Electric Log Splitter

[NordicSplitter]

I'm thinking about picking up a 5 ton electric log splitter from Home Depot. Ryobi is the brand & can hold a 20 inch piece of wood. Watched some video's on youtube and everyone loved it. I need to split my Elm & Black Locust soon & every chart says these are two very difficult woods to split. Any feedback would be great....Thanks

 

[Kenster]

Tractor Supply has a SpeeCo 5 ton on sale now for $249. I'd take the SpeeCo over Ryobi. SpeeCo also makes the Huskee brand of hydraulic splitters.

I've read pretty good reviews on the 7 ton electric at Harbor Freight. With the current promotion I think they are $350 or so.

I've looked into electrics. Right now I'm sort of negotiating with two friends to go in together on a good gas powered hydraulic. If that doesn't work out I may end up with an electric unit. One of my concerns is that my wood working area is at least 100 feet from the nearest electric outlet. A heavy duty 10 gauge extension cord 100 ft long will add another $100 to my purchase price.

By the way, Nordic, you really should probably have posted this in the "Gear" forum, rather than in "The Wood Shed."
You're likely to get a better response there, too.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

I'm thinking about picking up a 5 ton electric log splitter from Home Depot. Ryobi is the brand & can hold a 20 inch piece of wood. Watched some video's on youtube and everyone loved it. I need to split my Elm & Black Locust soon & every chart says these are two very difficult woods to split. Any feedback would be great....Thanks

Good luck with American Elm, almost reminds me of the phrase "do you feel lucky". I can't go a 1/4" into it with my Ryobi. If you saw notch it into the end the depth of the bar, it should split. These are nice splitters, some of the heavy hardwoods will give them fits though, Randy

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I doubt a 5 ton splitter will do very well at all on elm because it can be tough for a 20+ ton splitter. It probably would do the black locust though.

 

[Intheswamp]

I doubt a 5 ton splitter will do very well at all on elm because it can be tough for a 20+ ton splitter. It probably would do the black locust though.

Elm is tough on 20+ ton splitters????? Who'd ah thunk it :lol:

Ed

 

[Jaugust124]

Bought the Task Force 5-ton from Lowes last year. Does just about anything I ask of it, but I don't ask much. Mostly split by hand with the Fiskars. However, I'm glad I have it. There have been some gnarly pieces that it has taken care of for me and when I don't feel like splitting by hand I use it. Works good for making kindling as well. If you don't want the expense of a gas splitter, go for it. I don't think you'll regret it it, but it probably depends on how much wood you're really going to split. If you are doing 4-5 cords a year, it may not hold up.

 

[Stax]

Don't do it. Save the $200 - $500 you're gonna spend on an electric log spliter for a hydro down the lane. Virtually all eletric log splitters can only handle 10-12 inch diamter logs and under. Anything larger and it fails. I've got a 7 Ton PowerHouse from Sears that sits in the shed. I will be selling mine soon.

 

[Kenster]

I went into Lowe's to look at an electric splitter last week. The department manager said he had one in inventory but it was in the back. Apparently, there was some issue and the company told him to pull them off the shelves. This was not a returned item. It had never been sold and had not been a floor model. It had never been sold and he could not sell it to me. He did, however, bring it out and let me see it. Looked good and it accepted a longer piece of wood. I forget exactly... maybe 22 inches? I cut 20 inches and remember that this splitter would work for me in that regard. Some electrics accept only shorter rounds.
There are currently NO electric splitters being shown on Lowe's website.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

I went into Lowe's to look at an electric splitter last week. The department manager said he had one in inventory but it was in the back. Apparently, there was some issue and the company told him to pull them off the shelves. This was not a returned item. It had never been sold and had not been a floor model. It had never been sold and he could not sell it to me. He did, however, bring it out and let me see it. Looked good and it accepted a longer piece of wood. I forget exactly... maybe 22 inches? I cut 20 inches and remember that this splitter would work for me in that regard. Some electrics accept only shorter rounds.
There are currently NO electric splitters being shown on Lowe's website.

Someone in Chicago I believe it was, had a piece of wood pop out & hit him in the face with one of the small electrics. The attorneys were blameing the fact that the mandatory using of both hands to operate forced the users face too close to the splitter. I've seen wood pop out of my Ryobi with a force you wouldn't want to get hit with anywhere, Randy

 

[Kenster]

That is one of the things I do not like about the little electric splitters - the two handed operation. I read that someone planned to replace the right (Push for power) switch to a toggle switch so that power will always be on. You could then operate the ram lever with one hand and steady the round you're splitting with the other hand.

