Log Splitter Capacity

[Norsk]

Just getting into wood burning for heat and have a question regarding log capacity for splitters. I have 8 - 28 to 38 inch diameter Red Oak logs (along with the rest of the three trees). What is the recommended splitter size to handle diameters of 30 inches or greater? I will be cutting them to 16-18 inch lengths. Was going to hit the rental shop and try one out but want to get the correct size.

Thanks

 

[thewoodlands]

Just getting into wood burning for heat and have a question regarding log capacity for splitters. I have 8 - 28 to 38 inch diameter Red Oak logs (along with the rest of the three trees). What is the recommended splitter size to handle diameters of 30 inches or greater? I will be cutting them to 16-18 inch lengths. Was going to hit the rental shop and try one out but want to get the correct size.

Thanks

I would say 20 ton or above, also a vertical/horizontal splitter. I don't have oak on our property but split sugar maple and beech with a 24 ton American CLS woodsplitter vertical/horizontal.


zap

 

[Got Wood]

Just getting into wood burning for heat and have a question regarding log capacity for splitters. I have 8 - 28 to 38 inch diameter Red Oak logs (along with the rest of the three trees). What is the recommended splitter size to handle diameters of 30 inches or greater? I will be cutting them to 16-18 inch lengths. Was going to hit the rental shop and try one out but want to get the correct size.

Thanks

I would say 20 ton or above, also a vertical/horizontal splitter. I don't have oak on our property but split sugar maple and beech with a 24 ton American CLS woodsplitter vertical/horizontal.


zap

This past weekend I split up a few maple rounds that were in the 40" diameter range. Moving them even a few inches was a serious effort. I tried a couple approaches and each eventually worked.
1) noodle and wedge - used the chain saw to cut a notch in the round and pounded wedges to split in half to get a more workable size to split
2) position the splitter (Huskee 22 ton in vertical mode) right next to one of these monsters and used a crow bar to move it under the splitters wedge

One of these big boys was twisted up wood with a huge knot. The Huskee got through it, although it did groan a little. The great thing about this big rounds is the amount of wood you get out of them. Also, I prefer to make the splits shaped more like 2x4's for more stable stacking and the larger rounds make this easy to do.

To answer your original question - my 22 ton Huskee was sufficient.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I did 8 cord this year of ash, maple and beech rounds in the 2 to 3 foot range. Other than maybe getting a little warmer than usual, even the uglies barely phased the splitter which is in the 25 ton range.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We split some 48" white oak with our 22 ton splitter. Like cutting melted butter.

Just because a log is big does not make it split harder. Moving it can be hard but the splitting is not so bad.

 

[yanksforever]

I have a 22 ton Iron and Oak splitter and it will go through virtually anything.

 

[fire_man]

I have a 27 ton Troy-Bilt splitter that has gone thru 40 inch oak and has not popped a weld yet!

 

[midwestcoast]

Just for some perspective, my 4.5 lb Fiskars axe will go through Oak that size fairly well. Haven't heard much complaints from guys with anything over 20 tons. Other than that I'd say other considerations (brand, horizontal vs vertical, cycle time....) may be more important than power.

 

[basswidow]

Does your rental shop charge different prices for different size splitters? Mine just has a few in the 22 - 27 ton range (Iron and Oak) all for the same price. I always go for the biggest one, but the last go round I used a smaller one. As others have said, it's shouldn't matter as long as it's 20 tons and up. I saw no difference. That 22 ton busted everything I put under it.

I would say go vertical for sure. Roll the rounds into place and have at it. Once you bust the round in two - the halfs are easy to handle.

 

[allhandsworking]

Fiskers super spliter and a bungie cord or tire to hold rounds in place. Red oak splits nice when it's fresh as long as there are no knots!

 

[iskiatomic]

I have a 22 ton Iron and Oak splitter and it will go through virtually anything.

I was at the hands of one of these over the weekend, a very, very nice unit.


KC

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Nice going KC. Now that you are splitting with hydraulics it will give you more time to ski this coming winter.