Country, Swisher, or DHT

[CTwith3]

So, I'm buying a splitter. I rethought my needs and realize that My estimated need was based on this warm winter- doh! My stove is the only heat source I use in my house and my house is 200 sq. ft.. My house is a split and the heat flow every nicely from my living room up to the bedrooms thanks to the open style floor plan of a split.
I can go to Lowes and get a DHT, go to HD and get an Ariens, or go to TSC and get a Country Line or a Swisher. I like to buy American whenever I can, so I'm a little disinterested in the DHTs.
My neighbor is having 4 huge oaks taken down as I write this, and I have a huge oak I sectioned and has been waiting to be split since the winter, and all the trees are around 36". My parents neighbor has 5-6 big oaks I might be able to get my hands on as well.
I know that you guys have a lot of respect for the 22 ton machines, but I'm hedging my bets and looking at the 27-28 tons. The local United tool rental has a 27 ton 2012 Iron and Oak splitter they are selling for $1500, but there's no warranty to cover me.
I've had 2 strokes and am lucky to be alive so I won't be swinging an axe, although I would like to. I have 2 teenage sons who are still around and not off to college yet, so I have help lifting the logs onto the splitter's beam for horizontal splitting; when all 3 of my kids are in college I will probably be in the market for a log lifter, or be spoiling their spring breaks by sending them outside to split logs.
So, please, advise me- you guys have the knowledge and experience, and your help and guidance is always appreciated.

 

[cachunko]

Speeco (County Line) 22 ton has my vote I've had one for 5 years and it has never had a round that could stop it. I've split everything Michigan has to offer. Shoot, it will split a log sideways

 

[CTwith3]

Thanks for your input Cachunko.

 

[woodhog73]

trees are around 36"


I've had 2 strokes and am lucky to be alive so I won't be swinging an axe, although I would like to.

36 inch diameter oaks are big. And heavy. Regardless unless you have a log lifter it will be nearly impossible to lift them onto a horizontal splitter. I myself encounter many hardwoods that size or bigger and I just noodle them in half with my saw. Ones that big I sometimes quarter them with my saw.

Not sure what you have for saws but if that's what your up against hopefully you have one big enough to noodle a hardwood log that size in half.

I'm sorry to hear about your strokes. I don't blame you then for not wanting to swing a maul and axe.

A 22 ton will split those rounds just fine. With the extra money saved on the 22 ton over the larger splitter get yourself a good 70cc saw if you don't already have one to slice those big 3 foot rounds in half. Lifting those size rounds is much harder than swinging a maul.

And if your heating with wood full time and have lots of large oaks to deal with a good strong saw is just as important as a good splitter. Oaks are heavy and dense. Cut an oak tree down then cut a poplar down and man lifting , splitting, and carrying the oak is so much harder.

 

[Jazzberry]

Speeco 22 ton for similar reasons as above very easy choice

 

[TreePointer]

Note that SpeeCo/CountyLine is not Made in USA either. I don't even see their "Assembled in USA" claim anymore.

I like to buy American, too, but sometimes the price premium is too much for me. The 22-ton Swisher costs 50% more than the 22-ton DHT and is the same price as a 28-ton DHT with a 10.5 s cycle time.