looking for a log splitter
- Thread starter dr.drew
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
Naandme
New Member
I would look at the timber wolf splitters. I have an Iron&Oak; and love it but thats the best I could find at the time. The Timber Wolf stuff looks real nice. Go for something with a Honda engine and I mean the original red Honda not the black ones, I have heard of several people having trouble with the black series, I think they are a lower grade than the original. I'm unsure of why but something like a homeowner line or less than industrial.
I have an Iron and oak 26 ton and love it. Bought online and no problems with delivery. good price. There are cheaper ones out there, such as troy built and cub cadet, but remember, you only want to but once for the general homeowner who heats with wood.
When I am at TSC here, and look at the Honda black, next to the Honda red, with the sales person next to me, they tell me that the Honda black is a throw away engine. That is, it won't pay in the long run to put one one a splitter.
First off, before name brands fly around, consider the size and amount of wood you believe you will be actually splitting. Some folks only use their log splitter for re-splitting oversize splits. Some folks use them for splitting all the wood they have. If you are only going to be doing some small scale amounts of splitting, don't "overkill" your spending. You can find some really decent 5-ton splitters (brand name aside) at Lowe's and Home Depot, that work fine for smaller jobs (rounds under 10 inches or so).
If, on the other hand, you are thinking of doing a full-scale splitting operation, you could always go THIS route............
If, on the other hand, you are thinking of doing a full-scale splitting operation, you could always go THIS route............
I would not get hung up on the size....within reason. I know the trend is to get big ton splitters but those 30 ton and up splitter are a bit overkill. Our 20 ton works just fine. On the really knotty stuff or stringly elm, there is a two-stage pump so the speed will slow to give more power. It does not stay in the low speed very long though!
Cycle time is another that folks like to throw around; how much faster the bigger splitters are. Yes, they are faster but once you start splitting wood you'll probably find that you very rarely have to use the entire cycle! For example, I hardly ever raise the ram (or wedge) all the way up. There is no need to and that would be wasted time and wear on the machine. On a lot of firewood you don't even take the ram all the way down as the wood splits with the wedge just part way through, so cycle time is a non-issue....to most folks.
So my recommendation is to get somewhere around the 20-22 ton. You will save many dollars and it should do everything you need done. You'll be laughing at the ease of splitting wood once you have one.
Cycle time is another that folks like to throw around; how much faster the bigger splitters are. Yes, they are faster but once you start splitting wood you'll probably find that you very rarely have to use the entire cycle! For example, I hardly ever raise the ram (or wedge) all the way up. There is no need to and that would be wasted time and wear on the machine. On a lot of firewood you don't even take the ram all the way down as the wood splits with the wedge just part way through, so cycle time is a non-issue....to most folks.
So my recommendation is to get somewhere around the 20-22 ton. You will save many dollars and it should do everything you need done. You'll be laughing at the ease of splitting wood once you have one.
Ours is an MTD with a 5 hp Briggs & Stratton engine. It is still basically like the Huskee splitters with just a few differences. I think I could be happy with most of today's splitters as long as they will split veritcally. I ain't picking up every block of wood to split it! I do my splitting sitting down.
I think the Huskee and MTD are basically the same machine. I'm not even sure you can buy an MTD any more. I think there are basically only a couple of places that build them and put different names on them. Of course there are still differences even though the same maker. They just make to different specs.
Actually, in many cases the higher tonnage splitters have slower cycle times unless you get into some of the higher priced brands. To keep cost down, they often put too small a motor and pump on them. Size really does matter when it comes to cycle time.Backwoods Savage said:
LLigetfa said:
+1 they are a little slower. Unless your in some really twisted Big rounds (over 40 inchs) then the bigger one's show up. Most people will not deal with rounds like that.
First choice: Electric or gas.
Second choice: If you elect to go with gas . . . do you want to go with the higher end stuff or the cheaper stuff . . . to me the biggest difference is the amount of wood I would expect to be splitting.
Third choice: Deciding on the splitter size and cycle rate . . . and of course the engine . . . one thing I would say is pretty much not an option (at least for me) is to make sure the splitter either can go vertical (some folks like splitting this way better . . . other folks like me like having this as an option for the heavy stuff) . . . or that the splitter has a log lift.
My own take . . . I like gas just because it offers me a little more versatility . . . if need be I can haul the splitter into the woods (although I don't usually do so) or tow the splitter on my property to where I've dropped a tree. The disadvantage perhaps is the noise and gas powered equipment tends to require more maintenance . . . the trade off is often more power and versatility.
As for the expensive models vs. the cheaper stuff . . . unless you're chowing through a lot of wood with an OWB or going commercial I don't really see a pressing need to get the high end splitters unless you are plenty of money or simply are one of those folks who want to have the best of the best . . . and there is nothing wrong with that . . . you often do get what you pay for. For me personally though, going through 4-6 cords of wood each year the cost difference did not work for me and I went with one of the cheaper brands . . . which tends to most often come down to either the Speeco/Huskee through Tractor Supply or a MTD (and the many, many clones -- White, Cub Cadet, etc.) I'm two years in with my cheaper splitter and other than a minor issue with the log cradle bolts and a hydraulic hose it's been fine for my needs.
