Homelite Electric Splitter Demo

[MrWhoopee]

I was splitting up some large Doug Fir rounds the other day and thought it might be a good chance to video the Homelite 5-ton electric splitter in action.




Note that these rounds were about 20 in. in diameter and wet. They weighed close to 100 lbs, right at my maximum load limit. Thankfully, I finally figured out how to get them from the truck to the splitter without lifting them. Working on a way to get them from the ground into the truck with equal ease.

 

[bboulier]

Nice. How did you modify the splitter tor run only with your foot?​

 

[bogydave]

All that lifting & handling makes me happy I split vertical
The bending & lifting back up to the tail gate would kill my back .

Nice & quiet,
nice foot switch.
Ever try it on a bench level with the truck bed & tail gate? Maybe less lifting.

Good demo! Works great for you

 

[MrWhoopee]

Nice. How did you modify the splitter tor run only with your foot?​

Another of my stupidly simple designs. 1 tee hinge, 2 blocks of wood, 2 pieces of nylon cord.
They were just intended as a test, but worked so well I haven't changed anything.

 

[MrWhoopee]

All that lifting & handling makes me happy I split vertical
Ever try it on a bench level with the truck bed & tail gate? Maybe less lifting.

I was considering exactly that, and may try it yet. This was much simpler, requiring no construction whatsoever. Fortunately, my old back doesn't object to this amount of bending, and I do need the exercise. Getting these rounds up off the ground and putting them in the truck was a bit much. Building a ramp to roll them up now.

 

[bogydave]

Getting these rounds up off the ground and putting them in the truck was a bit much. Building a ramp to roll them up now.

Lifting is how I ruptured a couple discs. Have paid for it ever since.

Using a ramp Smart , Very Smart !

I call anything over 14" rounds , rollers
Especially the green & wet ones.

 

[DanCorcoran]

I have a similar horizontal electric splitter (PowR'Kraft). When I have a round that's too heavy, I use a hand truck. I put the base of the hand truck under the round (which is sitting upright), then lean the hand truck all the way back (horizontal). Because it is then the same height as the splitter, I roll the round from the hand truck to the splitter. If the round is so heavy or so big around that it tips forward as I'm trying to lean the hand truck backwards, I use a cargo strap to cinch the round to the hand truck, then lean it back.

I call the hand truck my "log lifter".

 

[Nutmeg Warrior]

I just picked up the same homelite splitter. It has been splitting some big rounds of hard maple without any problems. Sure, I'd love a gas splitter, but for ~$300 this works pretty damn well.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Sure, I'd love a gas splitter, but for ~$300 this works pretty damn well.

You say that now, but spend a few hours with the motor in your ears and the exhaust in your lungs.....
I rarely have to split any serious hardwood, though I recently was given a 1/4 cord of 4 year seasoned oak. It was a groan, but by finding the weak spots I was able to split it all. Twisted, crotchy pieces are very challenging, but I don't have a pile of uglies I haven't been able to split. I would much rather have one of these little electrics than any gas-powered beast.

 

[lukem]

All that lifting & handling makes me happy I split vertical
The bending & lifting back up to the tail gate would kill my back .

Nice & quiet,
nice foot switch.
Ever try it on a bench level with the truck bed & tail gate? Maybe less lifting.

Good demo! Works great for you

I was thinking tailgate too.

 

[Nutmeg Warrior]

You say that now, but spend a few hours with the motor in your ears and the exhaust in your lungs.....
I rarely have to split any serious hardwood, though I recently was given a 1/4 cord of 4 year seasoned oak. It was a groan, but by finding the weak spots I was able to split it all. Twisted, crotchy pieces are very challenging, but I don't have a pile of uglies I haven't been able to split. I would much rather have one of these little electrics than any gas-powered beast.

Good points. I'd only want a gas splitter for the efficiency. It's hard to find time for wood processing with small kids at home.

 

[BillinTX]

Here is my solution to lifting heavy rounds.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...our-truck-save-your-back.106556/#post-1398087

 

[MrWhoopee]

I decided to build a stand to bring the splitter up to bed level.



Now I can just roll the rounds onto the splitter and put the splits on the tailgate and table, no lifting involved.

I also consolidated the 2 foot pedals into one.



and incorporated a stroke limiter to eliminate unnecessary travel.



No wonder I'm getting soft, I keep eliminating the exercise.

 

[Bigfoot]

love this idea

 

[calixt0]

looking forward to trying your stand set up

 

[blazincajun]

Nice adaption. Just wondering if we get old because we use our noggin more are do we get old because we stop doing hard things or do we just get old?

 

[sporthog]

Love these electric splitters! Any chance you could post some pictures of how you incorporated the 2 foot pedals into 1. I understand the safety issues!
It would be nice to see the pedal connections to the splitter.

Many Thanks, Ross

 

[MrWhoopee]

Love these electric splitters! Any chance you could post some pictures of how you incorporated the 2 foot pedals into 1. I understand the safety issues!
It would be nice to see the pedal connections to the splitter.

Many Thanks, Ross

A single cord with small s-hooks on the ends runs thru the eye-screw on the pedal mounted to the stand (3rd picture in post #13). The s-hooks are attached to the hydraulic control lever and the tee-hinge that actuates the electric control button (shown in post #3). The cord slips thru the eye-screw, as the electric actuator (tee hinge) bottoms, further motion transfers to the hydraulic control. This way the motor starts before the hydraulics actuate. It's all put away for the winter or I would try to get more pictures.

 

[sporthog]

A single cord with small s-hooks on the ends runs thru the eye-screw on the pedal mounted to the stand (3rd picture in post #13). The s-hooks are attached to the hydraulic control lever and the tee-hinge that actuates the electric control button (shown in post #3). The cord slips thru the eye-screw, as the electric actuator (tee hinge) bottoms, further motion transfers to the hydraulic control. This way the motor starts before the hydraulics actuate. It's all put away for the winter or I would try to get more pictures.

Thanks for the additional info Craig!

I assume the routing of the cord is such that it doesn't interfere with the motor or control box?
It looks like the connection to the Hydraulic control is almost straight above the foot pedal
and there is an appropriate hole for the s-hook to hook on to the hydraulic control.
My machine is actually a "Yardworks" machine but looks similar to yours. However, there is
no hole in the hydraulic control. This can be fixed with a small hose clamp.

Cheers, Ross

 

[Grateful11]

I've seen this video numerous time on Youtube. Now I finally get to see how MrWhoopee made this work. Even though we have a gas splitter now we still enjoy the little Homelite for certain stuff. My relatives laughed at the little Homelite until they saw it in action. My SIL likes to run the controls because she can talk and split at the same time ;-)
Thanks for the photos.

 

[SKIN052]

Excellent thread. Gotta try this.

 

[WKUalum]

Used a homelite for the first time this year and can't believe the power it has. Granted I'm splitting mostly ash and some oak. It did have some trouble with a couple pieces of really knotty oak but I can live with that. Better than swinging a maul for sure.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Here it is in use on the stand.



The only thing I regret is making it the same height as the UNLOADED truck bed. This means that, when loaded, the tailgate is about 4-5 inches lower than the splitter, meaning I have to roll the rounds up onto it. I will probably shorten the stand to correct this.

 

[Hogwildz]

Those first couple spits sounds like something I do in my shorts
Excellent ingenuity!

 

[MrWhoopee]

Finally made a video detailing the single foot pedal mod.