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Log Splitter Recommendations
NeoBlackdog
Member Posts: 16,666 ✭✭✭✭
We're looking into buying firewood in log form and will want to get a powered splitter. It'll come to us as logs 17 cords at a time and I'm getting too old to run a maul all day like I used to! The wood we'll be splitting will be Douglas Fir (red fir) and Western Larch (Tamarack), right at 16" long and anywhere from 8" to 24" diameters.
We have a Kubota B3030 tractor that can power the splitter (either hydraulic or PTO) or could use a stand alone gas powered one.
You guys and gals have any recommendations as to brand/model etc?
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In replacing the splitter I built in the 1980's a few years ago I thought for quite a while about which to go. I elected to go with a stand alone. I figured a tractor powered would use more fuel (even w/ my 3 cyl diesel) plus I can maneuver a stand alone w/buy my ATV in tight places. That may not be a problem since you are having the logs delivered. I drop & cut from my own property. With those diameters, make sure you buy one that converts from horizontal to vertical. I looked at many brands online but ended up buying one locally from Tractor Supply.
I would get a stand alone, mainly just to keep hours off the Kubota. and be sure to get one that will split a little longer than you will be using so you don't have to beat/bang the peices down to be split. as with anything else the bigger the longer it should last, motor and hydraulic pressure, and nowdays make sure you can get spare parts if it happens to breakdown. If you look on the used market you may be able to operate a few to see which you like best, horizontal vs vertical. either on will wear a person out before you run out of gas, but they do beat hand splitting. I used to have a homemade one with 14 hp Koler and a 10ft beam made to split fence posts, it was a bear to drag around without the truck/tractor but would bust anything you could get on it.........
If you are going to be splitting near a power source, why gas powered? I have been looking at electric ones at Home Depot. No muss, no fuss, plug it in and when you are done wipe it down and coil up the cord and put it away. I have way too many gas-powered tools and spend too much time mixing gas, draining tanks, cleaning air filters, etc... Bob
edit, Whoops I didn't see your up to 24" requirement. The bigger electric I looked at was only rated to about 15". That's about as big as I want to handle but wouldn't work out for you.
I bought The Boss 7 ton from Home Depot last month for $640. Electric. Here I am splitting some dry, gnarly 12 inch locust. Tough wood to split but the Boss split it OK. I also split some 16 inch red oak, and the Boss handled it well.
You are talking about Doug Fir and Tamarack. Are those hard to split? If these are not too hard to split the 7 ton Boss will work for you. You might want to go with a bigger model.
I say, go electric, why hassle with that gasoline motor?
Here is the Boss 16 ton for $1500. This would handle anything you could load into it.
How much money are you thing of spending?
Sky is the limit for wood splitters.
I have a Timberwolf TW-5. Bells and whistles. Run it right and it will work 4 people to death.
And do get a stand alone. No sense wearing out you tractor splitting wood.
Holy cow, Butchdog! That thing looks like a beast. I'd like to keep it under $2,000 but know that's going to limit my capacity some.
Allen, right now we have the much smaller brother to the machine you showed me. It looks like the ED16T21 only does up to 13.6" rounds. As for how tough the fir and tamarack are to split, they're not terrible. Not nearly as tough as the oak you've split.
I figured that pine wouldn't be too tough. What the heck go ahead and buy the 7 ton Boss. If it doesn't measure up, you have a 30 day return no questions asked at Home Depot.
24 inch diameter on some you say:
If you are going to be doing this big stuff for awhile you are going to wish you had got one with a power lift. (and also a hydralic operated 4 way wedge or at least constant 4 way wedge)
The extra cost of the power lift will be less than your Dr bills.
I use a 37 ton unit Vert/horiz with a honda engine and 4 way wedge. and doing the big stuff vertical is not fun.
Son in law has a Horiz only with the power lift for the big stuff and it's actually fun to operate.
Up to 24". Most looks like it'll be 16-18" stuff.
What brand is yours, Okie?
Having experience with both tractor powered and self-powered, I'd recommend the self powered. No need to run even a small horsepower tractor engine when all you need is 5-8 horsepower. We now have a 35 ton splitter that is generally good enough but struggles with the tougher, harder to split species and the knotty chunks.
24" diameter pinewood shouldn't be that difficult to handle and if it is, just set those bigger chunks aside until you have some help or maybe hand split into 2 chunks. That's what we do--hook 17 year old Grandson onto a maul and let him burn calories while Son and I run the splitter.
Mine is a Northern Tool 37 ton about 11 years old and gets used often. I bought it new after looking at used ones and other type new ones. I had put it together myself. I also had to buy the engine oil and Hydraulic fluid separate. I knew going in that I was going to be doing lots of firewood for quite awhile and had to get into the big diameter wood due to large oak trees dying in my neck of the woods. (had not planned going in on doing large diameter stuff)
The 37 ton gets er dun, even through green knots.
Mine has the Auto throttle and will run about 2 days on a tank of gas with constant use.
I try to use non-ethanol gas.
Only problem I've had is I had to put go back and use thread lock on several of the nuts and bolts so as they remain secure and I added a extension to the tongue so as it is easier to back up and I installed a old flexible CB antenna on it so as I can see it's direction when backing when behind a truck.
It's stored outside and I bought the NT cover which is very good and heavy duty type and still good.
I wished several times when rolling/crawling out of bed the next day I had bought the one with the power lift because I get into big diameter heavy wood quite often by myself wrestling the wood into the vertical position without a young stout helper. A tractor with a front bucket would really be handy for the larger diameter stuff getting the wood close to a splitter.
I could probably sell mine today for around 3/4 of what I paid for it new. (because it still looks and works good)
Mine has a tow limit speed listed at around 55mph but I've towed it at 70 with no problems.
The NT Honda engine type units with the Honda engines hold their value good.
I bought mine at Tractor Supply. It's called "County Line", rated @ 30 ton, has a Kohler 9.5 HP engine, a 26" stroke, 10.5 second cycle time, either vertical or horizontal operation, a 2" ball hitch and the typical small trailer type tires. It has an automatic back-stroke which is a little scary (fingers can get pinched at the back-stroke, too!) I think I paid around $1,300 for it a year ago. I have used it mostly for maple up to about 24" dia. It "grunts" a little on the big knotty stuff but still splits it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
I know some guys that get along ok with their 30 ton tractor supply splitters.
3 years ago they were about $1000 and you can save on taxes if you have a Farm tax exempt.
Brandon and tree huggers does not like gasoline wood splitters. (too much fossil fuels and pollution being consumed)
He will like you better if you can use a splitter and chainsaw that runs on Batteries or wind/solar.
Brandon can kiss my fifth point of contact!
That's the one I have Ambrose. I've had it 3 years and had no problems. When the logs get to 12-20" I use the tractor bucket to load them (go ahead and laugh at this old guy)! Anything larger I go to vertical and use the tractor to move into place and lift the logs to stand up.
I do not want his lips anywhere close to mine.
Yep, using that tractor bucket in the woodlot sure saves on pains and pain medication and possible Dr. bills
No laughing at a old guy, you are just getting little wiser as you get older.
If that's the case Okie, I must be approaching genius.
Isn't that called "cheek to jowl"?
If the power goes out while splitting those electric, just fire up the generator 20amp and you are good to go