Why is Iron & Oak better than Speeco?

[Intheswamp]

I had buried a post very similar to this one inside of another thread but thought I'd bring it up in it's own thread.

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Iron & Oak vs. Speeco???

I hear the I&O are great splitters but I’ve never seen one except via images online. Looking at the specs the are not really that much better than Speeco’s specs but I&O demands a much higher price. Here’s some points that I see…I'm primarily looking at the 22-ton units.

* It looks like the I&O engine is an upgrade over the Speecos.
* The I&O has a smaller dimensioned beam and uses a clamp on wedge (good/bad?...apparently most manufacturers use this style).
* The I&O has no built-in log-dislodger ($85 extra).
* It looks like the I&O has a larger hydraulic fluid reservoir.
* Both machines have roughly the same cycle time.
* The I&O outweighs a Speeco 25-ton unit (couldn’t find a weight for their 22-ton) by 50 pounds…and the 25-ton Speeco has a 4.5†cyclinder compared to I&O’s 4†cylinder…I state this difference in cylinder size to show that the I&O’s heavier weight must be in framing, beam, fenders, etc.,.

Anyhow, somebody want to point out what makes such a difference in price between the two?

Thanks!
Ed

 

[wendell]

The I&O is better built and is made entirely in the USA but unless you are splitting a lot of wood, it would be hard to justify the price.

 

[Intheswamp]

The I&O is better built and is made entirely in the USA but unless you are splitting a lot of wood, it would be hard to justify the price.

I won't be splitting but probably 2-3 cords a year so the lower priced brands will probably do for me but having a little trouble finding a Huskee at the moment. In "better built" I'm taking that to mean that the I&O is built with more precision and closer tolerances that most of the consumer grade units....basically a better "fit and finish"?

Ed

 

[wendell]

I would say fit and finish and quality of materials. Note how much heavier the I&O unit is.

 

[TreePointer]

An hydraulic splitter isn't that complicated a machine. Engine, pump, valve, cylinder, hoses, filter, hydraulic reservoir, beam, wedge. Smaller cylinder usually means less force, but faster cycle times.

Price differences may also be found in different valves & pumps used.

I&O/Brave/Timberwolf/American are all very nice; but some Huskee/SpeeCo splitters have many of the same components as the lower end I&O splitters. For a few cords/year, an inexpensive 22-ton model (Huskee, Troy-Bilt, et al.) will be fine.


The main differences I found when comparing a 14s 22-ton Huskee and the 14s 22-ton I&O are as follows:

Huskee comes with a built-in log cradle and log dislodger and is less expensive ($999 this week).

I&O is better balanced to have a lighter tongue weight, which makes moving it by hand easier. You have to pay extra for the dislodger.

 

[Intheswamp]

Thanks for clarifying things Wendel and TreePointer. That's kinda what I was thinking. In regards to my few cords a year I really think the Huskee would last me a lifetime (though I would really hope that I would out live *it* )

Basically I want it to split wood and not break down. I think for my 2, maybe 3 cords a year cycle time won't be that important to me and the 22-ton Huskee seemed to have a nice speed.

Is it possible to get banned from a TSC? :bug:

Ed

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Banned from TSC? Maybe ignored. My I&O was bought used from a rental agency. Got to pick the unit, check the service records. $1K. There are 3 of us who use/own it, so initial cost was pretty decent. The company has been great to deal with-had a recall on the ram, they sent a new one with pre-paid shipping for the old one-$0.00 cost. In 2 years since we picked it up, it has close to 50 cord split, no problems. Honda motor fires up on 1-2 pulls. Do have to replace the lock pins. They get hammered, but not a big deal. Plus, when asked about the splitter, I've never heard jokes about European male swimwear. :lol:

 

[Intheswamp]

Banned from TSC? Maybe ignored. My I&O was bought used from a rental agency. Got to pick the unit, check the service records. $1K. There are 3 of us who use/own it, so initial cost was pretty decent. The company has been great to deal with-had a recall on the ram, they sent a new one with pre-paid shipping for the old one-$0.00 cost. In 2 years since we picked it up, it has close to 50 cord split, no problems. Honda motor fires up on 1-2 pulls. Do have to replace the lock pins. They get hammered, but not a big deal. Plus, when asked about the splitter, I've never heard jokes about European male swimwear. :lol:

