Log splitter

[Pennsyltucky Chris]

10 cords? You need a splitter for that?

 

[smokedragon]

I have hand split three cord since 2/1/14. A little every day that it's nice out.

 

[Pennsyltucky Chris]

I have hand split three cord since 2/1/14. A little every day that it's nice out.

I hand split a half cord or so today. It was hard work, but it was a lot of black locust. Split like butta. The white oak was a little harder. Some of those rounds were 30"+.

 

[jrod770]

I just bought a 28 ton Oregon, like you were thinking about in your first post. So far so good, not a single complaint. I was a former Supersplit owner/user, but after about 5 years of that, it was time for something better. Supersplit is great for clear limbs/trunks with no branches or knots. It will run circles around most splitters. When it comes to the nasty stuff, It not so good, almost unusable. After 2 weekends of use, my Oregon is not that much slower than the Supersplit.

 

[xman23]

Those links to different splitters were real neat. I hadn't seen them before. Unconventional designs, dual direction splitter and the fly wheel. Of course in there videos they split real well, but............

My questions about these machines.
What happens when the fly wheel machine gets into a knot and the wheel speed comes down. Where does the power come from. A hydro machine with dual speed automatically delivers huge power.

What about vertical operation! I'm a strong guy, but I have no desire to lift 18 inch long X 2' diameter oaks up onto the splitter bed. If your splitting 8" rounds, ok you may not need to go vertical. Then again you don't need a splitter.

Yes they were fast. They were splitting perfect wood, not stringy, no external or internal knots. When I split this kind of wood with the hydro the wedge goes into it a few inches and it's split, you reverse the ram and load the next round. Again you don't need a splitter, a maul is fine. Speed is nice, but the splitter will out work you. I run my hydro at half speed, and it's plenty fast.

 

[jrod770]

Those links to different splitters were real neat. I hadn't seen them before. Unconventional designs, dual direction splitter and the fly wheel. Of course in there videos they split real well, but............

My questions about these machines.
What happens when the fly wheel machine gets into a knot and the wheel speed comes down. Where does the power come from. A hydro machine with dual speed automatically delivers huge power.

What about vertical operation! I'm a strong guy, but I have no desire to lift 18 inch long X 2' diameter oaks up onto the splitter bed. If your splitting 8" rounds, ok you may not need to go vertical. Then again you don't need a splitter.

Yes they were fast. They were splitting perfect wood, not stringy, no external or internal knots. When I split this kind of wood with the hydro the wedge goes into it a few inches and it's split, you reverse the ram and load the next round. Again you don't need a splitter, a maul is fine. Speed is nice, but the splitter will out work you. I run my hydro at half speed, and it's plenty fast.

When the flywheel machine gets into a knot it may go through it after a couple of attempts or it may not. Yes, they're quick on perfect wood, but you always have uglies and this design can't handle nasty, knotty, stringy would as good as a hydro can. I owned a supersplit for 5 years and won't go back.

 

[smokedragon]

Here is another neat (horizontal only) that I was considering....
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200394095_200394095

They have a video on that page (if you scroll down).

If you can heft everything onto the table, it would really speed up your work because it splits in both directions.

The advantage of a hydro, but the speed of the supersplit (because it splits in both directions).

What about vertical operation! I'm a strong guy, but I have no desire to lift 18 inch long X 2' diameter oaks up onto the splitter bed. If your splitting 8" rounds, ok you may not need to go vertical. Then again you don't need a splitter.

And that's the reason that I stopped considering it

 

[BradleyS]

Here is another neat (horizontal only) that I was considering....
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200394095_200394095

They have a video on that page (if you scroll down).

If you can heft everything onto the table, it would really speed up your work because it splits in both directions.

The advantage of a hydro, but the speed of the supersplit (because it splits in both directions).



And that's the reason that I stopped considering it

I been looking into the Northern Tools website.

 

[BradleyS]

10 cords? You need a splitter for that?

My wife actually got me an ax for Christmas. The Friskars X27. I enjoy it, but overall I think it's about my time management.

 

[yooperdave]

Here is another neat (horizontal only) that I was considering....
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200394095_200394095

They have a video on that page (if you scroll down).

If you can heft everything onto the table, it would really speed up your work because it splits in both directions.

The advantage of a hydro, but the speed of the supersplit (because it splits in both directions).



And that's the reason that I stopped considering it

I looked at this splitter while I was in the Northern Tool store and felt that it was VERY light! I think when you see one up close and in person, you will not be impressed.

 

[scooby074]

The only one I know of is ramsplitter, and I don't know that you would consider this "large frame"

20 ton
(broken link removed to http://ramsplitter.com/horizontal-vertical-20-ton.html)

All kinds of electrics made in Europe, splitters and even processors. Some are even able to be run on either electric or gas depending on what you choose. Not sure what their availability is here though

(broken link removed to http://www.onlineaccount.de/growi-maschinenbau/cms/data/images/Growi_Englisch.pdf)

I looked at this splitter while I was in the Northern Tool store and felt that it was VERY light! I think when you see one up close and in person, you will not be impressed.

Looks to me like the Northern is a chinese clone of the Splitfire. Typical that it would be of much lower construction than the original. Patent must be up or they would (And should) have been sued.

The original splitfire is a VERY solid and heavy unit. I dont know of anyone who has complained that the splitfire hasnt lived up to expectations, either on this site, youtube or arboristsite.

 

[smokedragon]

I just can't see why everyone things they need a 37 ton splitter though......granted some of the 4 and 7 ton electric won't go through the ugly stuff, but that is 4 and 7 tons.

That 20 ton splitter from Northern will probably go through just about anything you can dream up for it.

Looks to me like the Northern is a chinese clone of the Splitfire.

I am certain it is, since the concept is identical........

