Anyone regret buying a 2X Ton splitter or sell shortly after?

[SIERRADMAX]

I have 8 cords stacked for 13-14 season but I need to get going on 14-15. I think my days of splitting by hand are far & few in between with my recent back surgery in November. So, a splitter purchase is in the near future....

I've heard alot of positive reviews on the Husky/Speeco 22 ton and can be purchased around the $1000 price range. Seems they hold their value too as I've seen used ones sell around $750. Is it going to be everything I need or should I "Bite the bullet & cry once" for a larger 30 Ton + unit (looking at Northstar 37T w/ 4 way wedge).

My primary wood source is red oak & maple. 8 cords a year between 6 & 30" diameter.

 

[gzecc]

If you going to spend 2k get a used machine for 2k. Assuming your comfortable making minor repairs and maintenance.

 

[smokinj]

If you need more tonnage than 22 ton I want to see pic's............What are you splitting?

 

[basod]

All the bigger machines suffer stroke speed which is unless they have huge pumps.
A 20T machine will split almost anything or shear it off. Really knarly crotches of hickory&pecan have been they only things I stopped splitting.
I didn't figure those few pieces of wood were worth breaking something - once it'll fit in the stove it's BTU's

 

[Jags]

Red Oak and Maple on a 22T splitter is gonna have a 98% success rate. You might come across a piece or two once in a while that it barfs on itself, but that will be pretty rare.

If you would have said that your main source was fence line elm, I may answer differently.

 

[velvetfoot]

A larger engine will use more fuel...it adds up, in my opinion.

 

[mikefrommaine]

I found the first log that my 30 ton northstar wouldn't split today. After about 50 cord through it. I'm sure if I took the 4 way wedge off it would have split it.

But back surgery and log splitter make me think a log lift is a good idea. I'd look for one that you can add a lift to later on if necessary.

 

[MasterMech]

I have not come across anything that my 26 ton Iron & Oak hasn't split. And I can remember the two rounds that required me to back off and reposition. 30+ cords on that machine now.

Big tonnage is for multi-wedges, like 6-8 way. Get the fastest cycle/biggest pump you can afford if you're after performance. My buddy just bought a 22 ton Huskie, loves it and I agree they are a great machine for the $$, but he says mine is noticeably faster/stronger.

I bought mine because I wanted good speed with enough power I wouldn't have to worry, and I was not disappointed.

Almost bought the 22 ton "Fast-cycle" version tho......

 

[bogydave]

Bigger isn't always better.
Sometimes more fuel use & slower speeds .
22 ton speeco has split everything I've fed it.

If money not the issue, Timberwolf & Iron & oak are top of the line.

 

[nate379]

You want something with a 16gpm pump MINIMUM.

 

[JoeyD]

I have the 28 ton Husky. I wish it was faster but I wanted the Honda engine mainly because I had read it was easier on fuel and had a bigger tank. Now maybe the easier on gas part means nothing because it is slower, who knows. I have thought about selling it and getting the 22 ton for the faster cycle times but I just don't like the cheaper B&S motors as much as the cheaper Honda motors. All in all I am happy after four season of use splitting almost 4 cords a year plus what ever a buddy of mine splits.

BTW I split mostly oak and some of it has been 34" across and I only had one piece I could not split. That was not because of lack of power but the fact that the grain went every where. I ended up with a sort of cone shaped piece that went into the fire pit last fall after sitting for three years. I should have taken a picture, I've never seen anything like it since.

 

[MasterMech]

I have thought about selling it and getting the 22 ton for the faster cycle times but I just don't like the cheaper B&S motors as much as the cheaper Honda motors.

You would be better off buying the 22 ton cylinder or looking for a 16 gpm pump/9 hp engine combo.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I have 8 cords stacked for 13-14 season but I need to get going on 14-15. I think my days of splitting by hand are far & few in between with my recent back surgery in November. So, a splitter purchase is in the near future....

I've heard alot of positive reviews on the Husky/Speeco 22 ton and can be purchased around the $1000 price range. Seems they hold their value too as I've seen used ones sell around $750. Is it going to be everything I need or should I "Bite the bullet & cry once" for a larger 30 Ton + unit (looking at Northstar 37T w/ 4 way wedge).

My primary wood source is red oak & maple. 8 cords a year between 6 & 30" diameter.

Ah ha. Several of us have traveled this same road. Many, many moons ago I suffered a back injury which ended my split by hand days. At that time I knew practically nothing about splitters and went blind. Got a great deal on one and was assured that if it did not meet my satisfaction I could return it for a full refund. So I bought it.

A 20 ton MTD with a 5 hp Briggs and Stratton engine. That machine is well over 20 years old now and the repair costs so far have been zero dollars. I've stated many times that we are over 200 cord split and now believe we are either at or approaching 300 cord. So far we've had exactly one piece the splitter did not split. I probably could have split it if I'd taken several angles of trying but that one knotty little piece of twisted elm was not worth much and without any though, I simply tossed it on the brush pile.

I will say that the engine is probably on its last leg now but that is mostly because I loaned it to someone who ran it dry on oil. Worst part is I told the guy it had started using a bit of oil. Told him how often to add oil and even gave him the oil to add. When I got it back, it was basically dry on oil. Still, I just got the splitter out today and started it. First time since last March that the splitter has run. Still works great. Wish my body was the same.

fwiw, the 22 ton Huskee is basically the same machine that I have. And yes, the $1000 price tag can be had quite easy. In my opinion, it is a good buy.