Finally you have to figure out your size needs . . . like Backwoods I figure 20-22 tons is a good starting point . . . and for most folks with most wood this is all you would ever need. I ended up getting a little larger tonnage due to a lot of elm that I process . . . but I suspect that even a 20-22 ton splitter would have been OK. As for speed . . . like Dennis I also find that most of the time I can keep up with my slower splitter . . . sometimes I am a bit faster and sometimes it is faster than me . . . sometimes it's good not to rush too fast . . . especially when you're dealing with equipment that can sever or crush your appendages. As for the engine . . . I was convinced at first that I wanted a Honda engine . . . and I love Hondas . . . but I got a good deal on a MTD with a Briggs engine and quite honestly the Briggs engine is going strong . . . and as an added bonus . . . should it ever crap out finding parts for this engine is wicked easy . . . or I can even re-power the entire thing relatively cheaply.
Second choice: If you elect to go with gas . . . do you want to go with the higher end stuff or the cheaper stuff . . . to me the biggest difference is the amount of wood I would expect to be splitting.
Third choice: Deciding on the splitter size and cycle rate . . . and of course the engine . . . one thing I would say is pretty much not an option (at least for me) is to make sure the splitter either can go vertical (some folks like splitting this way better . . . other folks like me like having this as an option for the heavy stuff) . . . or that the splitter has a log lift.
My own take . . . I like gas just because it offers me a little more versatility . . . if need be I can haul the splitter into the woods (although I don't usually do so) or tow the splitter on my property to where I've dropped a tree. The disadvantage perhaps is the noise and gas powered equipment tends to require more maintenance . . . the trade off is often more power and versatility.
As for the expensive models vs. the cheaper stuff . . . unless you're chowing through a lot of wood with an OWB or going commercial I don't really see a pressing need to get the high end splitters unless you are plenty of money or simply are one of those folks who want to have the best of the best . . . and there is nothing wrong with that . . . you often do get what you pay for. For me personally though, going through 4-6 cords of wood each year the cost difference did not work for me and I went with one of the cheaper brands . . . which tends to most often come down to either the Speeco/Huskee through Tractor Supply or a MTD (and the many, many clones -- White, Cub Cadet, etc.) I'm two years in with my cheaper splitter and other than a minor issue with the log cradle bolts and a hydraulic hose it's been fine for my needs.
Finally you have to figure out your size needs . . . like Backwoods I figure 20-22 tons is a good starting point . . . and for most folks with most wood this is all you would ever need. I ended up getting a little larger tonnage due to a lot of elm that I process . . . but I suspect that even a 20-22 ton splitter would have been OK. As for speed . . . like Dennis I also find that most of the time I can keep up with my slower splitter . . . sometimes I am a bit faster and sometimes it is faster than me . . . sometimes it's good not to rush too fast . . . especially when you're dealing with equipment that can sever or crush your appendages. As for the engine . . . I was convinced at first that I wanted a Honda engine . . . and I love Hondas . . . but I got a good deal on a MTD with a Briggs engine and quite honestly the Briggs engine is going strong . . . and as an added bonus . . . should it ever crap out finding parts for this engine is wicked easy . . . or I can even re-power the entire thing relatively cheaply.
I like the "Speeco" 22T
New models have:
a new tongue & jack (ground stand), which is my only groan about mine. (mine is a finger pinching mothe#%***, to be modified this summer similar to new ones)
a new spring beam locking pin
pre-drill beam holes for a table to be mounted
I think TS was selling them as "huskee", (don't have TS here but worth looking at if one is close by.)
Cradle beam, rounds center themselves & don't roll off. (good feature for me working alone most of the time)
Hydraulic fittings nor the ram tube are not used as ram mounting points, (like troybilts, i think they beefed it up on new models, but still a stress point & have ruptured )
Movable parts are built from mostly "off the shelf" easy to find parts if ever needed.
Faster speed is good but adds to safety concerns if too fast.
(broken link removed)
Some high $$$ end ones out there that are worth comparing. Rental outfits here have the Iron/Oak, (I think).
New models have:
a new tongue & jack (ground stand), which is my only groan about mine. (mine is a finger pinching mothe#%***, to be modified this summer similar to new ones)
a new spring beam locking pin
pre-drill beam holes for a table to be mounted
I think TS was selling them as "huskee", (don't have TS here but worth looking at if one is close by.)
Cradle beam, rounds center themselves & don't roll off. (good feature for me working alone most of the time)
Hydraulic fittings nor the ram tube are not used as ram mounting points, (like troybilts, i think they beefed it up on new models, but still a stress point & have ruptured )
Movable parts are built from mostly "off the shelf" easy to find parts if ever needed.
Faster speed is good but adds to safety concerns if too fast.
(broken link removed)
Some high $$$ end ones out there that are worth comparing. Rental outfits here have the Iron/Oak, (I think).
- Status
