How many cords per year until you break down and buy a splitter vs renting one?

[Seanm]

I picked up an electric 6.5 ton splitter 3 seasons ago and think its great. When I was in my 20s I used to split a cord firewood sometimes after work no problem. It was a great way to relax. A couple of years ago I was splitting wood and it was bugging my back and was also giving me sore shoulders so waited for a good sized splitter to come on sale. Picked up mine for $450. Its slower than doing it by hand but I can do it all day and the wife and kids are able to run it as well. If I only burned one cord a year then maybe I would split it by hand.

 

[NewHarmanOwner]

You can pick up a HF 22-Ton Splitter for $800 tax and delivery. There was no way I was going to split 12 cords+ wood by hand. I had to get 3 years ahead and getting one is well worth the time and money. I will probably sell this one later and get one that can split vertically to deal with those extra large rounds.

 

[BigCountryNY]

Like others have said, a splitter will save you time in the long run as you can split all day long if you want and never really slow down. I love to split by hand, but a log load laying on the ground drives me nuts. Maybe it's my OCD kicking in, but I want my wood CSS'd ASAP. Splitting is the rate-limiting factor and having a splitter will save you a lot of time. Tractor Supply carries a great 22-ton splitter that just went on sale for $950. 13 second cycle time and runs like a champ. Only thing better would be a firewood processor like a Cord King...

 

[Mr. Jones]

I've found the splitter I want. Super fast. Super safe. hahaha. Skip to 2:00 to see the wheel of death working.

 

[Ashful]

I split 90% of my wood b by hand. It is quicker than a splitter. I bought a splitter to do the last 10% of my wood. I take 3 swings and if it does not split I toss it into the splitter pile.

Yeah, but 90% of your wood might be three cords.

 

[nola mike]

Don't any of you people have friends? Sheesh, borrow theirs.
I like splitting by hand, getting some exercise in the cold--it replaces some of my workouts in the winter. That said, if I HAD to split the wood, and had more than a cord or 2...well, I'd still try to borrow one.

 

[Kaptain]

As others mentioned a gas splitter is a great investment and will last forever if it's taken care of. Since my father burns as well it was an easy decision to buy one and share it. It's much more enjoyable to split at your own convenience rather than blasting through 8 cords in a day.

22 ton has proved to be more than powerful enough... The lower tonage splitters cycle faster (at least with the 'County line' brand).

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

The only problem is I feel rushed to get through a cord or maybe two trying to get it all done in one day.

That's it. When you have your own, you can do a little here, and a little there, when you want to. My boys can do it while I'm at work. I can knock of a half hour after work, or first thing Saturday morning, or whenever it fits my schedule.

Owning the splitter means owning your time.

It just makes life a LOT easier all around.


By the way, this is one of those places where bigger is probably better, and if you get big rounds, you'll want the vertical option.


FWIW, I do about 5 cords per year.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

I scrounged CL for quite a while, never seriously interested enough to spend the dough. One day a good friend called and said he wanted to get one and wanted to know if I'd go in half. Normally I don't like to share ownership in tools or the like, but with this individual I wouldn't hesitate. And wouldn't you know it heck of a deal on a like new Huskee 22 ton popped up on CL.... I took it as an omen and picked it up. Sharing it has not been a problem and I still split some by hand just cause I wanna.... One of the best purchases I've made though. Sure helps with those knotty twisted pieces.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

I've found the splitter I want. Super fast. Super safe. hahaha

Looks like somethin my nine-toed one-eyed brother-in-law would come up with....

 

[Jags]

If you plan on being in this wood game for the long haul, get a splitter. Get one BEFORE you wreck your body. For every 1 person that claims to have split wood by hand for the last XX years and still love it, there are 5 complaining about wrecked shoulders/ wrists/ back, etc.

I suppose you could buck your wood with a misery whip too, but I kinda like my chainsaw...and I like my splitter.

Just do it.

 

[Fred Wright]

Renting makes sense for the weekend warrior - the person who only burns on weekends and holidays or for the sake of ambience. We burn for heat, all winter long.

Thankfully I've never had to rent a splitter. When I lived in VA back in the '90s I'd borrow a splitter from the ex's uncle. Still felt rushed as he wanted it back PDQ.

We started heating with wood here with a lot next door that could supply us for years to come. Bought the saw first then bought the splitter. There's no way I'm gonna bust 3 cord a year by hand. It's so much easier, taking my time working up firewood. When done for the year the splitter gets cleaned up and put to bed.

On the financial side, there's really no argument for not owning a splitter. $50.00 per day doesn't sound like a lot 'til you consider how many days you'll have to fork over that 50 to get all your rounds busted up. Takes us several days to split 3 cord.

