of the splitters I looked at had this feature.

One thing that I don't like about the North Star is that mine doesn't have a hydraulic fluid filter. That's not a tough thing to add though; it just keeps sliding down the list of things to do.


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## budman (Sep 30, 2007)

MrGriz said:
			
		

> I went the Northern Tool route and bought a North Star from them. It's a 20 ton with a Honda engine and I love it. It has ran flawlessly and handled everything I've thrown through it.
> 
> I would say that any well built splitter in the 20 ton range with about a 5hp motor should take care of your needs very well and last a good long time. There are a lot of subtle differences between the different brands of splitters, but they are all built around the same basic design. I would agree that the ability to split horizontally and vertically is very important. I also liked the fact that the wedge on mine wraps around the I-beam, rather than riding in a channel mounted to the top of the beam. That channel just looked like a good spot to get clogged up with all sorts of debris. The unit I bought also has a cradle on either side of the beam to keep the logs from rolling off and to help hold them when split. I would also say that auto return is a must, but most of the splitters I looked at had this feature.
> 
> One thing that I don't like about the North Star is that mine doesn't have a hydraulic fluid filter. That's not a tough thing to add though; it just keeps sliding down the list of things to do.


MrGriz i would have bought one from NT but i do not have a store any where near and they
kill you with shipping. :ahhh:


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## Rich M (Sep 30, 2007)

MrGriz said:
			
		

> i would have bought one from NT but i do not have a store any where near and they kill you with shipping. :ahhh:



Same here.


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## MrGriz (Oct 1, 2007)

I'm not shilling for Northern Tool, just reporting on my experience with their product.  In the end, there were only a few slight differences that pushed me to go that route; and the fact that I was sick and tired of looking at splitters and just wanted to get out and start splitting some wood.

When you look at the mechanics of a log splitter, they are all basically the same; motor, pump, valve, ram, wedge, beam etc...  As long as the basic components are of good qulaity, the rest is almost asthetics.  Some have controls in a bit easier to reach place or offer a few extra bells and whistles.  Unless you're making a living out of splitting wood, any 20 ton ish, about 5hp splitter; put together out of decent quality components should do just fine.

FWIW, if there wasn't a Northern Tool close by, I would not have paid the shipping for their equipment.


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## carbon neutral (Oct 1, 2007)

Hi, I also broke down and bought a wood splitter.  I looked at several different units and found that Harbor freight actually carried a nice wood splitter.  I know harbor freight isn't known for the best quality tools but I am happy with the unit I bought.  It has a subaru (robin) 6hp engine, a barnes hydraulic pump, and has a 22 ton ram.  The I-beam is very heavy duty and over all the unit is as well made as any other that I have seen or used in the past.  I paid $860 for it 2 years ago and shipping was free.  To date I have had no trouble with it and would definately purchase it again.  Hope this helps.  Dave


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## BrotherBart (Oct 1, 2007)

clarkharms said:
			
		

> Hi, I also broke down and bought a wood splitter.  I looked at several different units and found that Harbor freight actually carried a nice wood splitter.  I know harbor freight isn't known for the best quality tools but I am happy with the unit I bought.  It has a subaru (robin) 6hp engine, a barnes hydraulic pump, and has a 22 ton ram.  The I-beam is very heavy duty and over all the unit is as well made as any other that I have seen or used in the past.  I paid $860 for it 2 years ago and shipping was free.  To date I have had no trouble with it and would definately purchase it again.  Hope this helps.  Dave



Yeah that is something Harbor just started this year. They will ship splitters you order to the local store on the truck with stock orders so you don't have to pay shipping for it.


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## carbon neutral (Oct 1, 2007)

I don't know about shipping to the store, when I ordered they sent the splitter to my house.  Perhaps it varies with region or the higher cost of fuel forced Harbor Freight to cut back on a relatively generous shipping policy.  I did want to add that mine is also horizontal/vertical and would highly recomend this feature with any unit someone may buy.  I rarely use it in the vertical because the wood I split isn't that big in diameter, however because the splitting wedge is on the ram as opposed to the I-beam I only have to lift the log section onto the I beam once.  I then splt the log in half the one half drops off the side and then I split the other half as many times as needed to get the size I want.  Pick up the first half that fell off and repeat.  With the wedge on the I-beam the wood gets pushed off the end each time and  would need to be picked up with each split.  My back aches enough from splitting wood so the fewer times I have to bend over the better.


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## Rich M (Oct 1, 2007)

MrGriz said:
			
		

> When you look at the mechanics of a log splitter, they are all basically the same; motor, pump, valve, ram, wedge, beam etc...  As long as the basic components are of good qulaity, the rest is almost asthetics.



Mine has a vertical shaft motor, one of the reasons it's only $1000. This puts the pump and filter below the motor and at greater risk during towing. For the price I can live with it but it's more than aesthetic.

I liked the Northern Tools splitters for, among other things, the 4 way splitter option. 