Also, no matter what machine you get, be sure it will split vertical. Your back is probably like mine and I found that sitting while splitting works great. If you sit right, you can lift a lot without hurting your back by using leverage. That is, I place both elbows on my thighs and lift that way. No strain on the back doing it like that.

Good luck to you and I hope that back heals quickly.

 

[nate379]

Couldn't touch that size splitter up here with $1000 unless it was used or some kind of "give away" sale! I paid $800 for my used 28 ton and that was a smoking deal. Was close to $2000 new.

 

[osagebow]

Currently splitting 20" white oak with the 22 ton at 3/4 throttle. Only stalled once on a Y piece I lined up wrong.

 

[HittinSteel]

Red Oak and Maple on a 22T splitter is gonna have a 98% success rate. You might come across a piece or two once in a while that it barfs on itself, but that will be pretty rare.

If you would have said that your main source was fence line elm, I may answer differently.

I agree...... in fact, my 15 ton has a success rate like that too on oak and maple.

If you have a back issue, you have no business messing with the rounds that would require an upper 20/30 ton.

 

[lukem]

With the wood you describe, I think you'd be more likely to be disappointed with a low cycle time splitter versus a low tonnage splitter.

Oak and maple are no sweat to split. The only rounds that have stopped my 22 ton are some giant gnarly hedge rounds...after I noodled them in half it split them no problem.

 

[SIERRADMAX]

I found the first log that my 30 ton northstar wouldn't split today. After about 50 cord through it. I'm sure if I took the 4 way wedge off it would have split it.
But back surgery and log splitter make me think a log lift is a good idea. I'd look for one that you can add a lift to later on if necessary.

How do you like the 30T? Does it have an auto-idle feature? I noticed the cycle time is on the high side but with a 4 way, I'm sure it makes up for it. As far as a log lift, I could fab something up but I have a tractor & bobcat to lift a log to the splitting table. However, I DO want something that can split both horizontal & vertical.

If you need more tonnage than 22 ton I want to see pic's............What are you splitting?

Mostly red oak & maple in my area. Occasionally, I'll get some shoulder wood for free like willow, etc.

A larger engine will use more fuel...it adds up, in my opinion.

Some of the larger machines, like the 37T Northstar has an auto-idle feature to conserve fuel.

Another splitter I'm looking at is the Speeco 28 ton with the adjustable 4 way. Fast cycle time... 12 seconds. Same price as Northstar's 30T unit w/ 17 second cycle time...
(broken link removed to http://www.speeco.com/products.aspx?id=95&prod=356)

 

[mikefrommaine]

How do you like the 30T? Does it have an auto-idle feature? I noticed the cycle time is on the high side but with a 4 way, I'm sure it makes up for it. As far as a log lift, I could fab something up but I have a tractor & bobcat to lift a log to the splitting table. However, I DO want something that can split both horizontal & vertical.

I've been very happy with it. Bought in large part because of the honda engine. It does have the auto-idle and is very easy on gas. Cycle time could be faster but if you are splitting something like oak the splits easy you rarely have to cycle the cylinder the whole way. I've been kicking around the idea of adding an auto valve that cycles all the way out and back by itself becuase I split a lot of stringy stuff that requires the cylinder to be extended the whole way.

Biggest complaint was that it didn't come with a filter for the hydraulic fluid, just a screen on the pump. Easy to add a filter on the return line though.

I never use it set up vertically. I'm too tall to feel comfortable bending over to use it.

 

[Bocefus78]

Speeco sells a 4 way wedge for the 22T huskee. Splitting mostly oak and maple, I would think you would have no issues using it (other than on a nasty crotch). Save those for last, throw on the normal wedge, and my money says you won't be able to find a piece of wood it won't split. 4way wedge is on my purchase list once the tax check arrives, so I'm sure I'll post up a review.

 

[MasterMech]

Some of the larger machines, like the 37T Northstar has an auto-idle feature to conserve fuel.

The best way to conserve fuel on a machine with a decent cycle time is to run it at 2/3 - 3/4 throttle. Constantly revving from idle to full RPM is tougher on the engine not to mention annoying to listen too.

I noticed the cycle time is on the high side but with a 4 way, I'm sure it makes up for it.

One more note on Northern's machines, they have a real narrow wedge so you will be using more cycle time per log as opposed to a wide-wedge design that "pops" open most wood quickly.

 

[Jags]

Constantly revving from idle to full RPM is tougher on the engine not to mention annoying to listen too.

I had considered wiring in a pull style solenoid for idle down function on my splitter. This is exactly the reason I didn't. Could you image how many throttle up/down cycles would happen in a two hour splitting session? I could only image the carb linkage after a couple years of doing this.

 

[mikefrommaine]

Most of the time that I'm splitting the engine stays at full rpm (or whatever you want to adjust it at). But if you step away to cut a round or move something out of the way it's nice to have it idle down by itself. Probably only happens a couple times an hour. And it's simple to disable if you don't like the auto idle.

I didn't realize that most don't have it.

 

[SIERRADMAX]

Anyone have experience with the B&S engines?

 

[lukem]

Leave the auto-idle to excavators, man lifts, etc.