But from a big box store item, it has a ton of great reviews. I almost thought about getting it, but found something else on craigslist that I might just have to have for an early birthday present.

 

[yooperdave]

I just can't see why everyone things they need a 37 ton splitter though......granted some of the 4 and 7 ton electric won't go through the ugly stuff, but that is 4 and 7 tons.

That 20 ton splitter from Northern will probably go through just about anything you can dream up for it.




I can tell you from my personal experience, I needed the 37-ton. With an outdoor boiler, we have bought three loads of cull wood from a logging yard. The first truck load was 7-cord for $275; the second truckload was 10 cord for $350; the third truckload was 10 cord for $450. The loads were bought over a period of 4 years hence the price increase.
The cull wood was all the twisted gnarly knotty stringy crotchy and huge stuff that the processing mill didn't (or wouldn't) accept from the lumber yard-that is why we got a killer price on the loads.
Now I'm sure that there will be responses like "my splitter would have handled it" or "with an outdoor stove, you should leave the pieces large anyway".
I have seen smaller splitters get bogged down and or stuck and I have seen splitters that just won't split the pieces. The owners just throw these pieces of wood onto the side for a later date with mauls, wedges, or saws. The reason I bought a splitter (after years and years of using a splitting maul) was for my convenience and to not have any "leftovers".
If I had left the chunks whole, I wouldn't have been able to get quite most of them into the boiler due to their size, the size of the door opening and most important the overall weight of the chunks!
I also have the 4-way wedge that I use for more conventional sized pieces.

 

[KD0AXS]

I just can't see why everyone things they need a 37 ton splitter though

I need a 37 ton splitter because my neighbor has a 36 ton splitter. :D

 

[smokedragon]

And in your case, a smaller splitter may well have not worked. If you are dealing with the worst of the worst, then maybe.

But for me, I don't have any equipment, so anything I pick up has to be either lifted onto my truck bed or rolled onto my trailer. So I am not picking up 3' diameter trees. And even the hardest hard woods around here, a 22 ton splitter will go through the worst pieces. Now, I am willing to be that stuff a logging company rejects may be a little worse than what I am picking up.

I mean I see people splitting green tulip poplar, 18" long, with a 37 ton splitter.......its a joke to me.

 

[ironspider]

I've been through several cords with my ariens 22 ton. Great splitter and it was under a grand when using harbor freight coupon at HD.

This "small" ariens is every bit as good as the 30+ ton rentals I've used.

 

[HybridFyre]

I've been through several cords with my ariens 22 ton. Great splitter and it was under a grand when using harbor freight coupon at HD.

This "small" ariens is every bit as good as the 30+ ton rentals I've used.

Woah. They took a 20% harbor freight coupon at your Home Depot? I thought they only took Lowe's coupons?

 

[BradleyS]

I've been through several cords with my ariens 22 ton. Great splitter and it was under a grand when using harbor freight coupon at HD.

This "small" ariens is every bit as good as the 30+ ton rentals I've used.

Cool, I did not know Home Depot honored Harbor Freight coupons.

 

[Jags]

I agree that a 20/22 ton machine is just about all that most people need. But understand...they won't split everything for everybody. There is a reason that larger machines are made. Reason number one:


The entire tree was like that. It would have made a 20 ton whimper back to the garage.
Another, just for your enjoyment:


That is a 5" cylinder running at 2750 PSI in case you are wondering.

 

[AK13]

I'll put in an endorsement for my little Ramsplitter. I have the H16 and it does everything that I need it to do. I wouldn't get too hung up on the tonnage ratings. I don't think there are any regulations and companies can claim whatever they wish to claim. I'd focus on getting something made in the US or Canada that is durable and well made.

The other brand that I was interested in was Timber Wolf, but they were just too pricey for me.

Edit: One more thing that I wanted to note is the cycle time stuff. I don't understand the obsession with cycle time. My spliltter works as fast as I can. I split a log and then the ram retracts while I am loading up the next log. And on larger splitters with long rams you don't have to retract it all the way if you don't need the full length and that saves time off the published cycle times also.

My father told me to respect the machine and be thankful for the amount of work that it is doing for you and to take your time (and not lose any fingers!). So I try to keep that in mind and work at a fast but measured pace.

 

[smokedragon]

I have a chance to purchase a two year old HV-16 from ramsplitter for $500. One of the tires needs to be replaced as it won't hold air. It has the electric motor.

What does yours have (subaru, briggs, honda, or electric).

I like the idea of electric because I will split at home anyway, and it will mean less maintenance if I don't use it regularly.

I still plan on splitting some of the easier stuff by hand.

 

[AK13]

I think that is a great deal. But make sure you have the power to support it where you want to split. I'd like an electric but the lack of portability and the fact that I would have had to have electrical work done to accommodate it was a deal breaker for me. It would be nice to have the quiet of the electric motor.

Mine has the Honda engine. I couldn't be happier with it. Honestly, I don't know why you'd split much of anything by had once you have a splitter.

 

[smokedragon]

1 - for the exercise. I am a desk jockey, so it gets me some exercise.

2 - I want a splitter for when I am backed up (like right now, I have 3 pallets full of rounds to split and more wood that needs collecting) and for really nasty stuff that can't be split without wedges.

I actually enjoy splitting by hand, and want to continue. That is why I am interested in the electric splitter, because I have less maintenance concerns if I put it away for 8 months.

Gonna go talk to the guy tomorrow and take a few nasty pieces......if it will bust them, I will buy it.

 

[ironspider]

Cool, I did not know Home Depot honored Harbor Freight coupons.

It was very difficult to get them to honor it but I'm in sales and my bargaining experience paid off I guess.

 

[JP11]

I been looking into the Northern Tools website.

Very happy with my honda powered Northern Tool splitter.