I chose mine based on:

1) price (mine had been used as a demo for about 10 pieces of wood - 10% discount = $900 + tax)
2) locally available (50 miles, I brought it home on a trailer - no way would I tow the splitter that distance)
3) parts availability/brand reputation (Huskee is made by Speeco, they have good customer service)

You are absolutely right that any 20(+) ton splitter will do the job regardless of brand. The 4 mentioned in this thread all have happy owners.


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## BurningIsLove (Oct 1, 2007)

check out "The Gear" section of Hearth.com, there is some good information in the reviews for splitters (including the Harbor Freight)


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## budman (Oct 1, 2007)

clarkharms said:
			
		

> I don't know about shipping to the store, when I ordered they sent the splitter to my house.  Perhaps it varies with region or the higher cost of fuel forced Harbor Freight to cut back on a relatively generous shipping policy.  I did want to add that mine is also horizontal/vertical and would highly recomend this feature with any unit someone may buy.  I rarely use it in the vertical because the wood I split isn't that big in diameter, however because the splitting wedge is on the ram as opposed to the I-beam I only have to lift the log section onto the I beam once.  I then splt the log in half the one half drops off the side and then I split the other half as many times as needed to get the size I want.  Pick up the first half that fell off and repeat.  With the wedge on the I-beam the wood gets pushed off the end each time and  would need to be picked up with each split.  My back aches enough from splitting wood so the fewer times I have to bend over the better.


I always put mine in the vertical and sit on a round while i split and keep other round
to the right of me for the beer can. :roll:


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## BrotherBart (Oct 1, 2007)

budman said:
			
		

> I always put mine in the vertical and sit on a round while i split and keep other round
> to the right of me for the beer can. :roll:



Yep, no better feeling in the world than having to stand up and split the "stool" because it is the last one.


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## budman (Oct 1, 2007)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> budman said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hit the nail on the head did ya. :lol:By the way BB i know where you gots that avtar from
it starts with arb.


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## Gooserider (Oct 2, 2007)

The thread seemed more appropriate to "The Gear" so I've moved it over.  While I was att it, I fixed the title spelling.

Gooserider


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## bjorn773 (Oct 2, 2007)

I have to agree with those recommending the vertical option. I personally have only used mine horizontal once. I can't see the logic in lifting every piece up there. Most of my stash this year came from a 35 inch oak, so lifting was not an option. I have a 25 ton Speeco, 9 hp briggs motor and have not stopped it yet. I have however bent the base that is welded to the I beam (1 1/2" plate steel). Now that's a testament to the power of hydraulics. The 9hp is probably overkill, but may also be why I've not been able to stall it with anything I've thrown at it.


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## computeruser (Oct 3, 2007)

With a Northern Tool store nearby, I think that your decision on where to buy will be a simple one.

I upgraded to a splitter this year, after a couple years of splitting by hand.  In the past year I was getting too many gnarly, knotty pieces of hickory, maple, and whatnot, that splitting by hand was tedious and stopped being fun.  I wanted to find a splitter that was light and small enough to fit in my small garage and to single-handedly load into my trailer.  And I wanted a horizontal-only unit.

In the end I went with a Timberwolf TW-P1, with a 4-way wedge.  If y'all knew what I paid, you'd probably have a heart attack and some serious jealousy; suffice it to say, I got an incredible deal.  I would have had a harder time justifying an entry-level Timberwolf at $1800-2000, and would have given serious consideration to the merits of either going with one of their larger/faster models, or going with a Northern Tool or Speeco/TSC machine.  

I think that the decision to go horizontal or horizontal-vertical will depend in large measure on three factors: what you're splitting (species, size), whether you work alone, and whether you intend to break huge chunks apart with your saw first.  I split whatever I get, from 8" cherry and ash up to 70" oak.  I have the ability to rip blocks into manageable chunks and often split with friends, so most everything can be broken down to pieces liftable by one or two people.  For me, the horizontal choice was the best one.

Another consideration with the horizontal models is the ability to run a 4-way wedge.  I am SO pleased with the 4-way that I have on my splitter, especially for smaller logs.  I split most of my wood smaller than most of y'all, since I burn in fireplaces and firepits, and split for family and friends who do the same.  The ability to split a 12" log into quarters in one pass is a great thing for my splitting activities; it would take two or three passes with a regular wedge setup.  The scale of efficiency that comes from the ability to run a 4-way more than makes up for the lifting of the logs, in my opinion.

Yet another point to consider is the quantity of wood you'll be splitting per session, and what you plan to do with it as it falls off the splitter.  The horizontal-only splitter piles the wood beyond the splitter operator's work area, and when the pile gets too big the logs being split either push the top of the pile away to make more room, or they push the splitter away from the pile.  Either way, it is possible to split all day without having to dig out of a pile of split wood, or to have logs falling on or popping in the direction of the operator.  Again, you may or may not see this as a virtue, but it is worth mentioning anyway.

