I' m worn out!

[splitterless]

My eyeballs :roll: are sore from reading so many posts about a wood splitter, It has come down to this: I use 3-4 cords a year for the fireplace, A large gas model will be to much, The choices are this with the budget being around $5-700, a DR 6 ton electric- seems to have less complaints/problems of all the small electrics or a 8 ton gas model e-z split, DR seems to be made by the same people whoever they are. What ya think/suggest? :-S

 

[carbon neutral]

I would look for a used 20+ ton splitter or try and find a friend or family member that you trust to split the cost with you on a new splitter. I burn approx. 3 cord a year. In the past I have split that entire 3 cord in as little as a day with my splitter but the enjoyment of splitting goes down as the pace goes up. Now I allot about 2 weeks to cut down, cut up, split, and stack my wood for the year. At this relaxed pace I enjoy the work much more. Anyway the point is out of 365 days in a year I only need my splitter for 14 days of that year so sharing such a tool is very practical. I understand budget limits and the need to stay within those limits but spending money on a tool that doesn't perform well is money wasted. IMO a 6-8 ton splitter is a toy not a tool. At $700, your upper limit, you are very close to a brand new 22 ton splitter that would be capable of splitting pretty much anything you throw at it.

 

[Catskill]

If you split 3-4 cord a year and have plenty of free time plenty of staging space on your property and don't mind the exercise the DR and a maul would be the way to go (IMO). If your time, space and energy are at a premium I'd reconsider a gas splitter. Lowes sells the small Troy Bilt 20 ton unit which would make short work of your 3 - 4 cord. I believe it sells for around ~ $1200. Best of luck with your research.

 

[burntime]

Save 1 more year, buy a speeco or husky 22 ton for 1100, and don't look back. I am sure there are actually a bunch of good low cost homeowner splitters, I researched when I bought mine and forgot most of the others. Just stabil the gas or run it dry, having a splitter you can do it at your liesure and without cords. If you are gonna do your splitting in the garage and stack it in there right away (some people do???) then go electric. If you are scrounging you will like the extra power. I have even seen 15 ton models for 900 bucks but for the extra money go to 22 IMHO. Good luck!

 

[carbon neutral]

You can get the Harbor Freight 22 ton brand new for about $900. I think they are regularly around 1,000 but someone said they have a 10% off coupon that they will honor on the purchase of a splitter. It is as good as any other make, the key is the engine and pump. Harbor Freight sells their units with Robin (Subaru) engines and Haldex pumps both are as good as they get. I bought mine for $860, no tax free shipping, it was another $20 for oil and I haven't looked back since. Another idea for a new unit: I was at Tractor Supply Company the other day. It is the first time I had been to one. While walking around I noticed they have a lot of damaged new equipment for sale at deep discount. They had two splitters in the damaged goods section. They did not have price tags on them but I am confident a $1,100 unit could be had for about $800 with some haggling.

 

[jeffman3]

I really think you ought to look again at a gas splitter. I looked at many smaller tools, and ended up biting the bullet, and bought the bigger one. I will never regret or doubt my decision! Get the most powerful, and best built splitter you can possibly afford, and it will serve you well. I have read that, you will never know if you have too much splitter, but if you don't have enough you will find out in short order!@

 

[Catskill]

I really think you ought to look again at a gas splitter. I looked at many smaller tools, and ended up biting the bullet, and bought the bigger one. I will never regret or doubt my decision! Get the most powerful, and best built splitter you can possibly afford, and it will serve you well. I have read that, you will never know if you have too much splitter, but if you don't have enough you will find out in short order!@

+1
Good post!

 

[kevin j]

for small jobs, the storage, maintenance and gas engine issues are a pain, but IMO they are a better choice.
Also lots more used ones around.

the electrics are so small and slow they are only sutiable for some fireplace logs on holidays. Say a cord or less of smaller diamter stuff per year. They are nice for small storage space in the garage though.

I suggest team up with some people you know and trust, and buy shares. I have 1/4 interest and cost about $250 for each of us. Since I design hydraulics in engineering, I do the maintenance and someone else does the storage. So we work together to zip through lots of wood, then it goes into someone elses pole barn and I tdon't have to trip over it the restof the year.

Won't likely wear it out in my lifetime. And if I move, I'll sell out, or just walk away from $250. I've already used it 5 years, it's paid for in my view. But it is tough to find people you can work with.

k

 

[Backroads]

If you are stuck in your budget, I'd save money and wait till next year to buy a better splitter. This is what I'd do until next year.

Pile up the rounds and rent a splitter for a weekend. Some rental compainies are only open 1 day on the weekend so if you pick it up Friday night before they close you have to pay for Sat. but you don't have to return it till Monday Morning. This will give you plenty of time from Friday-Sunday night to split 3 cords. One day rentals aren't usually too much money and it will give you the opportunity to try out a gas powered splittler to see if you like it.

 

[savageactor7]

splitterless I feel your pain but I think you're better off renting a splitter as opposed to buying one that won't meet your (future) needs.

Properly maintained a splitter will last you a lifetime. I got an 8 ton splitter back in the early 80's that's still working fine. Do the math and ask yourself when you expect to stop burning wood.

 

[splitterless]

Thanks for the replies, I am going to just rent/borrow until I can find a 20 ton or better gas model. No electrics :gulp:

 

[jeffman3]

Thanks for the replies, I am going to just rent/borrow until I can find a 20 ton or better gas model. No electrics :gulp:

I think that is a wise move. I split allot of larger elm( 20-24"), and found some 36"ish locust at the local tree dump! My 28 ton swisher walks trough that stuff beautifully. I don't think a smaller splitter would have handled that stuff as well. I didn't think I would ever split anything that big, but the more you're machine can handle, the more you can actually get. you will be amazed at the wood you can actually take, once you have the tools to work it. I am only limited by the length of the bar and the weight of the trunk. I feel I could handle 36-38" diameter, if I can turn it over to cut the other side. :coolgrin:

 

[sapratt]

Just go down to scariest wood splitter thread and buy one of those. That thing should be in your budget

 

[dalspot]

You can get the Harbor Freight 22 ton brand new for about $900. I think they are regularly around 1,000 but someone said they have a 10% off coupon that they will honor on the purchase of a splitter. It is as good as any other make, the key is the engine and pump. Harbor Freight sells their units with Robin (Subaru) engines and Haldex pumps both are as good as they get..

Thanks for the good words on the Harbor Freight splitter. They are now $949 - special order in our store, but with the 15% off coupon I had it brought the price down to $807. It'll be here next Wednesday. We knew we wanted a horizontal/vertical splitter as we bring home some really large rounds and didn't want to do all that lifting.

 

[N/A N/A]

I looked at them all from A to Z this year when I bought the 22 ton Huskee from TSC for around $900. The best I could tell is that those small electric splitters are made for those who do the RV ing thing and go camping. They are really ment for splitting less than a cord of wood a year. I would bet that more than that amount of wood after a short period of time would have a broke $600 or $700 splitter. JMO