New splitter!

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
D

DITTY22

New Member
Sep 28, 2018
25
Adam
Just picked up my first splitter today at tractor supply. I’m pretty excited to use it next weekend.
f1fe3cb937149ba4f7d33956f5aac884.jpg

I need to order the log catcher table for it still. Got them to sell it for there old sale price of $999 then opened up a card and got another $30 off.

And break in period I should follow? Also next weeks forecast is looking like low teen’s and single digits for temps, should I just start it and let it run for 10 or 15mins before splitting for the hydraulic fluid to warm up?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lone_Gun, PA Fire Bug, Jan Pijpelink and 1 other person
DITTY22 said:
Just picked up my first splitter today at tractor supply. I’m pretty excited to use it next weekend. View attachment 238169
I need to order the log catcher table for it still. Got them to sell it for there old sale price of $999 then opened up a card and got another $30 off.

And break in period I should follow? Also next weeks forecast is looking like low teen’s and single digits for temps, should I just start it and let it run for 10 or 15mins before splitting for the hydraulic fluid to warm up?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I would let it warm up, nice splitter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DITTY22
vtwoodheater said:
Next weekend? Why wait so long? Pretty sure I would have busted up some rounds as soon as I got home......
Click to expand...

Haha I know right, it’s for my cabin so I won’t be up there till next weekend. Trust me I’m dying to use it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Break in? Just follow the manual.

- Purge air from the lines after transporting the splitter.
- Change factory engine oil when engine manual specifies. Use oil indicated for your weather temperatures.
- There's also an interval for changing the hydraulic fluid filter, but it may take you a while to reach that point.

In very cold weather some will keep the splitter in a heated garage or use block heaters (or a silicone mat heater) on the hydraulic tank.
 
Last edited:
I heat cycle and vary the RPM and loads on my small motors to seat the rings and get everything broken in. Just start it and warm it up at 1/4 throttle for a few minutes, then start varying the rpm's a bit up and down to 1/2 throttle for a few minutes, not revving past 1/2. Shut it off and let it cool for 10 minutes. Restart, warm it up again and then start going to work with it. Then I'd start splitting at 1/2- 2/3 throttle for a few minutes, then go close to wide open for a while. Change the RPM's every couple of minutes up and down. I wouldn't go WOT for the first 30 minutes of splitting, but then I'd go wide open for a while, again varying the RPM up and down occasionally.

I also change my oil after only 2 hours of run time the first time. Drain it through a nylon or paint strainer., or fine funnel with a strainer if you have one. The most wear metal you'll see is usually in the first oil change. Because that motor has no filter, I'd get it out of there and replace with Rotella, then change again after 10 hours. Just my 2 cents.

I can get a lot more detailed than this, but you're seating in the rings, breaking in the cam, and trying to get a good run in on the valves, etc. Go easy, but not too easy on it after you warm it up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DITTY22
Also, I don't know where you're located, or your temps so can't tell you what viscosity. I'd stay with dino oil, not synthetic until at least your 2nd oil change, or 15 hours.

If it's being run at 40 F and colder only, run 5-30, 10-30 is generally from environment temps of 0-100F

Ultimately, 5-30 synthetic is going to probably be your best bet for oil, heavier if you run it a lot in the heat of summer. JMO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DITTY22
That’s for the advice guys. The splitter with be used at our cabin in northern Wisconsin. It’s funny I work in sales for Gm and Chevrolet for the last 16 years and we have no break in period on anything we sell although many customers due change out the oil early on the engine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
As said above - change that engine oil after a brief run. If the manual specs it out, go with that. If not, change it after an hour or two.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TreePointer and DITTY22
Does you splitter have a vent on the hydraulic oil tank? Mine has a rudimentary one that should be closed when transporting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DITTY22
Minus 9 with high of 8 will be good splitting weather this weekend in northern Wisconsin.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DITTY22
  • Like
Reactions: EODMSgt and DITTY22
I can't recommend the large cradle enough sold at Rural King under the name Black Diamond. I weld as a hobby and had been using one I made. Decided I wanted something larger and found this one. I could not buy the steel for the price this is sold. Total shipped to my door was $54.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20190114-232422_Chrome.jpg
    Screenshot_20190114-232422_Chrome.jpg
    63.1 KB · Views: 236
  • 20190107_155325.jpg
    20190107_155325.jpg
    149.4 KB · Views: 231
  • Like
Reactions: Lone_Gun
I'd also look at changing to ATF fluid at your hydro oil change interval. I usually save my splitting for the winter and it makes a difference in the warmup of the fluid using ATF compared to hydro fluid.
 