Lastly, tonnage: 20 tons will split darned-near anything you care to split, and this is usually what a 4" cylinder is marketed as being capable of producing (calculated at 3000psi, which few splitters operate at anyway).  Paired with a 11gpm or 16gpm pump, you'll have 13 or 9second cycle times, respectively.  A larger cylinder will require a substantially larger pump (22, 28gpm) and larger engine (11hp, 15hp+) to produce workable cycle times.  The idea of a 20second cycle time seems crazy to me, but that is what some of these massive tonnage budget splitters are going to give you.

Anyway, I just wanted to share a couple thoughts on the virtues of the horizontal-only splitter, since it seems to be an underappreciated tool in this thread!!


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## reaperman (Oct 3, 2007)

I appreciate all of the input.  I havent decided which one I want yet, but I do like one of the Northern Tool splitters in particular.  Its the 30 ton unit, with the honda 5.5 GX.  I will still check with the local chainsaw dealer with the Timberwolf and see if he will budge on his price.  I have purchased many items from him in the past.  Including my current wood furnace, chimney, a few weed eaters, leaf blowers, lawnmower,etc.  

The vertical option is definately a plus, but a horizontal unit isnt out of the question.  The unit I have been renting is horizontal only.  I have found it easy to take the bucket of my Bobcat and place it flush with the bottom of the ram/splitter, on the opposite side of the wood splitter as the operator.  When the log splits, one half just falls into the bobcat bucket instead of falling on the ground.  This way I dont have to bend over to pick them up and I just put all splits into the bucket until its full and dump-er out on a pile.  

I figure the price on the NH splitter is $1500, plus tax another $100, 8-9 gallons of hydro fluid, I'm getting close to a Timberwolf.  I'll keep you posted.


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## Gooserider (Oct 3, 2007)

Just as a side note, I wasn't able to do it consistently, but I was frequently doing 2-4 way splits with my friends splitter in vertical mode.  I would be splitting slabs off the side of the log to get roughly square chunks, then I would come down once or twice in one direction, but not let the splits fall completely apart, then turn the block 90* and come down again, making 4-6 splits in 2-3 ram cycles.

That said, I can't see any reason why one wouldn't be able to run a 4 (or more) way wedge on a vertical unit as long as it was strong enough.  Given that I was having the occasional gnarly round that made me have to make multiple tries, and / or really strain to get through the log with a single wedge, I'm not sure a 4-way would really give that much of a big productivity boost, but I guess that depends on what you are splitting.  The gnarly oak that I was doing it definitely would have been a mixed bag.

My method of operating was to set up the splitter vertically as close to the left side of my log area as possible (I wouldn't call it a pile, as most of the logs were just laying on the ground where they fell while being cut, or I had shoved them to get them out of the way)  I would pull a log into the splitter from my right and start working on it.  As I got a split the size I liked, I'd lob it as far as I easily could to my left, creating a "finished splits" pile.  After a while I'd run out of easily reached logs, so I'd get up and queue up a few by rolling them over to where I could reach them while sitting in front of the splitter.  

After a while my "done" pile would get big enough that it was starting to get close to my working area, and at the same time I'd be starting to have to roll the logs further than I liked in order to queue them up.  So I would stop the splitter, and move it over 10 feet or so to the new edge of the log area and repeat...  I ended up with about 3-4 moves, not a big deal, and this was while splitting up rounds that were a struggle to even get into position on the vertical splitter while working by myself - I could never have gotten them onto a horizontal unit, and I suspect that an electric would have laughed at them...  

Even if there were multiple people, I still think a vertical unit might be best - have one person sitting in front of the splitter working it, while the others feed him logs and / or take away the finished splits.

While Computeruser makes some nice points about the setup for doing horizontal, I am still of the opinion that vertical is better for most setups when you don't have extra people or equipment around to help with it...  (and I note that there are very few vertical only units - a dual mode unit is probably the best for maximum versatility.

Gooserider


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## GeeWizMan (Oct 3, 2007)

Excellent discussion here everyone.  I can't add much except to say that when we bought our log splitter 12 years ago, a Huskee from Tractor Supply, I thought that I would never use the horizontal position and I was wrong.  I do use the vertical position more often, but I am glad that I can put it in the horizontal position from time to time.  Especially when I have people helping me by bringing me logs to split and taking away the splits.  It is nice to have the flexability to go both ways. :cheese: 

George


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## rbcss (Oct 3, 2007)

MrGriz said:
			
		

> I'm not shilling for Northern Tool, just reporting on my experience with their product.  In the end, there were only a few slight differences that pushed me to go that route; and the fact that I was sick and tired of looking at splitters and just wanted to get out and start splitting some wood.
> 
> When you look at the mechanics of a log splitter, they are all basically the same; motor, pump, valve, ram, wedge, beam etc...  As long as the basic components are of good qulaity, the rest is almost asthetics.  Some have controls in a bit easier to reach place or offer a few extra bells and whistles.  Unless you're making a living out of splitting wood, any 20 ton ish, about 5hp splitter; put together out of decent quality components should do just fine.
> 
> FWIW, if there wasn't a Northern Tool close by, I would not have paid the shipping for their equipment.



