Advice on splitter purchase please-narrowed down some

[Blueox4]

I have done some research here and elsewhere on splitters. I thought I had settled on this one from TSC but that was based on the good reviews of the CountyLine branded Speeco manufactured units. I guess they are no longer made by Speeco but instead by YTL. I’m not sure that’s a show stopper here as the engines are both Koehler and they look pretty much the same too. This is the unit I was ready to buy until finding out they’re not made by Speeco anymore. I want to stay around a grand or so. Yard max has a similar 25 ton unit for the same price too. Any advice appreciated on these two units or something similar. Thank you!

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-25-ton-log-splitter-126151799--1

The Yardmax unit

https://www.logsplittersdirect.com/YardMax-YU2566/p68195.html

 

[DodgyNomad]

My buddy bent the base/foot on his countyline 25 ton. It also had a Kohler, and was noisy and full of rattles. Still worked ok, but wasn't a Speeco, that's for sure.

 

[jsiets]

i have had nothing but good luck with my dirty hand tools splitter, only problem i had was the coupling between the motor and hyd. pump broke called up the manufacturer and they sent me out a new one.

 

[beatlefan]

I have that exact County Line splitter and absolutely love it. When I bought it, they had the older model right next to it. The new version is more heavy duty than the older model and it has a faster cycle time.

I’ve split many cords and no issues.

 

[Ashful]

It’s worth pointing out some discrepancies in the spec’s on the machine above.

1. They both have 4 inch cylinders on 14 GPM pumps, and the TSC model states 11.5 seconds. That means that either that little 196cc Koehler engine bogs quite a bit on the up-stroke (likely, I know a 16 GPM pump put a real hurt on my old 196cc engine), or they’re spinning it way below rating. A good 14 GPM pump on a properly sized engine with properly sized lines would deliver a cycle time of 10.1 seconds, and since most overspin the pump by 20% (3600 rpm engine on a pump rated at 3000 rpm), you should really see less than 9 second cycle times, if everything were sized optimally.

2. Both machines are listed as 25 tons, but there is no way to develop 25 tons at 3800 PSI (listed for TSC unit) on a 4 inch cylinder. No way, no how. Best case static pressure would be 23.9 tons, not that it really matters, but they have some funny math.

Me? Noting that the Yardmax unit shows 9.7 second cycle time in the spec’s, it’d be very hard to convince me to go with the TSC unit, unless there’s some other glaring problem with the Yardmax. Slower folks might disagree, but for me, cycle time is the single most important spec on a splitter. Anything with a 4” or larger cylinder will do the job, I don’t need a 35 ton machine, but I do need something that won’t slow me down.

edit: It’s very likely that neither unit has a 14 GPM gear pump, as this would be an unusual size. I suspect both are taking creating license with an 11 GPM pump, and spinning 20% beyond it’s rating (3600 RPM on a pump rated 11 GPM @ 3000 RPM). This would give you 13.2 GPM, and as anyone who deals with marketing minds can tell you, they only know how to round up.

 

[Blueox4]

I ended up going with the TSC CountyLine 25 ton. I’m heading up about an hour away to pick it up now. I was working up there and stopped in to see what they had for splitters and they had the 30 ton listed for $1399 and I was really think8ng hard on that unit but when talking to one of the guys there he said he demos both machines frequently and the 25 ton is the way to go. I asked him if they ever go on sale for $899 and he said let me look if we have a coupon and he found one for me for $100 off then a few more bucks off to join their club so I got it for $894 plus tax. I’ll post a few pics when I get it home and set up. This is the newer YTL unit with the Kohler engine.

 

[Ashful]

Good call on going for the smaller machine. Capacity beyond a 4” cylinder is just a waste on most folks, resulting in a slower machine with capacity you are unlikely to need.

Now, if your were looking for a good platform to hot rod, the 30 ton might be the way to go, since it likely has a bigger pump and engine. Downgrading many 30 ton machines to a 4” cylinder (with appropriate SAE10 or SAE12 port sizes), given they usually have 16 GPM pumps overspun to 19 GPM, would make a wicked-ass machine.

 

[Blueox4]

My son in law and I got it together and split about 10-15 pieces of 12” hickory horizontally and a huge willow round at least two feet in diameter vertically. It looks like a nice machine. I need log catchers for it now.

 

[Ashful]

This one has been working for me for several years:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOG-SPLITT...270646?hash=item3fa7b00636:g:Vu8AAOxyzGlQ9H9W