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electric woodsplitter stand..updated..pics
- Thread starter steeltowninwv
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stejus
Minister of Fire
I use this stand. It's at the right height for me (6' tall). When I have very large rounds, I put the spliter on the ground so I don't have to lift them. Another thing I do is place plywood on the ground area so when the wood falls, it doesn't dig up your work area.
jimbom
Combustion Analyzer
I use two wood chairs with arm rests. The height is good and the arm rests help contain the wood to be split into smaller sizes. No pictures as wood season has not started for us yet.
I have an old WW2 folding table that is just the right height. Have just stacked pallets before as well or with my 2wd truck I would just put it on the tailgate and split the wood as I was taking it out of the truck.
The electric splitter thing lost me till last week. I used one at a warehouse for a friend who is wrapping wood for sale. It was a speeco 5 ton, I was impressed and that says a lot! I like the idea of making a "table" to work off of. The lack of engine noise alone would be nice. The only problem is I split mostly stuff that gives my 34ton a run for the money!
here is the stand i started building tonight...im not that handy when it comes to building stuff....to finish it im gonna strip a pallet and use the boards for the top to sit the splitter on....its gonna keep me upright while splitting...heck i just realized if i dont like it i can use it for a wood rack
DanCorcoran
Minister of Fire
The ground around my cabin is very rocky, so the small wheels on my splitter don't work well. I made a platform on my hand truck so that I can strap the splitter to it and haul it around. The hand truck doubles as a stand, elevating the splitter enough to make it easier to reach but not so high that I have trouble lifting the larger rounds. I just remove the blue straps to use the splitter, then replace them to haul it back to the shed.
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mayhem
Minister of Fire
I leave mine on the ground and run it with my foot. Its a lot easier to hoist 60-80 lb rounds onto the cradle at that height and I can keep my back straight while splitting.
Wouldn't mind a table, but to my mind its more work...have to lift those rounds a lot higher to get them on the cradle and when they split, they're much more likely to hurt me when falling from that height.
To clarify, most of what I'm splitting this year are 20: long, 15-20: diameter red oak, maple, beech and birch rounds. My splitter is the Speeco 5 ton electric and it only has a lever to run it, there is no secondary safety switch that I think some of the others ones have.
Wouldn't mind a table, but to my mind its more work...have to lift those rounds a lot higher to get them on the cradle and when they split, they're much more likely to hurt me when falling from that height.
To clarify, most of what I'm splitting this year are 20: long, 15-20: diameter red oak, maple, beech and birch rounds. My splitter is the Speeco 5 ton electric and it only has a lever to run it, there is no secondary safety switch that I think some of the others ones have.
Here she is..tried it out..and I love it
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f53/steeltowninwv/2011-10-25171131.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f53/steeltowninwv/2011-10-25175701.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f53/steeltowninwv/2011-10-25171131.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f53/steeltowninwv/2011-10-25175701.jpg
I think your going to find that it's too tall. I tried something like that this summer and in the end having the splitter waist level worked the best.
mayhem
Minister of Fire
i was afraid it might be too tall...we will see...gonna use it tommorow.....if it is to tall..no problem just to cut the legs off a foot or so....and for rolling around..what do u mean?..this splitter isnt gonna roll its sitting on legs....and its heavy...
mayhem
Minister of Fire
steeltowninwv said:
I have a very similar Speeco 5 ton electric, if its on a smooth, hard surface, it rolls very easily. Mine is supported by wheels at the back end and legs at the front and it only weighs about 100 lb. Put 70-80 lb round on that thing and it will roll very easily on its own. It seems heavy if you pick it up, but compared to a gas splitter its very lightweight...and compared to most of what I'm splitting wiht mine (15-18" diameter, 20" long red oak, beech, maple, etc) its barely heavier than the biggest rounds I'm putting on it.
Just saying you might want to consider adding a set of chocks to hold the wheels steady. One bit of split that doesn't separate 100% and wedges into the front legs and that thing is going to walk right off that table.
The factory stand for mine suspends the wheels and keeps the splitter totally motionless.
Jerry_NJ
Minister of Fire
Gave a quick read, so must have overlooked important information... that said I am considering buying a 5 ton, Ryobi I think, from Home Depot and am not yet comfortable it will do the job. From what I see on this thread it appears some of you are doing serious wood splitting with a 5 ton electric.
Most of my splitting has been with a maul and with a hand pump hydraulic (from Harbor Freight) that is advertised to be capable of 10 tons. Still, while some splits benefit from the two stage pump, one gives more advantage to the pumper, I have never had a problem making a split. The main problem is the slow travel of the plunger. That and the fact that when fully extended there must be at least 8" of log that has not been pushed apart. This us usually no problem, I just pull the two pieces apart. But, with some fresh Birch (the wet October snow in NJ) brought 4 mature Birch trees down. The each had trunks of ab out 12" diameter, so too big not to split and dry for burning next year. This wood is so "wet" and fibrous that when the manual splitter has been pumped to its maximum travel I still am unable to pull the two pieces apart.
