Buying a splitter need some recent equipment feedback.

[davidki]

Also remember that you'll be able to sell it somewhere down the road for 40-70% of what you paid. Deduced that from your projected usage rate and from what appears to be your motives to keep things clean and nice looking. Most of the splitters I see, including mine, look like they've been through a ground war but still keep cranking away, thus I suspect that a lot of the ones you looked at from CL and the like were probably fine.

With a little luck and good maintenance and at my guess is my kids will have to deal with it once it isn't needed anymore but, in the mean time.... Bring it on!

 

[davidki]

Thanks for the Update !
Post some pics when you get your unit... Along with the sh*t eating grin ...

I will do that for sure.. with a little luck I"ll be able to pick it up by the weekend if not just after..

 

[davidki]

Certainly not...there are quite a few here that split all their wood with a 5-7 ton electric splitter...I have a 5 ton in the garage that I use for resplitting "too big" splits...I almost never stall it.
Congrats on your new "Hoss" though!

Well I usually go a bit overboard... I've been using a nice John Deere 4033 25 HP tractor around our place for 14 years and this year (a little estate planning) we bought a new JD 4066 = 66HP Turbo diesel tractor to use around the property.. did I need it.... no but then again... Need is only part of the equation in my book.. My guess if there were more options in the area I could have made a different choice but the opportunity was there to get it now.. .So, I pushed the buy button!

 

[blades]

NIce tractor, been digging around myself for something in that hp class, course brand new is out of my price range- then again the used market is even more crazy priced than the splitters.

 

[VirginiaIron]

I have the champion 27 ton- full beam and I am very happy with it. There are two types of this unit. One type from HD has the engine closer to the ground and the reservoir. The other type could be found at some TSC stores and that engine is mounted higher and above the tank. I prefer the lower engine but it could be problematic if you run the splitter over a stumpy area.

 

[bholler]

The question is it would have been cheaper for who to replace it.

TTI was on the hook for the repair, so they either have to pay a HD tool tech to order all the guts and replace them (an hour of shop time on a $50 tool), or they could pay their guy his hourly wage to do it with their almost-free parts. (That's assuming TTI has a dedicated service center somewhere, not all oems do.) But assuming they get $30 from HD for that tool brand new, it's still hard to see how they come out ahead on an hour of labor and 2 shipping charges- but it would make more sense on a more expensive tool.

As a side note, Ryobi power tools are made by the same company (TTI) as Ridgid and Milwaukee. All those tools come from the same factory complex, but you only get lifetime warranties on the Ridgid-badged ones. Covers the batteries too.

Lowes and Menards should both have splitters too. I got my DHT from a Lowes some years ago.

Yes some of the rigid tools, Ryobi and Milwaukee are made in the same facility. But they are far from the same tools. Also the rigid lifetime warranty doesn't cover abuse or misuse. Milwaukee's 5 year covers everything I have done to a tool so far at this point from dropping 30' to submerging in water.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with rigid or Ryobi but they simply don't compare with Milwaukee when it comes to comfort or performance for someone who uses them all day.

 

[davidki]

Here it is... .just picked it up... spent a couple of hours today splitting some fairly large walnut rounds and the splitter didn't even breath hard I am happy so far..... only one thing that I see so far that could be improved is the trailer hitch part and the drop down wheel they seem pretty light.... I have a 5 year bumper to bumper parts and labor warranty which they call a Non fault so If I have issues I know I'm covered.

As for speed, I can't really comment that but it worked as fast as I do and anything quicker may make it more like work .... All I can say I am glad I bought it rather than trying to rent one.... After 3 hours at 85 degree heat I was ready to put it up.

 

[gzecc]

Looks like a beast!

 

[salecker]

Thats the sane drop down wheel that gets used on big trailers.It will last forever on a light splitter

 

[crstrode]

I do a little more firewood than you...3-4 cords/yr. I've considered buying a splitter but just don't want another very rarely used machine around. Also, I can't rationalize the $1000 expense for so little use.
I still use a 15# and 8# maul. It's good I like the exercise.

I thought the same thing. Never have owned a splitter, and the last time I used a rented one I was able to keep up with two guys using my hammer and wedges. However that was many many years ago. Now, as I approach 70 years old, it became painfully (very painfully) obvious that it was long past time to become a bit more mechanized. The 4 cords of 24-inch logs cut and split this summer did me in.

Cervical and lumbar radiculopathy is a bummer.

Cruising into Costco about a couple weeks ago we came face-to-face with a Boss Industrial 27-ton splitter on display for $1099. My wife said she was done hearing me bellyache about "my aching back" and advised to go home and get the pickup.

I did.

Put it together and split another two cords of wood in just a few hours. The only drawback is that I feel like a complete idiot for not getting a log splitter 10 years sooner!

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I see that Champion out front of Home Depots regularly, and it looks pretty cheesy compared to the DHT that I paid $300 less for.

Not saying it's a bad unit but it sure looks like it contains less steel than the DHT.

I bought 2 of the DHT I go the 20 and 27 ton. glad I got them when I did. I don't know why the company went out. well built splitter haven't had any issues. Nit to many splitters that look like that in the 1k price range

 

[old greybeard]

TSC has the 25 ton at $1399 now. Be interesting to see if they discount it much. Spending my stimulus on one at $899 was a good move.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I did not read this entire thread but new and used splitter prices are way up this year. Blame the high price of metal, blame supply chain shortages, but it's a reality. I bought a used splitter last year at this time for $350. The engine did not run well and I was busy so rather than troubleshoot it I bought a $99 212 cc Predator from harbor freight and slapped it on. The engine to pump coupling was messed up too so I redid that. Now she purrs like a kitten. Not really too much to these things I am hoping with the new engine this thing runs for a long time. But my point is on FB marketplace now the $400 splitter that was ALL OVER FB last year is now $600 or more and there are far fewer of them. Sounds like the new ones are WAY up too. Enjoy the new splitter, you will not regret it!!

 

[Gnuschner]

I have the champion 27 ton- full beam and I am very happy with it. There are two types of this unit. One type from HD has the engine closer to the ground and the reservoir. The other type could be found at some TSC stores and that engine is mounted higher and above the tank. I prefer the lower engine but it could be problematic if you run the splitter over a stumpy area.

Hello I have a 27 Ton as well, the ce sticker on mine has come off. Does your unit still have it? If it does would you be able to take a picture and send it to me..

Thanks

 

[xman23]

My 20 ton MTD is tough to push around, If I'm going and distance I tow it with the ATV. I can't imagine what it takes to move 37 ton splitter.

 

[ericm979]

The diameter of the tires is going to have a lot to do with how easy it is to move.

 

[blades]

bought a hf splitter 20 years ago, Rebuilt it 6 years back after bending the foot plate and the beam. made a 4x8" double box beam. It doesn't give at all now. On my 3rd valve, wore the original out plus another from Northern tool ( they changed brands so I could not get rebuild parts) Got one from Fleet Farm. Have not installed it yet. The auto kickoff on return is what goes south. ( yep rotated the barrel and worn that side out also) I split a lot of wood. Any way if you are not handy then where you get unit from matters as far as service after the sale and parts. For many years Speco was the top name, rebranded in some cases to any of a dozen oulets like Tractor Supply Co. Speco ( a division of some holding co.) seems to have gotten out of the game. Champion ( and rebranded versions seem to have filled that void. ) Dirty hand tools splitters were well regarded- the parent Holding co got into $ problems and filed Bankrupcy a couple years back. It is not difficult to source any part to repair rebuild, state side- Course right now it seems like everything is in short supply due to the pandemic.