# Would you buy another tractor supply splitter?  How about Southern States?



## NoPaint (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm looking for a splitter and I like the $999 sale at TSC on their 22 ton.  Southern States has an $1149 Speeco too.  What to do?  Why?


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## lukem (Dec 29, 2011)

NoPaint said:
			
		

> I'm looking for a splitter and I like the $999 sale at TSC on their 22 ton.  Southern States has an $1149 Speeco too.  What to do?  Why?



I love mine.  I would buy the Huskee and pocket the extra cash.


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## bogydave (Dec 29, 2011)

I bought  the 22 ton Speeco here, $1400.
No Tractor supply stores  here. Shipping over $400 to Alaska.
Very happy with it so far. Spit everything I've put on it. Cradle beam & wedge design are real nice features. I liked the end mounted cylinder vs the MTDs. 
I hear they have a new tongue jack now, the old one  is a finger pincher.
Lots here have & like them.


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## richg (Dec 29, 2011)

bogydave said:
			
		

> I hear they have a new tongue jack now, the old one  is a finger pincher.



Pincher would be an understatement....Amputator is more accurate. I replaced the "fold under" jack on my Huskee 28 ton with a swing away crank version and it works very well. I would buy a Huskee again in a heartbeat.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 29, 2011)

Don't have a Huskee but an MTD and it appears they are basically the same machine. We got ours from Quality Farm and Fleet before TSC bought them out so ours is MTD 20 ton with 5 hp B&S engine. Been trouble free for over 20 years now and split over 200 cord.


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## wishlist (Dec 29, 2011)

I bought the husky from TSC.  It's been a great splitter and between me and the daughters church youth group its done a ton of wood. No problems whatsoever.  I did weld up a table for it this fall,  should've done that a long time ago.


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## Stephen in SoKY (Dec 29, 2011)

I doubt the patronage check from SS would equal the extra $150, actually I know it wouldn't. That said, ask the co-op manager if he'll match TSC's price. Then you'd get the best of both worlds.


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## spacecowboyIV (Dec 29, 2011)

NoPaint said:
			
		

> I'm looking for a splitter and I like the $999 sale at TSC on their 22 ton.  Southern States has an $1149 Speeco too.  What to do?  Why?



Speeco and Huskee (TSC) are the same company.  Go for the TSC price.


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## lukem (Dec 29, 2011)

wishlist said:
			
		

> I did weld up a table for it this fall,  should've done that a long time ago.



Got any pic's of that?  I've been thinking about making one too...


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## TreePointer (Dec 29, 2011)

Even though SpeeCo and Huskee are the same company, look at the specifications.  There are many offerings under the SpeeCo name, and you may actually get something more form the SpeeCo model.  Something like faster cycle time or steel fenders, among other things.


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## wishlist (Dec 29, 2011)

lukem said:
			
		

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I'll take some this evening Luke. Very easy to do , used steel that was gonna be recycled. Cost was $0. Of course as I tell my wife , my time is priceless!


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## Jager (Dec 30, 2011)

Yep, absolutely.  I've only had my Huskee for a few weeks, but it's been amazing.  Highly recommended...


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## leonardo (Dec 30, 2011)

love my 22 ton from tsc.  got it 4 years ago and have split approx 15 cords each year since.  had local machine shop rig up a log catcher(table) for it this year.  should have been the first thing i did to it.  well worth the dollars in my opinion.


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## Ken45 (Dec 30, 2011)

I've been very happy with the 22t Huskee until this year.  It's been in the shop twice already and is dead again and I'm giving up on it.   I looked at the new ones at TSC and the frame and beam don't seem to be nearly as strong as what I have.   One fellow saw me looking at them and mentioned that his had the ram pop out of the channel several times.   

Still in all, they are probably cost effective and reasonable but I decided to go with a pto driven Timberwolf.   It will be here next Tuesday.

Ken


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## wishlist (Dec 30, 2011)

lukem said:
			
		

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Here you go Luke. I welded the top, panel off of an old electrical switchgear, to 1/4 thick brackets that I found. Welded bolts on brackets, drilled 2 holes in splitter then tightened. I didn't paint it yet , figured if I want to make any mods to it then paint.


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## Trktrd (Dec 30, 2011)

I'm on year 2 with the speeco, no complaints.


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## mywaynow (Dec 30, 2011)

Love my 28 ton Husky.  I has not met a piece of wood it couldn't cut.  I would not want fenders on the splitter, if your comparing differences with the Speeco.  For me it seems a better option to have a log bounce off a tire rather than dent a fender.


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## HeatsTwice (Dec 31, 2011)

Trktrd said:
			
		

> I'm on year 2 with the speeco, no complaints.



Gosh, I bought mine used for $450 and it must be about 25 years old. The guy who owned it before me bought it from a fire wood dealer. I'm the third owner so far. I am very happy with my "used" speeco as are the rest of my neighbors who all use it (4 of them) when ever they want and put who knows what through it. They've all kicked in $100 - $200 each for permanent access.

It must have had at least 200 cords through it and all I've done is fix minor things (to me) over the years (pinned a crack in the cylinder, replaced the handle housing, changed motor and hydraulic oils).

I can vouch for the speeco.


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## woodmeister (Dec 31, 2011)

22 ton huskee from ts no regrets


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## oilstinks (Dec 31, 2011)

love my huskee!


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## Dieselhead (Dec 31, 2011)

anybody know where the  speeco/huskee is made?


