I'd like to ask for anyone's thoughts on purchasing a professional style splitter from a rental company. In this case a company that rents tools locally is selling a 2007 Iron & Oak Duro-Glide splitter for $1500 firm. On the one hand this splitter is sold typically for $3,500 plus but on the other hand I imagine it has had 5 hard years of cord after cord after cord run through it as fast as possible and as hard as possible. The equivalent usage for any single owner regardless of how much they themselves burn would have to be several sequential lifetimes of use! The pictures they sent me look marvelous although they're advertising it with a B&S engine when it obviously has the Honda. Anyway I'd appreciate any advice about such a purchase. Thanks as always.
Thoughts On Purchasing Splitter From Rental Company?
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I bought a power washer from a rental company. It was made well, but used often. It is still working today, after 12 or so years of my usage. It has cost me about 300 in repairs since bought. I would do it again. That said, I would take that 1500 and pick up a new Huskee 28 ton in an instant vs buying a used splitter.
Since I work for an Equipment rental house I'll give you my thoughts.
First, why are the selling? Where I am we turn equipment over every 5-7 years. There are cases where we KNOW it's time to unload it before we need to major money into it, others where it costs more to let it sit than we make with it. Others where we replace it to keep the fleet new.
Second, Take a CLOSE look at it. What do YOU see, is everything straight or twists or extensive rewelds? How does it sound? Check hoses etc. for leaks. Well they let you rent it for a day or two and apply rent to purchase?
First, why are the selling? Where I am we turn equipment over every 5-7 years. There are cases where we KNOW it's time to unload it before we need to major money into it, others where it costs more to let it sit than we make with it. Others where we replace it to keep the fleet new.
Second, Take a CLOSE look at it. What do YOU see, is everything straight or twists or extensive rewelds? How does it sound? Check hoses etc. for leaks. Well they let you rent it for a day or two and apply rent to purchase?
turbocruiser- are you in Salida?
I picked up a I&O 22T from United Rental for $1K. Replaced the cylinder under warranty, changed the oil- Flawless performance for 2.5 yrs. with 3 guy's running it
(prob. close to 50-60 cord)
I picked up a I&O 22T from United Rental for $1K. Replaced the cylinder under warranty, changed the oil- Flawless performance for 2.5 yrs. with 3 guy's running it
(prob. close to 50-60 cord)
certified106
Minister of Fire
I'd be weary also. Almost everything I have ever rented from the local co. (gas jackhammer, posthole digger, floor sanders, etc.) had to be serviced by ME, usually 5 to 10 minutes into a job! They gotta be selling it for a reason.......
Given the choice between the new Huskee and a well maintained I&O 26 ton Duroglide....... Yeah I'm not interested in the Huskee. That's only IF the machine you're interested in lives up to the pics and they deal on the price. $1500 ain't bad but if they can make a deal to make you feel good, so much the better. $1400 and I'd be a buyer.
You should be aware that that the 26-ton I&O with a Robin Subaru engine (the same as I own) without the duro-glide setup is available new for about $2K, plus a bit for delivery/liftgate service.
http://www.buyacehardware.com/26-ton-log-splitter-robin.html
http://www.buyacehardware.com/26-ton-duro-glide-log-splitter-robin.html
If you really are looking to save $$, I'd buy the 22 ton Huskee and be done with it. The 28 ton offers little in benefits over the 22 ton, especially considering the price bump. If I needed more splitter than the 22 ton and wanted a Huskee, then the 35 ton would be my pick. At least you get a HP and Pump upgrade with the 35.
You should be aware that that the 26-ton I&O with a Robin Subaru engine (the same as I own) without the duro-glide setup is available new for about $2K, plus a bit for delivery/liftgate service.
http://www.buyacehardware.com/26-ton-log-splitter-robin.html
http://www.buyacehardware.com/26-ton-duro-glide-log-splitter-robin.html
If you really are looking to save $$, I'd buy the 22 ton Huskee and be done with it. The 28 ton offers little in benefits over the 22 ton, especially considering the price bump. If I needed more splitter than the 22 ton and wanted a Huskee, then the 35 ton would be my pick. At least you get a HP and Pump upgrade with the 35.
I was set on the 35 Huskee but the TSC manager talked me into the 28. Big difference being the Honda. His words were that the Honda had better torque and would out-run the BS engine hands down. The extra rail size looked nice, but I have not needed it. I have run some big ugly stuff through mine with no issues. I even wondered if the 22 would have been good enough. All said, the 28 was a fine choice. Starts second pull every time, runs longer than expected on a tank and has plenty of strength.
Wow I think that I really lucked ridiculously out; I checked everything out extremely well on phone and in person and although this splitter was indeed being sold by a construction rental company, it really wasn't rented to anyone at all in the last 3years and was only worked for "100 to 240 hours" prior to that!
What happened was the owner of this place personally purchased this splitter simply for firewood for his own home at an auction where he was purchasing much larger machinery. His company really doesn't rent "small" machinery at all; their lot totally was filled with backhoes, bulldozers, skidders, tractors, etc. The splitter simply sat in the warehouse waiting for a few sessions a year of this one person using it and from time to time friends would borrow it. They never even put their painted tool numbers on this one!
According to the records received at auction the splitter was supposedly rented 18 times for "100 to 240 hours" (a combination of half days where they would plug in 4 hours and full days where they would plug in 12 hours but might be theoretically as much as 24 hours) and was sold at an auction by some other smaller rental company which was going out of business. It was then purchased by the present construction rental company for the owner's own use and now by me for my own use! I paid $1300. I think that was a pretty good price?
