Need a splitter, way in over my head with monster oak logs

[brenndatomu]

Thinking I should go with the 27 ton splitter and save myself $600 if there is no real advantage in going with the larger splitter.

Agreed. And then you could buy yourself a nice new saw with the $600 you saved

I knew that oak tool a long time to dry, but I was hoping to burn this oak the winter of 2023. My firewood is stored in my pole barn, so there is plenty of space. It is uninsulated and metal siding. It can get quite hot in there during the summer. Is two full summers enough time, of am if looking at having to wait for the winter of 2024?

It takes air flow more than temp...you got to be able to carry the moisture away...green oak will just turn your barn into a greenhouse...if you think about getting out of the pool on a warm day with no breeze, or one with a breeze (even if its a bit cooler out) you will dry off quicker on the cooler breezier day.
Some people with limited space for their wood stacks won't take (much) Oak because of its long cure time...and it sounds like yours is drippin wet

 

[ericm979]

My 28 ton splitter splits coast live oak with no problem. Coast live oak is one of the densest oaks.

To get big rounds into pieces small enough to lift on to the splitter I "noodle" them most of the way with the saw then finish with a splitting maul.

 

[brenndatomu]

My 28 ton splitter splits coast live oak with no problem. Coast live oak is one of the densest oaks.

To get big rounds into pieces small enough to lift on to the splitter I "noodle" them most of the way with the saw then finish with a splitting maul.

Or just set the splitter up vertical (unless you don't have a H/V model...)

 

[ericm979]

Or just set the splitter up vertical (unless you don't have a H/V model...)

I tried that once. It's a lot harder for me to get a round positioned for vertical splitting than it is to lift it on the horizontal splitter. I think vertical splitting takes mostly upper body and core strength while lifting is back and legs. So it depends on where you're strongest.

 

[sirlight]

Well, I really lucked out and found a friend of a friend that just bought a 27 ton splitter. I am not sure if he will let me borrow or rent it. At the very minimum, I can bring a log or two over there and make sure 27 tons gets the job done. Based on all the feedback from this forum, I am sure it will but always nice to be able to test before buying my splitter.

I also found a friend that has a portable saw mill. Too late for this pile since I cut up most of the logs already. In the future when I score some nice logs, at least I can make lumber out of the best ones.

 

[brenndatomu]

I tried that once. It's a lot harder for me to get a round positioned for vertical splitting than it is to lift it on the horizontal splitter. I think vertical splitting takes mostly upper body and core strength while lifting is back and legs. So it depends on where you're strongest.

Yeah I don't do vertical often, but in the right scenario it is very much the way too go...if you lay a couple pieces of 1" steel pipe on the ground in front of the splitter foot it makes positioning the round much easier (work smart, not hard!)

 

[MrCool1]

I am late to the party but jumping in anyway.
my 22 ton splitter has yet to find a piece it can't split. I bought it in 2008, if I remember right. I have some physical challenges, I don't use the vertical - seems like it could be the ticket sometimes, but I can't make it happen. sometimes the knots look crazy roughed up, but it still gets them.
I am a firewood slut - I will take anything anyone is giving away that isn't rotten or punky.
we only have wood heat. I can't be fussy!
I got 5 cords of oak from the KVAL addition back in 2016/17 - some of it was pretty nasty - but I never swung a maul at it.
I am south of Eugene - with a never ending south wind for most of the year - except late august/september when we get the dry east winds and forest fires. I built a double door (north and south) wood shed that can hold a solid 5 cord - and by the end of year two I can use my wood in a pinch - barely (almost) there - I leave the doors open pretty much all summer - and it is dusty in there now - and we have been raining a lot lately. I built my wood shed with ventilation and rain protection - soffits with nothing but screen on the bottom - a 1" gap on the siding all the way around the bottom. anything in the sides would just let the wood get wet.
if you have a dry barn (if I am reading this right you are in Albany?) - and can keep airflow on it on it and no rain - it will work a lot faster - tarps here have never worked out for me with all of our rain and wind. the people that get horizontal snow can probably relate to our horizontal rain.
these folks are right -still try for year 3 - you will be thrilled with the difference. and your house will be warmer. seems like anyone you talk to out here will tell you it is seasoned in a year without being cut to length or split. I don't even waste the energy to shake my head anymore.
if you are desperate for dry wood right now - I was just gifted some 4 year old split/covered oak - I would bring some for you to stay warm!
and I cannot begin to tell you how jealous I am about the sawmill. but Mom says no. I have all these great trees.....

