10 Ton Hydraulic Log Splitter

[Todd67]

I bought one from Harbor Freight a few years ago and I actually like using it. It's only rated to split a 6.5" diameter log but I regularly split 12-14" rounds with mine.

My wood stove will take a 24" long log, so I cut my firewood at least 20" long. This splitter only handles an 18" long log so I either have to cut my firewood shorter, or use my gas log splitter. In order to split short rounds I have to place a 4x4 between the log and the ram because it only has about 8 inches of travel, but it does a much better job than I expected it too.

Overall I'm very satisfied with this splitter. Does anyone else have any experience with one of these?

 

[xman23]

That looks painful, besides horrifically slow. If I had to use that it would be the end of wood burning. But, to each there own.

 

[Todd67]

It's not my primary log splitter. My 22 ton splitter doesn't work that well if it dips below 35 degrees because the hydraulic oil gets too thick (ISO 46). But IF I need to split wood below freezing, I can use the 10 ton splitter.

Yes it is slow, but it works much better than a maul on certain types of wood. It's just another option that I have if it's too cold for my gas splitter.

 

[sprawlnstall]

I have the sunjoe version looks very similar, they work but are slow. Good option when the X27 won't split something or when the Zombie Apocalypse happens.

 

[Todd67]

I actually bought this splitter back when my son was to young to safely use a maul or the gas log splitter. It was a good investment for $80 at that time (with a 20% coupon).

I let my 71 year old neighbor borrow it a couple months ago. She'd rather use this splitter than swing a maul. I help her split wood with my gas splitter during the summer.

 

[blades]

cardio work out

 

[Todd67]

I have the sunjoe version looks very similar, they work but are slow. Good option when the X27 won't split something or when the Zombie Apocalypse happens.

Did you get your Sunjoe splitter at Tractor Supply! I've only seen them on their web site, and they look identical in the pictures.

 

[fire_man]

I have the exact same HF Splitter. It split a ton of huge logs for years - I really abused it and it still sort of works.

 

[sprawlnstall]

Did you get your Sunjoe splitter at Tractor Supply! I've only seen them on their web site, and they look identical in the pictures.

I bought off of amazon.

 

[Sodbuster]

It's not my primary log splitter. My 22 ton splitter doesn't work that well if it dips below 35 degrees because the hydraulic oil gets too thick (ISO 46). But IF I need to split wood below freezing, I can use the 10 ton splitter.

Yes it is slow, but it works much better than a maul on certain types of wood. It's just another option that I have if it's too cold for my gas splitter.

Automation transmission fluid will solve your cold weather issues. It did on my TSC Speeco.

 

[Todd67]

Automation transmission fluid will solve your cold weather issues. It did on my TSC Speeco.

Thanks for the tip, but how well would that work during the warmer summer months? I wouldn't want to change hydraulic fluid for the different seasons. They carry a 20 weight "303" hydraulic oil that I considered using but I wonder if a 30 weight fluid would be a better year round fluid. I do my best to not split wood during the winter months. Where I live, we can get feet of snow at a time. It's common to get 15-20 feet of snow every winter here.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thanks for the tip, but how well would that work during the warmer summer months? I wouldn't want to change hydraulic fluid for the different seasons. They carry a 20 weight "303" hydraulic oil that I considered using but I wonder if a 30 weight fluid would be a better year round fluid. I do my best to not split wood during the winter months. Where I live, we can get feet of snow at a time. It's common to get 15-20 feet of snow every winter here.

Im using a 32 in my splitter.. i mostly start splitting in January through may. . Iv split into june years ago.. for me splitting is a cold weather sport
32 is like the all around fluid

 

[Sodbuster]

Thanks for the tip, but how well would that work during the warmer summer months? I wouldn't want to change hydraulic fluid for the different seasons. They carry a 20 weight "303" hydraulic oil that I considered using but I wonder if a 30 weight fluid would be a better year round fluid. I do my best to not split wood during the winter months. Where I live, we can get feet of snow at a time. It's common to get 15-20 feet of snow every winter here.

Works just fine in the summer, no effect on performance at all. Just the improvement in cold weather starting.

 

[Todd67]

Thanks for the replies. Our TSC doesn't sell a 32 weight, so I've been curious about that 20 weight or tranny fluid. We still have snow on the ground through April, so splitting wood for me is a summer/fall hobby. I usually can't get to my woods until April or May, so that's the earliest I can cut more trees down. I have a bunch of standing dead Ash that needs to come down.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thanks for the replies. Our TSC doesn't sell a 32 weight, so I've been curious about that 20 weight or tranny fluid. We still have snow on the ground through April, so splitting wood for me is a summer/fall hobby. I usually can't get to my woods until April or May, so that's the earliest I can cut more trees down. I have a bunch of standing dead Ash that needs to come down.

Pepboys, autozone, napa,really any auto parts store will have it..

 

[Todd67]

Thanks, I'll check them out!

 

[WiscWoody]

The manual for my newer splitter say you can run automatic transmission fluid year around. I’d think if you get the rounds at the right length so you don’t have to pump the hand splitter a bit to get to the log then it’s faster.

 

[Todd67]

The manual for my newer splitter say you can run automatic transmission fluid year around. I’d think if you get the rounds at the right length so you don’t have to pump the hand splitter a bit to get to the log then it’s faster.

The only time I seem to have short rounds is when the tree cutting/powerline guys are dropping trees to clear the power lines around me. They cut a bunch of pieces that can't be bucked to the right length for my stove, which is 24" max, or 18-20" preferred length. I'll buck a 20" piece off a log or branch, the have a short 12-14" log. Or I'll end up bucking a 24" or 26" log in half, which is too short for the little 10 ton splitter. But I've gotten better at having all of my wood split with my 22 ton gas splitter before it gets too late in the fall. I didn't use the 10 ton splitter this year or last year so I loaned it to my 71 year old neighbor.

 

[VirginiaIron]

It's not my primary log splitter. My 22 ton splitter doesn't work that well if it dips below 35 degrees because the hydraulic oil gets too thick (ISO 46). But IF I need to split wood below freezing, I can use the 10 ton splitter.

Yes it is slow, but it works much better than a maul on certain types of wood. It's just another option that I have if it's too cold for my gas splitter.

My main splitter is running TSC- ISO 46 (20 w) and this morning it started on the second pull at 26*F. There was no thick oil cavitation sound at the pump.
I did run the TSC gear/trans/hydro fluid previously, 10w-30w, and I do not recall it being difficult to start at lower temps.

 

[Todd67]

My main splitter is running TSC- ISO 46 (20 w) and this morning it started on the second pull at 26*F. There was no thick oil cavitation sound at the pump.
I did run the TSC gear/trans/hydro fluid previously, 10w-30w, and I do not recall it being difficult to start at lower temps.

The engine ran great but the hydraulic ram was slower than normal that cold day last December. I do my best to not split wood after October.

 

[VirginiaIron]

The engine ran great but the hydraulic ram was slower than normal that cold day last December. I do my best to not split wood after October.

Sorry, some how I interpreted that as not being able to start your engine. My mistake.

 

[Todd67]

No problem at all. Maybe I wasn't clear enough, so my apologies as well. My Kohler engine has been absolutely flawless on my splitter. In fact, the splitter has been flawless too. It's overdue for new hydraulic fluid, so I'll do that in the springtime, along with engine oil change.