I agree with this message there really not much to a splitter. I would go with a veritcal option and a motor that has a throttle you can kick up. my neighbor bought one from Lowes with a stioniary throttle and everytime it hit a log it seem like the engine wants to die and it's extremly SLOW. I have one through Northern for around 20 years and hundreds of cores of wood and never had a problem until this year when the engine finialy blew. I repowered it for less than 200.00 dollars, and 20 minutes of my time.  and expecting to split hundereds more.


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## BurningIsLove (Oct 4, 2007)

We do the same method that Craig mentions (splitting most of the way, then rotating 90 degrees and doing it again) w/ our Harbor Freight splitter.  It is definitely powerful enough to support a 4 way wedge, so we're considering a(nother) home-made modification to the splitter to make changing wedges easy.   Sometimes when I'm splitting a monster, knotty round it would be nicer to have the standard wedge vs. a 4-way.

As for vertical vs. horizontal, I did 2 hours vertical, then 2 hours horizontal, then 2 hours vertical.  I found my back hurt a lot more running it in horizontal mode as I was constantly stooping to hold the log in place on the beam and going up-down-up-down.  Squatting while operating it vertically didnt make it sore.  I definitely also like the idea of keeping a round next to me to hold a cold beverage.


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## BurningIsLove (Oct 4, 2007)

also geewhizman, $1500 sounds rather steep for only a 5.5HP engine.... the harbor freight splitters (24 & 30 ton) both come w/ a 9HP (Robin) engine.....altho at least on the 24 ton, the hydraulic pump is the weak link, not the engine.


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## drmiller100 (Oct 4, 2007)

BurningIsLove said:
			
		

> also geewhizman, $1500 sounds rather steep for only a 5.5HP engine.... the harbor freight splitters (24 & 30 ton) both come w/ a 9HP (Robin) engine.....altho at least on the 24 ton, the hydraulic pump is the weak link, not the engine.



buy the good oil, and the pump will last a LOT longer then the engine. the engines all have a known life expectancy. the pumps last a VERY long time with good oil.


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## Woodsroad (Oct 4, 2007)

I enjoy the challange of finding my limit... 24"x 16" round? 30"x 16" round? Oak? Polar? Hickory? Keep it horizontal as long as possible, I have 2 herniated disks in the lower back, and crouching is NOT for me!
 Odd, I can lift a bg round, but not bend over it...


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## GeeWizMan (Oct 4, 2007)

BurningIsLove said:
			
		

> also geewhizman, $1500 sounds rather steep for only a 5.5HP engine.... the harbor freight splitters (24 & 30 ton) both come w/ a 9HP (Robin) engine.....altho at least on the 24 ton, the hydraulic pump is the weak link, not the engine.



There are other splitters out there that hinge the beam so it can be placed in the horizontal or vertical position that cost less than 1,500 dollars.  For instance,  Tractor Supply carries a Huskee 22 ton splitter for just under 1,000 dollars.  I've had one for 12 years that works great.

George


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## velvetfoot (Oct 4, 2007)

It probably is a good thing to be able to mix it up, horizontally and vertically, just for physiological reasons.
I split most of my wood this year (first time with splitter) in the vertical position, however, after starting horizontal.
Rounds rolled into staging position, then tossing splits to pile.
What's with the "rotating 90 degrees "?  Don't you guys mean 180 degrees?
Also, after I finished with a real high pile of wood, I reflected that throwing all that wood up there was a big waste of effort and I should've started stacking the wood in parallel.
I second the adjustable throttle;  mine was at 1/3 or so the whole time.


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## carbon neutral (Oct 4, 2007)

Any idea what the premium or better brand pumps are?  My unit has the haldex/barnes pump.
Some of this I am sure will be subjective.  The guy who sold me the splitter said they had a lot of trouble with the briggs engine so they switched to the robin/subaru engine.  In my experience briggs are good engines.  Who can figure, I have a tecumseh 8hp on my chipper that will sart on the first pull and not miss a beat, I also have a 10hp tecumseh on my generator that has never started cold, warm, or in any situation between without the assist of starting fluid shot into the carb first,  once started it will run without a hick-up.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 4, 2007)

So far I really like the 9 hp robin engine on my splitter.
It starts fantastic and is quiet.  It has an overhead cam, if that means anything.
The snowblower has a Tecumseh Sno King motor, and I guess I'm glad it has an electric starter - but that's winter.
I don't plan, anyway, on running the splitter in the winter.

It seems like all you read of is pumps by haldex.


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## BurningIsLove (Oct 4, 2007)

velvefoot,
  What throttle setting do you primarily use when splitting?  I've made the the engine change pitch (work) less than a dozen times in its lifespan (full throttle), wondering if that's a waste?  granted, at full throttle and w/ no load, it's not using much fuel.