Nice score on the splitter! Now if they'd recall the pump you'd basically have new hydraulics Unfortunately I apparently I don't do well buying rental stuff...I went out on a limb and got my sister to pickup a Makita saw at HD in Columbus, GA....sight unseen. She brought it to me last night (first trip down there since she got it)...has a cross-threaded bar nut on it and the stud looks "short" compared to the other one.<sigh>

Anyhow, if I go the Huskee route I'll be on the lookout for the swimwear jokes...that not French swimwear is it? :smirk:

Ed

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I just looked at -www.toolparstdirect.com- and pulled up the schematic for the 6401. Looks like a threaded stud, part #100, so should be an easy fix. I was searching the HD's for a rental saw, no luck. Jutt77 did some searching for me, located a 6401 in almost new condition. I've only run it once so far, needs to be tuned for my elevation and broke in, but so far impressive. You'll like the saw.

 

[Intheswamp]

I just looked at -www.toolparstdirect.com- and pulled up the schematic for the 6401. Looks like a threaded stud, part #100, so should be an easy fix. I was searching the HD's for a rental saw, no luck. Jutt77 did some searching for me, located a 6401 in almost new condition. I've only run it once so far, needs to be tuned for my elevation and broke in, but so far impressive. You'll like the saw.

BK, I think the studs will be ok. I've been discussing the saw over at arboristsite.com. Here is a copy of a summary thus far of the saw...I wish my was in the condition of yours. Does anybody know what HD's policy on return of these rental saws? Man, I feel like a bad penny that keeps turning up in the reject pile! Honest guys, I'm not that hard to please. Ed

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Thanks for the feedback, ya'll. I didn't get to look at it very much last night but I just now looked it over a bit closer.

*The studs appear GOOD. I started to take the nuts off and saw that just a regular, unflanged nut was on one stud and it wasn't the right thread. I gingerly screwed it off and ran the correct nut off of the other stud back and forth on it to smooth the threads out...both studs seem pretty good now, though the one I thought was a goner is a little grabby. I put the good nut back on...saved the other one in case I needed to show it to some one.

*The filter needs replacing...hasn't been cleaned in a while (forever?).

*The bar is shot...doesn't look like it's ever been dressed down and looks like it was overheated more than once (lots more than once).

*The side plate that holds the bar on has a small nylon piece at the bottom of it that is heavily worn..the black rubber/foam padding is chewed up pretty good.

*The thin metal plate that fits over the bar studs and goes between the bar and saw body is bent with a crack in it...it's held on by one screw and looks like there was some type of pin at one time that sat in a hole opposite from the screw to stabilize it.

*The chain tensioner seems a little tight, but seems to work with a little effort.

*They charged my sister $20 more than they quoted me on the phone. But, seeing their error they threw two chains in for free...looks like new chains....50, 3/8", 72DL...safety chaines?

I don't think this was a good deal for the saw but maybe still within the margins for keeping it. I'm not even sure they'd take it back if I sent it back. I'm figuring I need that metal plate, a filter, bar nuts, and the nylon piece and foam rubber piece in the side plate (if they can be gotten outside of a whole new plate).

I just went out and cranked the saw with the gas that was in it. It spit and sputtered a bit but eventually ran pretty good. Definitely not as smooth as my Rancher 55 or MS260 Pro. Sounded a little "metalic" around the clutch/sprocket area if that makes any sense.

Anybody wanta comment on whether this might be a worthy saw to build up. Looks like right now I've got $270 in it.
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[Como]

What did you do to tune for altitude?

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Como, I haven't tuned it yet. It probably needs to be tuned with a tach., which I don't have. I'm going to give it a shot, tuning in the cut this weekend. Hopefully in a few months I'll be working in Fairplay, if so I'll let you know and pop on down your way.

 

[Como]

Not a lot happening in Fairplay, apart from the new School.

You are more than welcome.

 

[Splitter77]

Just to let everyone know that Monday April 11th all Iron & Oak splitters are going up in price ranging from $50-$100 across the board. This is the first price raise since 2009. I know it doesn't answer your question as to why they are better but I thought I would give everyone a "heads up" on the price increase you will see next week.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That seems to be happening to most products. When the price of gas shoots up, other prices have to follow. We get pinched even more.