 

[sirlight]

I am late to the party but jumping in anyway.
my 22 ton splitter has yet to find a piece it can't split. I bought it in 2008, if I remember right. I have some physical challenges, I don't use the vertical - seems like it could be the ticket sometimes, but I can't make it happen. sometimes the knots look crazy roughed up, but it still gets them.
I am a firewood slut - I will take anything anyone is giving away that isn't rotten or punky.
we only have wood heat. I can't be fussy!
I got 5 cords of oak from the KVAL addition back in 2016/17 - some of it was pretty nasty - but I never swung a maul at it.
I am south of Eugene - with a never ending south wind for most of the year - except late august/september when we get the dry east winds and forest fires. I built a double door (north and south) wood shed that can hold a solid 5 cord - and by the end of year two I can use my wood in a pinch - barely (almost) there - I leave the doors open pretty much all summer - and it is dusty in there now - and we have been raining a lot lately. I built my wood shed with ventilation and rain protection - soffits with nothing but screen on the bottom - a 1" gap on the siding all the way around the bottom. anything in the sides would just let the wood get wet.
if you have a dry barn (if I am reading this right you are in Albany?) - and can keep airflow on it on it and no rain - it will work a lot faster - tarps here have never worked out for me with all of our rain and wind. the people that get horizontal snow can probably relate to our horizontal rain.
these folks are right -still try for year 3 - you will be thrilled with the difference. and your house will be warmer. seems like anyone you talk to out here will tell you it is seasoned in a year without being cut to length or split. I don't even waste the energy to shake my head anymore.
if you are desperate for dry wood right now - I was just gifted some 4 year old split/covered oak - I would bring some for you to stay warm!
and I cannot begin to tell you how jealous I am about the sawmill. but Mom says no. I have all these great trees.....

Great local information. Wind in my area is from the west the majority of the year and the barn is 70 feet long with the main doors at east and west ends. I store the wood on rubber stall mats or on pallets. Most of the wood I have cut in the past was pretty dry already. I also dry garlic in the barn during the summer, so perhaps all this wet oak in the barn is not the best idea if I don't want my garlic to mold. Perhaps a good woodshed is also in my near future? I don't need firewood this winter, but might need to purchase a few cords for the the winter of 2022 if my new wood is not dry. Fir firewood around here is running about $150 split and delivered. That is not a bad price but I still prefer cut my own. I have 3 big cedar trees that will be cut next year and I am hoping to mill some of that if I can get my friends mill. Perhaps we can mill up your logs too if we can find a way of getting them here?

 

[MrCool1]

Great local information. Wind in my area is from the west the majority of the year and the barn is 70 feet long with the main doors at east and west ends. I store the wood on rubber stall mats or on pallets. Most of the wood I have cut in the past was pretty dry already. I also dry garlic in the barn during the summer, so perhaps all this wet oak in the barn is not the best idea if I don't want my garlic to mold. Perhaps a good woodshed is also in my near future?

I like the dedicated woodshed. I put a door on each end to always use the oldest in it first - filling it with next years wood from the other side. it means I move it an extra time - because - with the exception of Madrone, I prefer it to be 3 years old.
I have to do north side or south side - and flag it for the side that we use - or my wife or stepson will just grab the closest firewood and think I am an idiot for the multiple years. I ended up putting a padlock on the new wood side one year because of the "helpers".
Madrone I like better at a solid two - as in if I was cutting it now - which I do very little of these days. might get back at it next year. clean burns and warm house are nice! Madrone, for me, at three years - burns like 1/2 rotten wood for me. more punky ember looking after a quick flash of what might still be good.
and kudos on the garlic - we do elephant - she wants to use my shop to dry it - but I keep telling her not enough ventilation - so we still use an area with a roof that we barbeque under.
and if we have too much "extra" I get to pickle it. I think I could live on that.....
R

 

[sirlight]

Went over to the friend of a friends that had a 25 ton splitter. His splitter easily powered through a few of the 16" round, knotty green oak logs. It does not look like he is willing to loan or rent me his splitter, but now I feel more confident of my purchase. Everyone on this forum has given me some solid advise and I appreciate it. Going with the 27 ton instead of the 37 will save me money, and likely time.

 

[vbu]

Went over to the friend of a friends that had a 25 ton splitter. His splitter easily powered through a few of the 16" round, knotty green oak logs. It does not look like he is willing to loan or rent me his splitter, but now I feel more confident of my purchase. Everyone on this forum has given me some solid advise and I appreciate it. Going with the 27 ton instead of the 37 will save me money, and likely time.

I have a northstar 30 ton, and I've split stuff like this. It cuts through knots too. I've been very happy with it.
It has the 4 way wedge on it, and I've had to take it off once splitting super stringy bodok (I think that's what its called, the wood is super yellow when fresh)

 

[ericm979]

Beware that ton ratings are often inflated. If you look in the specs for a unit you should be able to find the relief valve psi. With that and the cylinder piston diameter you can calculate the force at the wedge or find a calculator on line. I did that for my Oregon "28 ton" and it's pretty close, 27 or so. But it's got a 4.5" cylinder instead of the more usual 4". The premium brand splitters often don't inflate their numbers so their specs sound wimpy if you don't know what's going on.

 

[bigealta]

Dude, Reality check here. All u need is a light maul. Split it now, you don't need to wait a year or a day, that's BS. Split it around the edges like Solar guy shows in pics. Then hit the natural cracks. Just split the straight stuff, When you get to the nasty knots leave them for the chainsaw, they are not worth the effort. And get to Know the arborist better. He is dumping his Crap on you. When you learn to split by hand you will very quickly see what's good and what's a giant waste of time and effort. If it can't be split by hand without wedges than find better wood.