Attachments

  • 20190107_155303.jpg
    20190107_155303.jpg
    158.8 KB · Views: 182
  • Like
Reactions: DITTY22 and TreePointer
FuzzyOne said:
I'd also look at changing to ATF fluid at your hydro oil change interval. I usually save my splitting for the winter and it makes a difference in the warmup of the fluid using ATF compared to hydro fluid.
Click to expand...

I don't think I've ever seen a hydro oil change interval in a splitter manual. That stuff should last forever, practically speaking, unless it gets contaminated from say a bunch of water somehow getting in. A filter change, yes - usually around 100 hours.

I do agree though that ATF is a good choice for fluid. Some splitters spec & come with it.
 
maple1 said:
I don't think I've ever seen a hydro oil change interval in a splitter manual. That stuff should last forever, practically speaking, unless it gets contaminated from say a bunch of water somehow getting in. A filter change, yes - usually around 100 hours.

I do agree though that ATF is a good choice for fluid. Some splitters spec & come with it.
Click to expand...
I changed mine at 100, as you can see in the manual. I switched to ATF and change the filter periodically. Haven't changed the fluid since.

My commercial mower also requires a hydraulic fluid change at 250 hrs.
ffbd1d216545920a77f0513ee28443d7.jpg


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Huh, OK, I haven't seen that before. Mine (and others I've read) only specs filter change. 100 hour interval. Nothing about fluid change at all in the manual.

I did change mine year before last, likely the only time it was done in I don't know how many hours (I got it used. Well used). But only because it had accumulated a bunch of water over the years.
 
So I really want one of those log tables and both tractor supply & rural king both are out of stock and not available for backorder. I’d really like the bigger sized one if anyone knows where to get one?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I found 4 stores....all out of stock. It is worth the wait though if it's even still being made.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: DITTY22
FuzzyOne said:
I found 4 stores....all out of stock. It is worth the wait though if it's even still being made.


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I know I’m cracked. I want it ASAP lol. If someone finds it anywhere please let me know!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: FuzzyOne
  • Like
Reactions: DITTY22
FuzzyOne said:
That is the little one. Still very well made, but once you use a large one, it is a night and day difference.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I’m about to steal one off the 40 ton at tractor supply


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You guys would probably laugh at me if I showed you my homemade log splitter table.........
 
No more hand splitting for you. Nice you went for one that can go vertical. I run mine a little above 1/2 throttle. Quieter and no reason to run any faster. Because of closer tolerance machining, they claim, car engine breakin's aren't needed anymore. I don't know about small engines. With no oil filter and so little oil, I change it every year. As weekenders we don't put a lot of hours on the splitter. No log cradle is not a big issue. I never had one, as I never found one to clamp on the beam.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Now I bought the splitter, My first question! Hydrolic - Oil-Fluid
Replies
9
Views
9K
The Gear
Sodbuster
Sodbuster
G
Log splitter is dead - what could be wrong?
Replies
72
Views
6K
The Gear
VirginiaIron
VirginiaIron
C
Door might be bent
Replies
11
Views
532
Regency
CT Treeman
C
P
Kuuma Vapor Fire 100 - Setup Help
Replies
36
Views
3K
The Boiler Room - Wood Boilers and Furnaces
Wiwarm
W
cr0
Should we get chimney inspected/cleaned?
Replies
7
Views
960
Blaze King
Rickb
R
Top Bottom
Back