As for the rotating, we do mean '90 degrees', not 180.  The splitter I have, like many others, has a large pin that allows the main I-beam/ ram to rotate 90 degrees so that it can be run in vertical & horizontal modes.   The harbor freight splitter is well balanced so it takes very little effort to rotate between modes and/or for towing.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 4, 2007)

My setup just seems to loaf along, and so do I (no hurry), so I think I had it at 1/3 or so.

As far as the other thing goes, this was the quote I was referring to:

Just as a side note, I wasn’t able to do it consistently, but I was frequently doing 2-4 way splits with my friends splitter in vertical mode.  I would be splitting slabs off the side of the log to get roughly square chunks, then I would come down once or twice in one direction, but not let the splits fall completely apart, then turn the block 90* and come down again, making 4-6 splits in 2-3 ram cycles. 

Thinking about it,  that's what I did too.  Kind of criss crossing so they all fall apart.  Many times I just ripped the partially split piece off too, depending on wood.


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## reaperman (Oct 5, 2007)

I just found out there is a Tractor supply store within an hour of my place.  I never knew we had any here in Minnesota yet, I guess I need to get out more.  Maybe I'll take a drive and check out the husky. Northern Tool does have a few different 20 ton splitters for the same price as the Huskee.  Decisions, decisions.


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## wahoowad (Oct 5, 2007)

Tractor Supply managers have lots of leeway in reducing costs/making a deal. And they have stood behind their products far more so than other places, even Lowes where you can 'supposedly' bring anything back. I always buy at Tractor Supply when I can.


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## Larryj24 (Jan 2, 2008)

Guess I'll bring this thread back to life.

Horizontal splitters are far more efficient and more ergonomic for the user. They also offer more options; 4 way, 6 way wedges, Wedge Lifts, Tables, Conveyors, etc. You really should not put a 4 way wedge on a splitter where the wedge is on the piston. It will try to twist if you hit a knot. Also, horizontal splitters, if you use it in one area, can be modified easy enough for production. A simple I-Beam height table with a ramp and a helper will make splitting fast. Horizontal splitters also have provisions for Log Lifts. When logs are small enough; you can pre load the lift so they just keep rolling into the splitter as you need. The proper towing position for a horizontal splitter would be to have the tong on the engine side so you are splitting away from the hitch. This allows you to keep it hooked to the Tractor, Quad, Truck and just pull forward if the pile gets to large. By doing that in reverse, you have to pull the splitter through the pile or keep moving the pile.

For these reasons Horizontal is best for production. However, most home owners will not need speed and are working it alone so Horizontal/Vertical would make do. 

Timberwolf is a superior splitter designed for people who are serious about wood production. It is the Cadillac of splitters! You just have to ask yourself, are you driving a Cadillac? No, they are not for everyone. I see Harbor Freight has a Horizontal with Log Lift for under $1,800! Even though the table is backward (hitch is on the wrong side) you can burn through two of them for the price of one Timberwolf.  Timberwolf's design, wedge style and pump quality, make it strong enough that you don't need more tonnage to compensate for design flaws. This is why they don't have huge 30 ton machines until you get much bigger. 

Auto Cycle is great, Table Grates are Great. But when it comes down to it, just about any splitter will be easier than an ax! Just about everyone, me included, will always buy more than they really need.

Look for used splitters, there are a lot of them out there! 6months old, 1 year old, home made. A lot of people that buy splitters soon learn they would rather just buy split wood! The shear cost of a splitter $1000+ will go a long way toward buying pre split wood! Unless you are burning enough wood and getting it for free, a splitter doesn't make financial sense for many. Something a lot of buyers don't realize until after they buy it. Thus the reason so many new ones are sold after the first year.

http://www.Craigslist.com is a great place to find used splitters.

Have Fun and Split Safe.


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## velvetfoot (Jan 2, 2008)

Do you have a link for the HF horizontal with lift?
I looked and didn't find it, but I did find a "factory perfect" 30 ton model for 900 bucks:  http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55586


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## Larryj24 (Jan 2, 2008)

Yeah, here is the link. I think it was on the second page of Log Splitter search results.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96907


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## velvetfoot (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow, that didn't come up with my search on "Splitter".
That thing is way cool!
It has the tank as the axle now, different than my 30 ton hf convertable job.
Same Robin 9hp motor, which I like.

Very interesting unit


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## woodconvert (Jan 2, 2008)

"I enjoy the challange of finding my limit… 24"x 16” round? 30"x 16” round? Oak? Polar? Hickory? Keep it horizontal as long as possible, I have 2 herniated disks in the lower back, and crouching is NOT for me! "

That is exactly my thoughts. I also have 2 fuggered up disks (hockey seemed like fun...at the time) and I'd rather drop my nards lifting a cut on to the horizontal splitter than wrastle one on the ground while the splitter is verticle. If there is no way to lift it i'll quarter it with a mall or wedges. I will say it's nice to at least have the option though.