Anyway, this thing is absolutely awesome! It really looks like new. The original machining marks are still swirled on the tip of the wedge, the edge of the wedge has never had any sharpening or any shaping at all, the teeth to the base of the beam are still super sharp, there is zero indication of damage anywhere, all the welds are original and are wonderful, the ram looks like its in super good shape, the beam looks like it is in super good shape, the spark plug is the original one and looks lovely, I even think the air filter is the original one and looks lovey!
So can all you fine folks please share your thoughts at this point to include whatever I should do to baseline the machine? The hydraulic fluid looks lovely and so does the engine oil but I'm thinking about changing those and changing the spark plug and air filter and fluid filter. Anything else advised? Thanks!
What happened was the owner of this place personally purchased this splitter simply for firewood for his own home at an auction where he was purchasing much larger machinery. His company really doesn't rent "small" machinery at all; their lot totally was filled with backhoes, bulldozers, skidders, tractors, etc. The splitter simply sat in the warehouse waiting for a few sessions a year of this one person using it and from time to time friends would borrow it. They never even put their painted tool numbers on this one!
According to the records received at auction the splitter was supposedly rented 18 times for "100 to 240 hours" (a combination of half days where they would plug in 4 hours and full days where they would plug in 12 hours but might be theoretically as much as 24 hours) and was sold at an auction by some other smaller rental company which was going out of business. It was then purchased by the present construction rental company for the owner's own use and now by me for my own use! I paid $1300. I think that was a pretty good price?
Anyway, this thing is absolutely awesome! It really looks like new. The original machining marks are still swirled on the tip of the wedge, the edge of the wedge has never had any sharpening or any shaping at all, the teeth to the base of the beam are still super sharp, there is zero indication of damage anywhere, all the welds are original and are wonderful, the ram looks like its in super good shape, the beam looks like it is in super good shape, the spark plug is the original one and looks lovely, I even think the air filter is the original one and looks lovey!
So can all you fine folks please share your thoughts at this point to include whatever I should do to baseline the machine? The hydraulic fluid looks lovely and so does the engine oil but I'm thinking about changing those and changing the spark plug and air filter and fluid filter. Anything else advised? Thanks!
Change the filters if you like, maybe the engine oil depending on how many hours since that was done. if the hyd fluid is clear, leave it be. Go get it, and run it. Hell mine has many more hours on it than that.
pyronut
Member
JeffRey30747
Member
I wouldn't change the hydraulic fluid unless something indicated to me that there was a problem. You could put a quart or so of freshly agitated fluid in the freezer to check for water and put a magnetic pickup tool in the tank to check for metal but based on your description, I don't think you'll find either one.
Thanks, it was the final result from about 10 months of daily diligent searching on craigslist, classifieds, ebay, etc for a good strong used splitter. Along the winding way were a few funny mistakes made in the way people would "present" their product, and either after talking to them or seeing their splitter for sale we would find out it wasn't what they "thought" it was. Almost all the encounters were extremely friendly. I also had a few where I would call and the answer would simple be "sold". And I had one miss which was particularly painful (well not really) but someone was selling a Heathkit Log Splitter which was 15 ton I think. Anyway, Heathkit made an amazing assortment of DIY vacuum tube radios and amps and receivers and stuff "way back when" and I am one of those weird tube fanatics so purely sentimental energy made me want that Heathkit log splitter. Anyways, I am really happy to have the chance to get this splitter I think it will last for decades and decades if not longer. Thanks again everyone for all the advice. So far I've changed the air filter, spark plug and engine oil and I already got 10 gallons of NAPA AW32 All Purpose Tractor Hydraulic Oil and a NAPA 1553 oil filter to do the hydraulic system, Fun fun fun. Thanks again.
bogydave
Minister of Fire
weatherguy
Minister of Fire
Good deal on a top of the line splitter !
I guess we'll see a picture of it soon ?
Thanks, and, Thanks, and Yes, and, Yes!
I'll try to snap some shots and post them by this weekend.
Man a "Heath Kit Log Splitter" I do not ever remember anything like that back in the day and we had a Heath Kit store here in town. I built a bunch of there units as well as the Allied Radio "Knight Kits" , back in the day. ( prior to 1975) ( I was an store manger for Allied Electronics, then Radio Shack when Allied retail was bought by Tandy Corp.) got out of retail in 78. Those were heady days everything was changing so fast due to the advent of solid state equipment, the beginning of the computer revolution, the late sixties monophonic to stereo conversion. Long list so I won't continue.
As an update, I have now also changed all the hydraulic oil with NAPA AW32 All Purpose Hydraulic Oil and I also changed the filter too (Napa 1553). I also inspected the inside of the tank and everything else I could while I was doing that. Everything continues to look terrific. I did have one question on this procedure though ... the Iron and Oak Splitter Manual says to disconnect the line to the oil filter fixture and remove the spark plug wire and also the spark plug and then to hold the handle to the ram forward while constantly cranking on the cord to spin the engine. You are supposed to do this manually to empty one half of the cylinder, and then refill the fluid tank, reinstall the filter and then hold the handle to the ram backward while constantly cranking on the cord to spin the engine and let the last half of the cylinder flush and fill before finally reconnecting the line to the oil filter fixture. I'm not too proud to say that procedure took some stamina! Is there an easier way to work this procedure such as letting the engine do the work there at like a low idle or would that simply spray fluid as far as the eye can see? Thanks and sorry about the detour to the thread.
Yikes! Okay, I'll do it the slow and safe way but what a workout that was. Let me ask this though as another follow up for this procedure ... I was determined to do the full cycle for the ram all at once thinking that if I stopped I'd somehow let air in and screw the system up ... is it okay to stop from time to time and catch a bit of breath or is it not okay to do that? Thanks.
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