Has your log splitter ever let you down?

[DonNC]

Have you ever found a log that your splitter wouldnt split simply because you needed more tonnage. Im not talking about twisted/knot ridden logs. I just mean it was too weak for a whole pile of wood (oak, ash...? cedar?)

Im searching for my first splitter and the cost/power variety is almost endless. Now I am at the point ...." How much power do I really need?" How much tonnage do I need?

 

[Thistle]

I owned a Speeco 20 ton H/V w/ 8HP Tecumseh that I bought new in April 96.It only stalled a couple times on some 24" Elm & twisted 18" Honey Locust.Everything else no matter the size was a piece of cake.Sold it in Dec 2005 after a pre-Christmas temp layoff when needing some quick cash.

 

[smokinj]

Other than a flat NO! 27 ton troy built..........

 

[SolarAndWood]

4.5" cylinder, nope. However, there have been a handful of nasty a$$ crotches that I have chosen to not split because of what the frame looked like when I tried.

 

[Jags]

I think most folks could get by nicely with a 20-25 ton unit.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

20 ton MTD over 20 years old and has split well over 200 cord. So far we've found one log it would not split. Perhaps we could have split it with some monkeying around but it was not worth it so I just threw that piece on the brush pile. It was indeed a green cut elm that was twisted about like that one Jags has posted and also was very knotty. The length of it was about 20". Other than that, the splitter has never had a problem and it has been completely trouble free. And we've done better than Jay because we've had not flat tires. lol

 

[fire_man]

I never heard of a gas splitter stalling on anything except knotted twisty stuff. My 27 Ton Troy Build slowed down quite a bit on a giant Cottonwood tree (that stuff is stringy!). It gave up on a knotted twisted oak crotch. But normal rounds are no problem. I hope I get 1/2 the life on my machine that Dennis got on that 20 year old MTD.
That must have been one Ornery Elm for him to give up on it!.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Tony, it was nasty stuff and I really didn't monkey around much with it. I tried to split and it didn't so I moved it over a bit and it still didn't go through. I then turned the log over and tried once and then just threw it aside. Not worth the hassle.

 

[BrotherBart]

I have the same 20 year old 20 ton MTD/Duerr splitter BS has and have never run into anything it wouldn't split.

I have only split a little something over a hundred cord in that amount of time.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hopefully yours also has been trouble free BB.

 

[spur0701]

I've got a 22 ton Huskee that I bought from TSC last fall, it choked on some sweet gum, the larger rounds.......I had to sorta of peel them form the outside in like you would cut a mango.........but that's the only thing that's given it any problem.

 

[BrotherBart]

Hopefully yours also has been trouble free BB.

Except for replacing the engine when a round rolled out of the trailer, down the hill and busted the carb in two. Honda knock-off engine was four dollars more than the Briggs carb would have cost.

I keep expecting it to fly apart. Original everything but the engine. Including the hydraulic fluid. The day it craps out is the day I start buying c/s/d. Well, after the three years worth on the stacks runs out.

 

[smokinj]

Hopefully yours also has been trouble free BB.

Except for replacing the engine when a round rolled out of the trailer, down the hill and busted the carb in two. Honda knock-off engine was four dollars more than the Briggs carb would have cost.

I keep expecting it to fly apart. Original everything but the engine. Including the hydraulic fluid. The day it craps out is the day I start buying c/s/d. Well, after the three years worth on the stacks runs out.

LOL Thats a great spot to be in!

 

[BrotherBart]

When ya run into the nasty stuff, try what I do. I bring the wedge down and when it has a little hard time, stop. Leave the wedge where it is. Then just give it a bump, then another, then another. The pressure on the wedge when you stop does a little work. Then the next bump does a little work and so on. A lot like whacking it in the same spot a few times with a maul in the same spot.

 

[smokinj]

When ya run into the nasty stuff, try what I do. I bring the wedge down and when it has a little hard time, stop. Leave the wedge where it is. Then just give it a bump, then another, then another. The pressure on the wedge when you stop does a little work. Then the next bump does a little work and so on. A lot like whacking it in the same spot a few times with a maul in the same spot.

The troy built has the musle to power through anything, but gets its but kick on the smaller stuff. Funny how people say one splitter is better than the other and when you put them side by side at the end of the day its a draw.

 

[RNLA]

I own a 34 ton IRON-n-OAK splitter and I will say it is over kill for most people. I do not need it most of the time. I would recommend a unit of about 20-27 ton and make sure it is built with high quality parts, do your home work and find a high quality unit. I will also say this splitter has never let me down in any way. I have recently been interested in the Timber Wolf splitters but they are more expensive than the average homeowner units.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

When ya run into the nasty stuff, try what I do. I bring the wedge down and when it has a little hard time, stop. Leave the wedge where it is. Then just give it a bump, then another, then another. The pressure on the wedge when you stop does a little work. Then the next bump does a little work and so on. A lot like whacking it in the same spot a few times with a maul in the same spot.

Bart, I have done that very same thing a few times and it usually works. I had one split this year do that....and it was an ash! Now there is an unusual ash for sure.

 

[kwikrp]

I fell into that trap that bigger is better and ended up with a 33 ton troy bilt. there is nothing that has stopped or delayed this machine. It is a beast and sometimes thats no so good. It is every big and heavy and a pain in the A to ove aroung. My brother has a 20 ton and is able to split everything also but it is much lighter ans easy to move around. If I ever have to get another I would go with a smaller size just because it is easier to manuver around. Just my 2 cents.

 

[RNLA]

Yeah x2 on the bump technique with nasty wood. I also do it and believe it gives the subject a little time to figure out your getting into it. I do cut through knots sometimes this way, I would not recommend doing this if you don't have experience. Splitters can be very dangerous if you run up against cross grain and knots.

 

[DonNC]

So far then... It seems like a 20 ton is the smallest you can use to cut any type of wood and not get stopped by it.

 

[fossil]

I have a 27-ton...I knew it was more splitter than I needed when I bought it, but it was what was available locally when I wanted it, so I own it. It's an MTD (horizontal/vertical) with a Briggs. I split almost exclusively softwoods...but don't let that term fool you into thinking that a 30" diameter round of Lodgepole Pine is something this 62-y/o wants to fool with by hand. The splitter has performed flawlessly for me...some really gnarly uglies have slowed it down, but never stopped it. Rick

 

[mybowtie]

I have a timberwolf tw-1. I think there a 18ton?? Only once did i have a nasty 24" dead elm( I HATE elm) with several knots in it stuck on the wedge.
several dozzen well placed wacks with a 15lb sledge dislodged it from the wedge. My fault I tryed to split it in the middle instead of slicing
peices off the sides..did i metion I HATE elm...

 

[mkt1]

I have a 22 ton Iron and Oak with a 3 1/2 horse engine it has never failed to split anything I put in it. I bought it in 1996 or 97. Have only done maint.on the splitter, but some repair on the BS engine.

 

[firefighterjake]

27 ton MTD Gold . . . haven't run into anything that it cannot split . . . elm, apple, knotty pine, crotches, etc. . . . but I will say it has had to work for some of the splits . . . and some of the elm certainly didn't look very pretty when it came out the other end.