Something else...there is a lot of talk about cycle times. It is something I wouldn't pay much attention to as you rarely go a full cycle when splitting. I would guess my cylinder moves 6" max on average...if that. It's rare to do a full length cycle.


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## _CY_ (Jan 2, 2008)

first post here... loads of feedback at Aborist site about splitters. 

35 ton Huskee (Speeco) from Tractor Supply here. on second season using it. 
it's a brute and plows thru any wood including rounds 3ft + in diameter. 

12.5hp mtr is overkill for size pump it pushes. 5in ram with 12in Ibeam. pump is rated at 16 gpm and too low for this setup. it really needs a 22 gpm pump. only complaint so far with 35ton speeco is cycle times are 15 second range. if you can live with slower cycle times, this 35ton speeco is an excellent machine.


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## velvetfoot (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Larry, I think that HF splitter is so nifty at such at great price, I'm going to start another thread!


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## woodconvert (Jan 2, 2008)

"35 ton Huskee (Speeco) from Tractor Supply here. on second season using it.
it’s a brute and plows thru any wood including rounds 3ft + in diameter."

Same here. I think I got mine in 2000 or 2001 though. I've split 25-30 face cords a year with it and no problem. It's nice to not have to set stuff aside that you can't split. 

"12.5hp mtr is overkill for size pump it pushes. 5in ram with 12in Ibeam. pump is rated at 16 gpm and too low for this setup. it really needs a 22 gpm pump. only complaint so far with 35ton speeco is cycle times are 15 second range. if you can live with slower cycle times, this 35ton speeco is an excellent machine."

Do you really go full cylinder stroke on each cycle?. I rarely do that so to me cycle time is negligible. Good machine though.


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## reaperman (Jan 2, 2008)

I guess I started this post back in Oct.  I ended up with a northern tool 22 ton model.  I like the choice I made.  Its the first time I operated a splitter with a vertical option.  I admit I rarely use it vertically.  Only on monster rounds I cant lift.  But the vertial option is nice because we all run across rounds that are just too heavy.  So splitting horizontal has its place.  But for some reason the  ground always seem wet or there is snow, and I'm down on my hands and knees trying to wrestle these beasts.  Getting wet in the process.  

As for a the four way wedge, the guy was correct in saying a four-way shouldn't be on mounted on a ram.  I have the four-ways, ended up getting them free from NT (another story).  I tried them out for a bit and I wasn't too impressed.  The extra strain on the splitter is apparent when the horizontal wedge on the four way has to ride along the log which is pressed against the I-beam, for the entire distance of the piece of wood being split.  There is simply no place for the log, which is pressed against the beam to go until the ram is retracted.  The top of the log can simply fall off.  But the bottom is wedged to beam.  And it seems you have to be satisfied with the size splits the 4-way ends up making.  It the split is too big for your liking, and try to re-split it with the 4-way on, you just made four pieces that are than probably too small for your taste.  To me, it seems if you had the perfect sized wood (16-18") the 4-way would be consistant and make normal sized splits.  But anything larger or smaller, to me isnt ideal.


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## Gooserider (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm not at all sure I buy the arguement that a horizontal is easier - seems to me like unless you rig the horizontal with LOTS of extra cruft - log lifts, tables, ramps, etc, and / or have an assistant, it is a really dubious proposition.  W/ a plain beam the splits fall off w/ every cycle, unless you hold them in place (watch the toes...) and to me the bending and picking up rounds is no fun.  

When working at my friend's wood business, I split some on a horizontal machine with a table (a Supersplit), splitting down already partially split wood to the very small size that his customers want (what he calls firewood, I'd call kindling...) and find that while I can be very productive, the constant bending is tough on my back.


I've also used a Horizontal / Vertical unit for splitting some of my own wood.  I had a pile of log length, which I cut to stove length rounds, mostly leaving them where they landed except as I needed to move them to make room for more cutting.  I ended up with a large area covered w/ rounds.    I set up the splitter at the left end of the area.  In vertical mode, I picked a short round about the right height to sit on in front of the machine.  I would queue up 4-6 or more rounds, depending on size, next to the splitter on one side, as close to my seat as I could - sometimes carrying them, sometimes rolling, sometimes moving with a two-wheeler depending on size, shape and weight - I would then SIT on my round, and crank through the rounds in waiting, just pulling them onto the splitter platform w/o needing to get up except for the really big monsters.  After I'd finish a batch, I'd get up and queue up another few.  As I split, I'd toss the finished splits to the left, making a pile.  As the edge of the done pile would get closer to me, my supply of rounds would get further away.  When the done pile got to close, I would tilt the splitter back to horizontal, and move it to the new edge of the rounds supply...  I wasn't producing as fast as I would with the Supersplit, but I was far more relaxed and felt like I was doing a LOT less work bending over and lifting...  I was happy not to have the 4-way wedge, as the two way let me get the size of splits that *I* wanted, not what the machine was willing to give me.

