DR two way splitter

[KodiakII]

Anyone had any experience with the new DR two way splitter yet? Quite a bit cheaper than other makes, but are they any good?

http://www.drpower.com/standardcontent.aspx?page=dual_action_splitter_home

 

[Joey]

Pretty interesting design, good info on the website. Price seems fair also,,,,gonna stick with my Fiskars and my little 8 ton splitter for now.

 

[LLigetfa]

20 inch max log length would be too short for me. By comparison, the Powerhorse from Northern Tool is 25 inch.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200394095_200394095

My MTD has a 26 inch capacity that I shortened up to 22 inches. My stove takes a max of 22" so if it doesn't fit on the splitter, it doesn't fit in the stove.

 

[KodiakII]

Standard stove length firewood is either 12 or 16 inches, not everyone cuts to fit their box...I don't.
In Canada the DR sells locally for 1300 dollars, the Northern would be almost 1200 dollars plus taxes and brokerage fees.

 

[Catspaw]

Seems like it could easily be twice as SLOW. With a conventional splitter, you rarely need to run the wedge all the way through the wood - just far enough until it splits. Then you flick the handle and the wedge returns automatically while you toss the splits aside and get the next piece ready. With this unit, you need to run the wedge all the way whether you need to or not and it looks like you need to hold the handle the whole time which means you can't do anything else except watch that wedge slowly travel down the beam!

Also, the wedge is not in line with the ram like a regular spitter - seems like it would add extra stress or have a reduced capacity.

- Rich

 

[LLigetfa]

With this unit, you need to run the wedge all the way whether you need to or not and it looks like you need to hold the handle the whole time which means you can't do anything else except watch that wedge slowly travel down the beam!

Actually you only need to move it far enough to get the next round in place. Since the Powerhorse purports to allow a 25" log, assuming the wedge itself is 5" and assuming a 16" log length, the wedge would already have moved 9" to contact the wood initially and would just have to move another 7 inches into the split for a log to fit in on the other side.

These splitters have a very narrow wedge that may need more travel to split a piece than a fat wedge. My MTD has a fat wedge and most of the rounds I split pop apart within an inch or two of penetration. With my auto-return and short stop mod, I think my MTD would be faster than a two way.

 

[billb3]

Interesting that they compare to a Ryobi normal electric splitter and not their own.....


Does seem rather slow, especially the electric one.

 

[KodiakII]

Does seem quite a bit slower than the splitfire I have been borrowing. A relative of mine in eastern Ontario is a dealer for these, I hope to check them out sometime soon.