 

[Battenkiller]

I went into Lowe's to look at an electric splitter last week. The department manager said he had one in inventory but it was in the back. Apparently, there was some issue and the company told him to pull them off the shelves. This was not a returned item. It had never been sold and had not been a floor model. It had never been sold and he could not sell it to me. He did, however, bring it out and let me see it. Looked good and it accepted a longer piece of wood. I forget exactly... maybe 22 inches? I cut 20 inches and remember that this splitter would work for me in that regard. Some electrics accept only shorter rounds.
There are currently NO electric splitters being shown on Lowe's website.

Man, I'll have to look into that. I got one of those Task Force splitters this winter, hope there's not a safety issue with it. No recall notice to me, and I have the Lowe's extended warranty, so they'd have no excuse for not contacting me.

FWIW I wouldn't try elm on my electric splitter, no way would it handle that wood. Black locust... no problem at all, but I've always found BL to be one of the easier splitting woods, at least in my parts. Last year I split a cord of it by hand with my Fiskars in little more than an hour. Pops them right apart.

 

[Jaugust124]

I went into Lowe's to look at an electric splitter last week. The department manager said he had one in inventory but it was in the back. Apparently, there was some issue and the company told him to pull them off the shelves. This was not a returned item. It had never been sold and had not been a floor model. It had never been sold and he could not sell it to me. He did, however, bring it out and let me see it. Looked good and it accepted a longer piece of wood. I forget exactly... maybe 22 inches? I cut 20 inches and remember that this splitter would work for me in that regard. Some electrics accept only shorter rounds.
There are currently NO electric splitters being shown on Lowe's website.

Someone in Chicago I believe it was, had a piece of wood pop out & hit him in the face with one of the small electrics. The attorneys were blameing the fact that the mandatory using of both hands to operate forced the users face too close to the splitter. I've seen wood pop out of my Ryobi with a force you wouldn't want to get hit with anywhere, Randy

You are absolutely correct. That has happened to me as well on several occasions. I could see where someone operating the machine or a bystander could get injured. I tend to hold my body to one side while splitting as a precaution, but I am still in harms way. I forgot about this when I posted my previous comment. Thanks for the reminder.
I like the idea of the toggle switch. I will be looking into that. Thanks.

 

[Battenkiller]

Someone in Chicago I believe it was, had a piece of wood pop out & hit him in the face with one of the small electrics. The attorneys were blameing the fact that the mandatory using of both hands to operate forced the users face too close to the splitter. I've seen wood pop out of my Ryobi with a force you wouldn't want to get hit with anywhere, Randy

Me, too. Supposed to keep you from chopping your hand off. I'm smart enough not to get my hand caught between the wood and the splitting wedge, but I have no control over tension locked into the wood itself. I've had several rounds explode on me at close range. After the first one, I keep my right elbow up in the air so that I can deflect them with the side of my forearm. Hurts like hell sometimes, but wouldn't want to catch one in the head.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Someone in Chicago I believe it was, had a piece of wood pop out & hit him in the face with one of the small electrics. The attorneys were blameing the fact that the mandatory using of both hands to operate forced the users face too close to the splitter. I've seen wood pop out of my Ryobi with a force you wouldn't want to get hit with anywhere, Randy

Me, too. Supposed to keep you from chopping your hand off. I'm smart enough not to get my hand caught between the wood and the splitting wedge, but I have no control over tension locked into the wood itself. I've had several rounds explode on me at close range. After the first one, I keep my right elbow up in the air so that I can deflect them with the side of my forearm. Hurts like hell sometimes, but wouldn't want to catch one in the head.

Thats a good idea, keeping the elbow up, I can maybe duck behind it. I think the beam flexes under pressure & causes some splits to almost explode as you say, Randy

 

[Battenkiller]

I think the beam flexes under pressure & causes some splits to almost explode

Very astute observation, you may be on to something there.

 

[velvetfoot]

I sit down behind the splitter and there is no problem.
Plus, I kinda wish they would explode apart.

 

[velvetfoot]

I sit down behind the splitter and there is no problem.
Plus, I kinda wish they would explode apart.

 

[PJF1313]

I have an "Earthquake" 5-ton model that was given to me as a b-day gift last Aug.

It also, originally, required a 2-hand operation. I didn't like that from the get-go. I've since modified it to a one hand/one foot style, with a replacement foot safety switch from a piece of industrial equipment. It works 1000% better. Foot on "power" switch; one hand on log; the other on the ram control.

When I first used it without the mods., it would throw Cherry and Maple splits atlest 5 feet from the splitter, and a couple of feet high. Now, it's more of a "controllable" toy.

I haven't tried any difficult woods in it, because I can see that it wouldn't. A "challenging" piece of "soft" or prime, straight pieces. That's when the Fiskars comes out and saves the day

 

[mayhem]

I don't know what you guys are talking about with 2 handed operation of an electric splitter. My Speeco has a power switch, I turn it on to run the motor, then put a round in the cradle and push the lever with one hand...often I just use my right foot to push the lever.

So, the Speeco 5 tons at TSC are definitely NOT 2 handers...unless they changed the design in the last 3-4 months.