After a few years of renting a splitter you've already paid for it. You just don't have it.

 

[Applesister]

Follow your heart:
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom, it is the argument of tyrants, it is the creed of slaves."
-William Pitt (I think)

 

[sportbikerider78]

I'd pick up a 22 ton from Tractor Supply for $950 and call it a day. Splitters hold their value fairly well so you could always sell it down the road.

Harbor Freight has one that cuts both directions..gets great reviews. On sale for $699. I'm picking one up.

 

[iluvjazznjava]

Get an electronic splitter for $300. They work great and do 90% of what the gas ones do. They are slower but if you only do a couple of cords a year it worth it. I have split 10 cords this year with mine.

I second this option. Picked up my 4-ton electric splitter for $200 bucks (on sale) and I have put two cords of wood through it so far including some large 24" rounds of larch. I thought I would be disappointed with it, but its worked quite well. Longevity ... we'll see, but it did come with a two year warranty. I have used gas splitters and the electric one truly is 90% as good and then you aren't at the mercy of the rental company and can work at your own pace. If you process a lot of wood or are somewhere where a gas splitter will just be more convenient, then it may be worth the extra money. Electric splitter means you don't need to bother with gas (and breathe the exhaust) too.

 

[owingsia]

for me because I only take stuff I can cut with my 16 inch bar I have no need for splitter. Now on the odd occasion that my buddy helps me get wood, we use his splitter because he is Mr. 36 in bar and all kinds of crazy tools.... he once got me and about 8 others of us (he paid his labor with wood) a 76 inch oak that fell over in a tornado. He cut it and we.... wow that was tough work and to see his 36 ton spliter strain to split those rounds... then the huge BANG as it split all the way across... that was cool..... I dont know how many cords we got out of that thing but 8 people left happy and my buddy still had wood to sell.

That tree was huge! To see him put a 40 something inch bar on his 90cc saw and bury it into that tree was cool.

 

[maple1]

If you plan on being in this wood game for the long haul, get a splitter. Get one BEFORE you wreck your body. For every 1 person that claims to have split wood by hand for the last XX years and still love it, there are 5 complaining about wrecked shoulders/ wrists/ back, etc.

I suppose you could buck your wood with a misery whip too, but I kinda like my chainsaw...and I like my splitter.

Just do it.

This, all day long.

Might be different in other parts of the continent, but there are very few pieces of wood that I cut that would split with one swing. Even one swing is one swing too many for my body these days. I wont' do any amount of firewood without a splitter of some sort, and I don't mean axe or maul.

 

[fire_man]

I don't get these guys that claim to be able to out split hydraulics by hand. I think they would be humbled by the typical cord of twisted and knotty oak and beech I get around here.

 

[tsquini]

Wanta bet? For how long?

For the past 8 years about 8-9 cords a year. I buy a grapple of logs. I don't chop any rounds that have large knots or takes more that 3 min to split. I also use the tire method so I don't have to bend over when splitting. Using the tire saves the most time and wear on my body.

 

[tsquini]

Yeah, but 90% of your wood might be three cords.

It is about 7 cords. I do a cord a year with the splitter.

 

[tsquini]

Maybe you guys should stop drinking beers and focus on splitting.

 

[fire_man]

The log loads I got were some of the nastiest wood. I got a 4 foot diameter twisted Silver Maple in one load. I cannot imagine splitting that by hand but more power to you if that's your thing.

 

[tsquini]

The log loads I got were some of the nastiest wood. I got a 4 foot diameter twisted Silver Maple in one load. I cannot imagine splitting that by hand but more power to you if that's your thing.

Yes , I get gnarly stuff. I don't toch it with and ax. I get the splitter to do the hard stuff. I got a 36" round red oak 20' long. I had to cut them in 10" sections so I could move them. Even then it was almost impossible.

 

[fire_man]

I think my worst wood was the 52" diameter Cottonwood tree Marquis Tree Service delivered. Even the hydraulics strained on it. And to make matters worse, even Pine burns longer than Cottonwood .

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I got a 36" round red oak 20' long. I had to cut them in 10" sections so I could move them. Even then it was almost impossible.

Sumthin's wrong. I am pushing 60 and I'm not a big guy. I get 36" and bigger rounds of oak from a log processor. They are often 20-30" thick and more. We manage to move them off the truck/trailer, get them to the splitter, and get them split. The 1000# hand truck I got from Tractor Supply really earns its keep with those beasties. Takes two of us, but we get it done. We couldn't do it without that hand truck, though. It was worth every penny.

Couple of years ago I was offered a downed oak that was 54" at the butt end. The tree service that felled it bucked it into 20-24" sections. I had to quarter them to manage them, but we got them loaded on the truck, home, unloaded, and split.