Splitter Advice

[JSeery]

You can split 3-4 cords in a day no problem. If that's all you're doing every year, are you sure it's not cheaper and easier to rent a splitter once or twice a year?

That's a good point, but I figured that I might as well buy a splitter that was a good value if I can resell it down the road for pretty close to what I paid in the first place. Over the long run, that might allow me to keep more of my $. I'm also not sure if it is easier since I don't have a truck. Do rental places typically drop the splitter off at your house or do you need to pick it up from them? I could borrow a truck once, and buy a splitter from craigslist, or I could borrow it every year if I rent one. Or I could be more lazy and have Lowe's deliver the DHT to my driveway if I wanted to buy new. But I take your point.

 

[billb3]

REd oak ( not crotches) splits pretty easy.
My back can't do splitting by hand any more.
I initially bought a 5 ton electric and I've split pine and oak with it in a pinch ( gotta be careful when that pine goes flying ) . Nice for making kindling in the garage.
Splt just about anything straight grained I threw at it until I cut a ornamental blue spruce down in the front yard. Just stalled on rounds. Even small ones.
On your knees on the ground sucks. Sucks worse on gravel.
I've strapped it to a picnic table trestle which works on anything but huge rounds, then it's back on the ground for those.

Currently sharing an inherited home made hyd splitter with a BIL. We sometimes harvest and cut together so it works for us. It's probably 20 Tons.
My brother has a 20 Ton hyd and it has split just about anything but the gnarliest of pieces too.
A saw comes in handy for those .

Dunno what a lot of spruce and fir and wood not common to around here is like to split but 20 ton seems to suffice to this area.

 

[Jazzberry]

Think of all the money your saving by burning wood. I burn 6 to 7 cords a year and my son does also. He also cuts wood for extra money with it. My splitter paid me back the first year I bought it.

 

[JSeery]

It's getting close to Black Friday, and I am thinking I will probably pull the trigger on the DHT or County Line 22 ton, whichever has the better sale. If there are no sales, I'll just save up and buy something in the Spring. I've been looking at Craigslist, and any time one of these is for sale, it is basically for the same price as new, which just goes to show that they really do keep their value.

Anyway, as I consider splitters, I was also thinking of the fact that I don't have an ATV or garden tractor, so I'll need to manually pull this thing into place. Seems like I should have thought of that at the outset, but better late than never.

Looking at the various websites, the DHT comes in at 634lbs. The County Line is at 525 lbs. The TW-P1 is the lightest, at 475 lbs. I can't find the weight of a SuperSplit, but I'm guessing it is slightly lighter than the TW-P1 (the J model, that is).

My question is, do those of you who have the DHT or the County Line/Speeco/Husky move it around by hand? I've heard that moving the TW-P1 by hand is doable if you aren't going up too much of a hill. I just have a pretty easy slope between where I plan to store this thing long term, and where I process my wood. So it doesn't have to be that easy to move, but I will need to be able to move it without too much help. I'm pretty scrawny, but I can get help from family/neighbors for more manpower when I need it.

Thanks.

 

[chew72]

And if your looking to spend $$$ on a splitter don't forget split-fire

http://www.split-fire.com/

 

[Jags]

Maybe consider something like this to assist in moving it by hand

 

[JSeery]

Maybe consider something like this to assist in moving it by hand
View attachment 165887

Good idea. Looks like this might be the answer.

 

[DickRussell]

[QUOTE="JSeery, post: 1997293, member: 42661.....My question is, do those of you who have the DHT or the County Line/Speeco/Husky move it around by hand? .[/QUOTE]

I have the TSC/Speeco 22Ton. For moving it to storage in the garage, I find it easy to move by hand once I have it backed in. I weigh just 145 lb. On level ground, it isn't all that bad, as most of the weight is over the wheels. For significantly sloped ground, you probably need some muscle, in the form of a car, truck, or ATV with hitch. Fortunately for me, I can use the car to move it between garage and where I use the thing.

 

[schwaggly]

From August 2015:
I just pulled the trigger on a 28 ton country line/speeco with a 190cc Honda engine. I got a 4 way wedge all for under $1500. When I got home the air filter was gone at 40mph top speed. Called store and got a new one free but a pain. Reviews to follow.
Splitter itself is on sale at $1399 from $1499. The 22 ton at $999 looks good but might not push 4way that's why I spent the extra $$.

Review update:
Almost 4 yrs later I have split 40 to 50 cords. I burn and sell some and split for friends and family. This thing has been rode hard and put away wet with no issues. Me and my brother inlaw were splitting for 6 hours on less than 2 tanks of gas. I decided to change oil today as a token of my appreciation for this quality machine.