 

[bigealta]

Buckin Billy Ray........Go to 28:40 in the video. He's splitting fir so it is a bit different than your oak but still it's how you can roll.

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[sirlight]

I finally decided on a log splitter and began using it today. It is a Champion 27 ton from home depot. After military 10% discount and a credit card bonus, the splitter only cost me $1100. There is no sales tax here in Oregon. As everyone had said, the 27 ton is adequate for splitting green oak and I am glad I did not spent the extra money for the 34 ton version. I only had problems trying to split right through the center of really big logs. When I attacked them from the sides it was not a problem.

Thanks everyone for all the great advise.

 

[WiscWoody]

Something is very wrong with his splitter then...20 ton should split anything you throw at it...heck, many people here split with little 5 ton electric splitters and find them to be adequate.
37 ton is fine if that's what you want, but you are paying more for something that is slower...unless you spend a whole lot more and get a fast 37 ton (full blown commercial splitter)
Just FYI...

I see this is a old thread…. but I don’t know, I had a new 22 ton splitter that couldn split much of the bigger elm I put on it so when Menards has a Forest King 37 ton model on a Black Friday deal for $900 a few years ago I bought it and sold the smaller splitter for just about what I paid for it on a BF deal too. There’s a lot of elm up here in the northland and it’s easy to scrounge dead ones from land owners.

Nice that your arborist friend bucked all the wood for you.

 

[brenndatomu]

I see this is a old thread…. but I don’t know, I had a new 22 ton splitter that couldn split much of the bigger elm I put on it so when Menards has a Forest King 37 ton model on a Black Friday deal for $900 a few years ago I bought it and sold the smaller splitter for just about what I paid for it on a BF deal too. There’s a lot of elm up here in the northland and it’s easy to scrounge dead ones from land owners.

Nice that your arborist friend bucked all the wood for you.

I guarantee there was something wrong with that 22ton...I've split plenty of elm with a 23 ton, and it may have went to low gear sometimes, but no issue splitting the wood. I bet the relief pressure was set too low on that machine... impossible to know without a pressure gauge

 

[WiscWoody]

I guarantee there was something wrong with that 22ton...I've split plenty of elm with a 23 ton, and it may have went to low gear sometimes, but no issue splitting the wood. I bet the relief pressure was set too low on that machine... impossible to know without a pressure gauge

It would split some elm and but not all of it and some of the rounds I took down to a neighbors new 22 ton splitter and his wouldn’t split them either, I had to do that cuz he said his splitter would split anything and everything thing he put on it lol, nope!

 

[brenndatomu]

Hmm...I don't recall a piece of wood that could not be split...some were sheared in two more than split, but goal still met.

 

[WiscWoody]

Maybe it’s the fact that we have a shorter growing season up here and they say the hardwoods which are plentiful here have tighter rings. My bigger splitter will will also just cut through something it can split. 15f up here now and there’s a nice fire going in the stove.

 

[brenndatomu]

15f up here now and there’s a nice fire going in the stove.

That's the endgame! 👍

 

[Eman85]

For those where the splitter won't split the wood is it stalling the splitter? In most cases I've found the spltter doesn't stall the knarly wood just gets mashed and the splitter runs out of throw. I'll put a split of wood behind it at the foot of my splitter and power through it. Granted my splitter is a vert/horiz so it has the wedge on the ram.
As for lifting the big pieces onto the splitter instead of flipping the splitter save your body. I'm a graduate of the school of doing it the hard way. Hurt myself pretty good this Jan because I didn't want to bother flipping the splitter, last pieces were very big green oak it was getting dark and might rain. Should have flipped the splitter!

 

[Max W]

For those where the splitter won't split the wood is it stalling the splitter? In most cases I've found the spltter doesn't stall the knarly wood just gets mashed and the splitter runs out of throw. I'll put a split of wood behind it at the foot of my splitter and power through it. Granted my splitter is a vert/horiz so it has the wedge on the ram.

Somewhere back in this thread Corey suggested keeping your wedge sharp. I pictured the splitter design with the narrow stationary wedge mounted on the beam’s end but I guess it could help with any design. It did get me thinking it should take less power to drive a piece through a stationary narrow wedge than drive the wider wedge through wood backed by the end plate. It also got wondering about the advantages of each design. Could be a thread on it’s own?

When I built my splitter 17-18 years ago I got ideas from the the design I saw at a big box store and made a wider wedge that traveled. I also liked the idea of being able split vertically but have only used it once that way. One thing I like about my end plate splitter is that it keeps the wood in in reach to resplit. What I don’t like is that a split can pop so close to where I stand.

 

[Fat wood]

I splitter would be a lot easier and less labor. I have a older model swisher 34 ton electric start since 2008. I wanted something with a Honda engine, quiet and fuel efficient. It has a 12.5 briggs intek which has been great. One disadvantage to mine is the weight 500 lbs because of the huge hydraulic tank. Being older it's hard to maneuver. One thing to consider as well as cycle time.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Got a 28 ton splitter from TSC about 8 years ago. Not a speed demon but has split everything I've thrown at it. Bottom line 5hp Honda with two stage pump and never had a problem with it.