The other big thing is the price - a plain beam, 20-30 tone H/V unit can be had for well under a grand - the "Bargain" HF horizontal with lift was $1800, or close to twice as much, and with that many more parts to fail...  If I was doing production work for a business, It might be possible to convince me that a dolled up horizontal was worth while, but for the home producer doing 5-10 cords / year (like I do) I think the simplicity of a plain beam H/V unit is much better.

(BTW, the H/V unit I was using above was a loan from my friend with the wood business, he has several H/V machines he uses for production - in VERTICAL mode....)

Gooserider




Gooserider


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## _CY_ (Jan 3, 2008)

no question vertical mode is used way more by me. almost never use horizontal. 

I'm convinced unless splitter is equipped with a lift ramp. much less effort is expended using splitter in vertical mode. this is not even counting large rounds, say three ft in diameter. with a peavy log tool, it's possible for one person to split three ft+ sized rounds. no way possible on a horizontal unit unless a lift is available. 

since my 35 ton speeco has a nice wide slot in it's 12in beam. logs ride super nice in horizontal mode. 
so it's not like horizontal mode doesn't work well on my splitter. vote with your feet as they say... vertical mode is what gets used.

http://home.tulsaconnect.com/toug/cpf/splitterram.JPG


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## biggins08 (Jan 3, 2008)

How expensive is it to add a lift to a splitter?


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## Larryj24 (Jan 3, 2008)

You can make your own using leverage (see Timberwolf's TW-1, TW-2) or Hydraulics see TW-2HD , TW-5, TW-6. If you buy a Hydraulic unit it is around $700. See Northern Tool or Timberwolf.


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## BurningIsLove (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, I'm with Goose and the other vertical mode fans on this one.  Lifting 100+ lb rounds up onto the horizontal beam was a lot more labor and strain on the back than rolling a round onto the ground-level platform in vertical mode.  Both my father and I have back problems, and we find that if we squat in the correct position, then the long term back discomfort is much smaller than lifting rounds up repeatedly.

Im also not sure I understand the issue people (reaperman and his dealer) are talking about using a 4-way in vertical mode?  I understand the point about the split size, e.g. the round size is not always going to yield 4 perfect sized splits and that re-splitting one or two too-large ones would be difficult w/ a 4 way wedge.  I just do those by hand w/ a splitting maul as I enjoy splitting the ole fashioned way.  Can you please explain why this is mechanically a bad idea?  

For example, I have a 9HP Robin/24 ton hydraulic system on mine.  A tiny fraction (like 1%) of rounds have even made the engine change pitch, and those were super large, knotted & gnarled rounds that would normally have taken dynamite to split.  Im having trouble visualizing what you mean by the log being wedged into the I-beam?   The ram (2-way or 4-way) runs parallel to the I-beam, so there is no force exerted on the I-Beam by the ram or by gravity.


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## Gooserider (Jan 3, 2008)

BurningIsLove said:
			
		

> Yeah, I'm with Goose and the other vertical mode fans on this one.  Lifting 100+ lb rounds up onto the horizontal beam was a lot more labor and strain on the back than rolling a round onto the ground-level platform in vertical mode.  Both my father and I have back problems, and we find that if we squat in the correct position, then the long term back discomfort is much smaller than lifting rounds up repeatedly.



I prefer to sit, but same deal...



> Im also not sure I understand the issue people (reaperman and his dealer) are talking about using a 4-way in vertical mode?  I understand the point about the split size, e.g. the round size is not always going to yield 4 perfect sized splits and that re-splitting one or two too-large ones would be difficult w/ a 4 way wedge.  I just do those by hand w/ a splitting maul as I enjoy splitting the ole fashioned way.  Can you please explain why this is mechanically a bad idea?



Playing devils advocate for the moment, as I'm not a fan of the multi-way wedges, there are two problems mentioned that are more likely with multi-wedges, especially if they are mounted on the moving ram, as opposed to the fixed stop (with the pusher on the ram)  Neither is as much of a concern with a single wedge mounted perpendicular to the beam.  I will speak mostly to 4-way wedges, but the same thing applies to larger ones

1. With a single wedge the splits just fall to either side, no problem.  With a multi wedge, the two splits closest to the beam are trapped between the beam and the moving wedge.  If they are big splits, and especially if they are ones where the log wants to split on an angle so that the split gets bigger as you go down, the split is going to potentially be jammed into the beam by the moving wedge.  If the base wedge is wide enough to push the splits off the beam this might not be a big problem.

2. As many rounds don't want to split straight, or are harder on one side than the other, they can put a lot more torque on the piston of the hydraulic cylinder, trying to either rotate it, or make it flex.  Neither is good for the seals, though again, it's not real clear how big a problem this is on a properly designed unit.