I can't find any specification on the travel distance for the electric splitter I have looked up on the web. Some will take a 20" log, which is longer than my manual will handle, a good point, but the specs are silent on how far down the split the plunger can travel. I'd hope at least 16".
Most of my splitting has been with a maul and with a hand pump hydraulic (from Harbor Freight) that is advertised to be capable of 10 tons. Still, while some splits benefit from the two stage pump, one gives more advantage to the pumper, I have never had a problem making a split. The main problem is the slow travel of the plunger. That and the fact that when fully extended there must be at least 8" of log that has not been pushed apart. This us usually no problem, I just pull the two pieces apart. But, with some fresh Birch (the wet October snow in NJ) brought 4 mature Birch trees down. The each had trunks of ab out 12" diameter, so too big not to split and dry for burning next year. This wood is so "wet" and fibrous that when the manual splitter has been pumped to its maximum travel I still am unable to pull the two pieces apart.
I can't find any specification on the travel distance for the electric splitter I have looked up on the web. Some will take a 20" log, which is longer than my manual will handle, a good point, but the specs are silent on how far down the split the plunger can travel. I'd hope at least 16".
MrWhoopee
Minister of Fire
I have the Homelite (Ryobi) from Home Depot. I love it, it's been a real workhorse. I've been sharing it with a friend for 3 years now, each of us burns about 5 cords per year. There's very little it won't split. I don't have it right now, but I would say the travel is about 15 in. Try it, you'll like it.
DanCorcoran
Minister of Fire
I have the Pow 'R Kraft and love it. I estimate the travel is about 16" (it's 3 hours away, or I'd check it).
http://www.amazon.com/Pow-Kraft-655...5H5I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1321880524&sr=8-3
http://www.amazon.com/Pow-Kraft-655...5H5I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1321880524&sr=8-3
mayhem
Minister of Fire
Jerry_NJ said:
For whatever its worth, my Speeco 5 ton, the push plate travels to within about an inch or maybe two of the cutting edge. I still have to separate some rounds by hand, but I rarely have any that are bound together harder than I can force apart by hand...but on thos occasions I bust out the Fiskars X17 hatchet and its like using a light saber.
Jerry_NJ
Minister of Fire
Thanks, I am almost "sold" on getting an electric. The PowRKraft looks like a "step up"... a little more $$ then I'd like to spend. That said, the testimony that the $300 Homelite (Ryobi) is doing double duty and each is more splitting than I will do suggests it should last me a life time, my age considered.
I note on the Home Depot web site the Ryobi is 4 ton and the Homelite is 5 ton. They look much the same and may be different only in paint and name plate... still, why the 1 ton difference is splitting power? I also not I have had a lot of trouble with a low-end 14" Homelite chain saw, but the trouble is the 2 cycle engine, otherwise it seems fine. The electric splitter being electric may be fine and it seems it is made by Ryobi anyway. A neighbor is having the same hard starting/low power problem with a small Homelite chain saw, his is 16" but has the same 33 cc engine. I have other low cost Homelite tools that have been satisfactory including a chain saw I used for at least 15 years, it was replaced with the current machine which worked for the first three or four years. But I digress, then I will justify with the comment if one needs a wood splitter, they likely need a chain saw. I love my electric Remington chain saw for light cutting, up to 12" diameter...most of the stuff I cut.
I note on the Home Depot web site the Ryobi is 4 ton and the Homelite is 5 ton. They look much the same and may be different only in paint and name plate... still, why the 1 ton difference is splitting power? I also not I have had a lot of trouble with a low-end 14" Homelite chain saw, but the trouble is the 2 cycle engine, otherwise it seems fine. The electric splitter being electric may be fine and it seems it is made by Ryobi anyway. A neighbor is having the same hard starting/low power problem with a small Homelite chain saw, his is 16" but has the same 33 cc engine. I have other low cost Homelite tools that have been satisfactory including a chain saw I used for at least 15 years, it was replaced with the current machine which worked for the first three or four years. But I digress, then I will justify with the comment if one needs a wood splitter, they likely need a chain saw. I love my electric Remington chain saw for light cutting, up to 12" diameter...most of the stuff I cut.
Jerry_NJ
Minister of Fire
Back, this time with an increased interest in the Task Force, I see it in this thread. I see it on the Lowes web site for $299, so if they pulled it off the market it appears to be back now.
This type splitter seems to be selling well. I see some are back ordered for web orders.
This type splitter seems to be selling well. I see some are back ordered for web orders.
Jerry_NJ said:
I have the task force without a complaint... Open the bleeder and make sure the adjuster bolts are not loose or uneven and you will have it a long long time. It serves me well I have it in my garage for making kindling out of 2x4 scraps and other small jobs now. I find running the extension cords to my splitting area a bit of a bother so I don't use it much anymore. I have run easy 10 cords with it before I got my freebie splitter. I was considering selling them both and buying a new hor/vert splitter.
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