How To Store a Splitter Outside?

vf, I considered a couple gates, but the wife nixed the idea.
I think the "bunch of dogs" may be partially why nobody messes with my stuff.
I DO keep the shop locked at all times. Too many tools I'd hate to lose.

Backwoods Savage said:

The trouble with the plastic bag idea is all the condensation you can get inside that bag. I'm not so sure I'd want that around the motor.

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friend of mine has a splitter with a B&S motor on it, has had numerous problems with the motor such as stuck valves, rough runing, water in gas

last time he had it in the shop they asked him how he stores it, he told them he wraps the hyd cylinder up and than tarps the entire splitter, they told him by tarping it the moisture from the ground finds it way up and condensate's, they recommenced to him to just wrap a large "hefty" type plastic bag over the engine and call it good, as that is what they do with their equipment

After he told me that i started looking around when I drive by rental yards, and sure enough they have bags aound the motors, so I started doing it as well the last few months, not 100% sure if it is a good thing to do or not, but we do get alot of rain in these parts

They are correct....but depending upon how the tarp is put on. Again the key is to leave plenty of space between the ground and the tarp so as to get some air flow. We've just never had any condensation problems and as stated, we've done it with the splitter for over 20 years now with no problems. In fact, we had our very first problem with this splitter last week. I had to fix the recoil rope. That is not too bad of record for 20+ years! But now that I have room, it will be stored in the barn.

Trktrd said:

Anything I leave outside also gets a few drops of peppermint oil on it to fend off mice from gnawing on wiring etc.

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+1 I had a squirrel chew a hole in my plastic gas tank on the splitter, as well as the gas cap. Rotten Batsard!

I've got some rubber roofing and I'm thinking of building a A-frame type 'shed', using the rubber roofing for a floor and then tarping the sides but keeping the tarp about 1' off the ground.

velvetfoot said:

S&W: Those look like snow tires!

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You never know when you might need a little more traction when you are splitting ;-)

+1 on the close to the road concern. My buddy lost his 34 ton Swisher a couple weeks ago between 10 and 12 on a Sunday morning while he ran to the auto parts store. From the tracks he found, whoever did it, backed into his clearing, hooked it up and towed it right past his house. Incidentally, the insurance company refused to cover it because of its value and that he hadn't given them make/model/serial # when he bought it.

Shari said:

I've got some rubber roofing and I'm thinking of building a A-frame type 'shed', using the rubber roofing for a floor and then tarping the sides but keeping the tarp about 1' off the ground.

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That sounds good Shari.

You could wrap it in Tyvek (the stuff they wrap houses with in new construction). Moisture can only pass through in one direction, just like Fedex envelopes and dog food bags.

Backwoods Savage said:

They are correct....but depending upon how the tarp is put on. Again the key is to leave plenty of space between the ground and the tarp so as to get some air flow. We've just never had any condensation problems and as stated, we've done it with the splitter for over 20 years now with no problems. In fact, we had our very first problem with this splitter last week. I had to fix the recoil rope. That is not too bad of record for 20+ years! But now that I have room, it will be stored in the barn.

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Did you buy it at TSC? Did you inquire about warranty service? Did you tell them you know me? :lol:

Not bad for 20 years, Dennis, hope mine does as well

Ed

I worry about splitter theft when I have to leave mine out. If I'm splitting in the side yard the splitter is only maybe 40 foot off the road. What I do is put the splitter in the yard before I bring the wood home. Then I drop the pile of wood in front and beside the splitter. By doing this the splitter is not accessible by vehicle, and you'd have to pick the entire machine up and carry it over the wood pile. That worried me too, so I bought a dog stake designed for large dogs, its 24 inches long and has barbs out the side. When you pound it in the ground the barbs deploy making it very hard to yank out by hand (comes out easy via my truck). I put a 1/2 inch cable on the dog stake, rap it around the frame of the splitter then pad lock in place. I know if someone wanted it bad enough, they could take it, but no sense making it easy for them.

Critters ate the wiring, some hoses, and and the hood insulation in my old Ford Escort causing over $600 in damage at the time. Splitter and all other OPE stay in the garage or barn full time now.

Intheswamp said:

Backwoods Savage said:

They are correct....but depending upon how the tarp is put on. Again the key is to leave plenty of space between the ground and the tarp so as to get some air flow. We've just never had any condensation problems and as stated, we've done it with the splitter for over 20 years now with no problems. In fact, we had our very first problem with this splitter last week. I had to fix the recoil rope. That is not too bad of record for 20+ years! But now that I have room, it will be stored in the barn.

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Did you buy it at TSC? Did you inquire about warranty service? Did you tell them you know me? :lol:

Not bad for 20 years, Dennis, hope mine does as well

Ed

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Ed, I just told them you were coming the second time around and they'd best treat you right or that redneck would be coming back with a shotgun the next time. That is how you got a good one finally.

C'mon guys. It's an outdoor piece of machinery. My splitter stays outside 365 days a year. Only thing I do is put one of those square canvas covers from HF over the motor. (I think it is actually supposed to be a sawdust catcher for under a table saw).
Al

I don't do anything to it for storage. I leave it in an open field with a bunch of big snow drifts all
around it in winter. I use it all year though. It doesn't go more than 2 weeks without being used.
All I do is retract the ram and periodically put some 80-90 gear oil on the slide surface. It starts
and runs just fine. I thought about putting a lumber jacket (basically cheapy tarp material)over
it loosely with some bungee cords but just never got around to it.

Why would you guys leave the ram extracted? Don't know hydraulics that well, but I would not think there is any penned up pressure in that system where ram location would be better one way or the other? That smooth finish on the rod needs protections though, which is why I alway leave is retracted. I use a small tarp that has a bungee wrapped arount the bar end to hold the tarp there, then just wedge a log between the wheel and frame to hold the sides in place. Lots of breathing going on with the lack of wrapping the tarp. There is a great product out there for exterior metal protection. I originally bought it to use on guns stored for extended periods in safes. Typically referred to as "Cosmoline", in the firearms industry, it is a petroleum aerosol product that dries to a hard film. They say 2-3 years on an exterior bare metal without rust. The brand I used calls it "Rust-Veto 2356". Might be a good measure if long term storage outside is your deal. Can of this stuff was under 10 bucks. Good for auto restoration/detailing too.

lobsta1 said:

C'mon guys. It's an outdoor piece of machinery. My splitter stays outside 365 days a year. Only thing I do is put one of those square canvas covers from HF over the motor. (I think it is actually supposed to be a sawdust catcher for under a table saw).
Al

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Hehheh . . . I wasn't going to say much, but my Uncle stores his splitter outside in a similar fashion . . . just drapes part of an old pool liner over the beam and engine. Me . . . I like to give my machinery a little more TLC.

lobsta1 said:

C'mon guys. It's an outdoor piece of machinery. My splitter stays outside 365 days a year. Only thing I do is put one of those square canvas covers from HF over the motor. (I think it is actually supposed to be a sawdust catcher for under a table saw).
Al

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Yup. A splitter is an outdoor piece of machinery. So are cars, tractors, atv's, etc., etc. Machinery kept in a shed will always outlast machinery that is stored outdoors.