> For example, I have a 9HP Robin/24 ton hydraulic system on mine.  A tiny fraction (like 1%) of rounds have even made the engine change pitch, and those were super large, knotted & gnarled rounds that would normally have taken dynamite to split.  Im having trouble visualizing what you mean by the log being wedged into the I-beam?   The ram (2-way or 4-way) runs parallel to the I-beam, so there is no force exerted on the I-Beam by the ram or by gravity.



The ram runs parallel to the beam, but the wedges are tapered, and two of the splits are going to be pushed towards the beam (or table) by the wedge "wings" that are running parallel to the beam rather than perpendicular like the two-way wedge does.

Gooserider


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## Larryj24 (Jan 3, 2008)

Gooserider,

You are correct on the 4 way wedge. NEVER put it on the piston side! For all those reasons and more. 

However, a 4 way wedge when mounted on the beam IS SUPPOSED TO FLOAT! In other words, it is not Fixed in position. It needs to ride up a shaft (usually the existing splitter wedge) as it moves through the wood. This elimintaes the Jam problem. This is the ONLY WAY a 4 way wedge is designed to work on an I Beam Splitter.


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## LarryD (Jan 3, 2008)

Larryj24 said:
			
		

> Gooserider,
> 
> You are correct on the 4 way wedge. NEVER put it on the piston side! For all those reasons and more.
> 
> However, a 4 way wedge when mounted on the beam IS SUPPOSED TO FLOAT! In other words, it is not Fixed in position. It needs to ride up a shaft (usually the existing splitter wedge) as it moves through the wood. This elimintaes the Jam problem. This is the ONLY WAY a 4 way wedge is designed to work on an I Beam Splitter.


That is exactly how mine works.  You would be amazed at how much the 4-way rides up and down the fixed wedge.

Larry D


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## Larryj24 (Jan 3, 2008)

Larry D, 
Some might be amazed, but not I. I have read too many threads where people are trying to make a Horizontal/Vertical as good as a horizontal. Some people don't understand all they sacrifice with a vertical. I guess because at one point I was doing some production of firewood and learned it then. You want the I Beam at working height so your not bending over. Table so you can do resplits, though not necessary with a 4 way wedge, and of course the ultimate is the conveyor belt. Also learned back then why you want the splitter to push away from the hitch. Nothing worse than having to dig your splitter out of a fresh split pile!


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## Woodrat (Jan 4, 2008)

Horiz/vert splitters always reminded me of the "camel ==a horse designed by a committee" saying. The height will seldom be what is comfortable for your back in the horizontal position. Even if you could get around the fact that multiple wedge adaptors to be able to move, I don't think I'd want to be (or see anyone else) nicked by one of those "other" wedges while operating the valve---unlikely-yes------impossible-NO. I've seen stranger things happen.
      Purely from a "time" standpoint, hydraulic splitters are not productive enough because of thier slow cycle times unless outfitted with multiple wedges. I have a Brute/Timberwolf TW3HD  with 6 way wedge on my tractor and love it (high production& low noise. That being said-- if I had to drop to one splitter, it would be my other one--a Super Split that I changed to an electric motor to get rid of the noise.
     This machine is 20-25 years old and in all probability will still be working fine in another 25. My son would "take it of my hands" anytime. My point is that with any wood up to 16", I could probably run "head to head " with someone operating my tractor because of the cycle time factor. The Super Split has about a 2 second cycle-- I use a pulp hook to grab & position (and reposition) the pieces, so basically I can get six splits off a round in the same time my tractor with the six way wedge completes its cycle!
     They are pricey- but well worth it. I'd tell you to watch for one used, but you're very unlikely to ever see one- I know,I've looked!


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## LarryD (Jan 4, 2008)

Larryj24 said:
			
		

> Larry D,
> Some might be amazed, but not I. I have read too many threads where people are trying to make a Horizontal/Vertical as good as a horizontal. Some people don't understand all they sacrifice with a vertical. I guess because at one point I was doing some production of firewood and learned it then. You want the I Beam at working height so your not bending over. Table so you can do resplits, though not necessary with a 4 way wedge, and of course the ultimate is the conveyor belt. Also learned back then why you want the splitter to push away from the hitch. Nothing worse than having to dig your splitter out of a fresh split pile!



We rented verticle machines and I quickly came to the conclusion that they were harder on my back than a Horizontal machine.  That is what lead me to buy our splitter.  The design of the timberwolf is to get the working parts of the machine higher up, so you are stooping over less.  I think vert vs hor is very much personal preference.  For me horizontal is far more productive.  That is my opinion.  Add a four way wedge, log lift and the table and you can split wood for many hours and not feel like you've killed yourself.  The up front cost is worth it.

Larry D


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## triptester (Jan 5, 2008)

Here is a link to a line of vertical splitters that you don't have to bend over to use .

Available options are log-lift, attached conveyor, and even self propelled.


http://www.timberdevil.com/products.html


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