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## Trktrd (Dec 31, 2011)

HeatsTwice said:
			
		

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I bought mine for $300 new. Somebody had robbed the control valve and motor to pump coupler off it and they just wanted it gone. I lucked out by being at the store just as they were putting the "$300 as is" sign on it.


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## NoPaint (Jan 5, 2012)

Well I got the 22ton Huskee and I am all smiles.  It came assembled well and full of both hydraulic and engine oil.  The sale for $999 was over but I asked if they would give it to me and they did!  

Now something you have to know about me is that I love splitting at idle nice and quiet.  I was worried this thing couldn't split at idle and its not like I started it at the store so I had no idea.  Imagine my surprise when I fired it up and watched it pop locust at idle.  I was planning on diesel swapping this thing because I thought it would have to be at full throttle and I hate running gas engines at full throttle next to me.  Nope the ole Briggs 190cc is doing the job just fine.


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## wishlist (Jan 5, 2012)

Congrats nopaint.  Enjoy!  Are you splitting horizontal?


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## NoPaint (Jan 6, 2012)

wishlist said:
			
		

> Congrats nopaint.  Enjoy!  Are you splitting horizontal?



Yup.  Nothing big so far so its all been horizontal.  Once I get the big rounds that I won't want to pickup we'll go vertical.


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## gizmos (Jan 6, 2012)

I just spent a long time shopping for splitters. 22 ton Huskee is a great buy, hard to beat the price. I'm very impressed with it so far. I'm on my third cord splitting white Oak and ash and it's doing great.


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## oldspark (Jan 6, 2012)

wishlist said:
			
		

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 This is funny, I have some panels off of switch gear also and it is almost exactly the same as yours, you have given me the way to make mine, thanks.


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## wetwood (Jan 7, 2012)

mywaynow said:
			
		

> I would not want fenders on the splitter, if your comparing differences with the Speeco.  For me it seems a better option to have a log bounce off a tire rather than dent a fender.



The plastic fenders don't last long anyway. I busted one fender off the first year and the second year my sons tore off the other one. Still have no regrets about my Huskee.


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## Ken45 (Jan 7, 2012)

To directly answer the OP, no I didn't buy another TSC splitter.   The Huskee splitters are decent units at a reasonable price.  I was happy with mine until it started have multiple problems this year.   Faced with putting even more money into it, or replacing it, I went the replacement route but bought a tractor PTO driven Timberwolf.

The TW came in yesterday.  I am very impressed.  

Two of the things I really like about the Timberwolf are related to it having the wedge fixed and the ram pushed toward it.   This accomplishes two big improvements:
-- the split wood is push away from you, not dropped at your feet and under the splitter
--when a log doesn't split totally (still hanging by the last couple of inches), you don't have to wrestle it around and flip it over.   Just put the next round on the splitter and let it put the first one the rest of the way through.  That's a big improvement, IMO.

My TW-3HD also came with a 4 way wedge (removable) which is nice  for splitting the larger rounds into four pieces instead of just two.  

I haven't done it yet, but it should also be able to dump the split pieces right into a trailer.  

One of my other decision points was having one less engine to maintain and fix, especially a small gas engine.

Starting the splitter is so easy, just turn the key and engage the PTO  

Ken


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## JP11 (Jan 7, 2012)

To each his own.  

I didn't want to tie up my tractor running the splitter.  Seems overkill to run my 35 hp diesel motor to run a splitter.  I'm stacking and moving on pallets.. and want the tractor free. 

I looked at the TSC splitters.. but for a little more money got a nice hor/vert northern tool with a commercial honda motor. 4 way wedge is on the ram.  So far.. I like it.

JP


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## Ken45 (Jan 7, 2012)

JP11 said:
			
		

> I didn't want to tie up my tractor running the splitter.  Seems overkill to run my 35 hp diesel motor to run a splitter.  I'm stacking and moving on pallets.. and want the tractor free.



I understand that viewpoint.   Certainly the tractor engine is overkill but for a dozen hours a year, it's no big deal and my tractor can use the extra hours.  As for having the tractor free for moving pallets, so far I've found the 3pt mounted splitter an advantage that way:  The tractor is there and running and when I turn it around, the splitter isn't in the way.  

Another advantage of the 3pt mount is that it can easily be raised to whatever comfortable working position I want, or lowered all the way to the ground to roll on the really big pieces.   

Ken


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## JP11 (Jan 7, 2012)

Ken

I get what you are saying.. AFTER I bought mine, a friend with lots of tractors and such said.. Heck, I hardly ever use my 3 point one.  You could take that and keep it at your house.  I'll call you when I want it.

I could have saved the couple grand.  I don't like borrowing stuff I don't have to.  As of now.. the only drawback is that I need a Ranger to attach the splitter to.  It would be a perfect companion.  

I really think I'm going to be at the 7 to 10 cord a year range.  I like having well built tools.  It seems that switching implements and uses eats up a lot of time.  Maybe as I get older I won't be in such a hurry.  For now.. I like being able to set up stuff, and leave it to be there when I have time to start up again.

JP


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## firefighterjake (Jan 8, 2012)

wetwood said:
			
		

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Three years in . . . and the fenders are fine . . . but to be honest I could take them or leave them . . . having cheesy plastic fenders was not a selling point for me with my splitter . . . although to be fair it is a MTD (although I suspect MTD's cheesy plastic fenders are probably much like Huskee's cheesy plastic fenders.   )


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