Hand powered hydraulic splitter... Worth it?

[karri0n]

So, I was looking at splitters, and saw that they are all way beyond my price range. I then saw the hand powered one with two levers, basically a hydraulic jack with a wedge on one side. I was thinking I could really easily make this with a regular hydraulic bottle or floor jack, for a lot cheaper than buying the mfg'd one. It wouldn't have a speed and power handle, but I don't really care if it takes a bit longer. Is this even worth doing or would it just be a waste of time and effort for something I can just as easily do with my maul, and do faster?


I know it's not too difficult to make a real gas powered hydraulic splitter, but I don't have the parts sitting around like lots of people that do this undertaking do, and the price of the motor and the hydraulic equipment is also beyond my price range. Any thoughts?

 

[kevin j]

think of how fast you raise a car with a hydraulic jack. the wood would grow faster than you can split it......
also the stroke of typical bottle jack is 3 to 5 inches. Nice grained wood that may be enough stroke to pop, but elm or tough wood, no chance, you have to fight it way to the end of stroke.
However if you made a frame yourself and have the jack, it could be worth a try. Just have low expecations.

how about a used craigslist electric one? they usually come through about $200 to 300 range. Tiny, slow, but quiet and may meet your needs for occasional use.

maul & wedge: others will comment better than me, I have not done those for many years.

 

[TreePapa]

I wasted over $200 on one of these:

http://www.minisplitter.com/8ton.htm
(8 ton "heavy duty" mini splitter)

Biggest waste of $$ around. Basically, it can't split anything that I can't split FASTER with an ax or maul. The website used to show a 10-yr old boy splitting 12" logs. I'm sure the wood was something easy like straight grain pine, fir, or ash.

Basicially, the jack just stops if the wood is too knarly.

Piece of junk. I suspect the two-handled types are pretty much the same. If the wood is tough, the splitter won't work. If the wood is easy, you can split much faster with an ax.

Spend your money on a monster maul, or on renting a gas-powered splitter.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[smokinj]

I wasted over $200 on one of these:

http://www.minisplitter.com/8ton.htm
(8 ton "heavy duty" mini splitter)

Biggest waste of $$ around. Basically, it can't split anything that I can't split FASTER with an ax or maul. The website used to show a 10-yr old boy splitting 12" logs. I'm sure the wood was something easy like straight grain pine, fir, or ash.

Basicially, the jack just stops if the wood is too knarly.

Piece of junk. I suspect the two-handled types are pretty much the same. If the wood is tough, the splitter won't work. If the wood is easy, you can split much faster with an ax.

Spend your money on a monster maul, or on renting a gas-powered splitter.

Peace,
same here monster maul would be so much faster
- Sequoia

 

[Chumley]

Is this even worth doing or would it just be a waste of time and effort for something I can just as easily do with my maul, and do faster?

My answer would be no. Stick with the maul.

 

[Gooserider]

Never tried one of the manual hydraulics, but from all I've heard there are really only two use-cases where they really give an advantage over maul or wedge splitting -

1. If you have medical issues that prevent you from being able to swing an axe / maul effectively (i.e. you've blown your joints from swinging a maul too many times....)

2. You want to split indoors or some other place where it isn't practical / safe to swing a maul.

Gooserider