How much Tonnage is enough?

[NordicSplitter]

I'm thinking about biting the bullet and getting a really nice, heavy duty log splitter. So here is my question: How much tonnage is really enough? I see 15 Ton, 20 Ton, 22 Ton, 27 Ton and even 35 Ton log splitters out there. What is the world can say a 22 Ton do that a 15 Ton can't? 30000 lbs of force is pretty substantial if you ask me. Anyone out there with a beast of a splitter(22 ton or greater) and it WOULD NOT SPLIT SOMETHING? Thoughts appreciated...

 

[English BoB]

I have a 20 Ton splitter that will not split certain pieces of ELM, Even when they look straight and no knots.

bob

 

[kennyp2339]

I've only had a few logs that I couldn't split with my 20 ton iron & oak fs. Generally speaking 20 ton is a good splitter, maybe up to a 26 ton, anything higher is over kill in my book unless you run a 4 or 6 way wedge.

 

[johneh]

I have a 22 ton unit and have not found anything it will not split
Some Elm slows it down sum but hasn't stopped it
A buddy has a 20 Ton and brings me what he can't split mostly
fence line Elm

 

[Jason763]

I have a 24 ton Northstar, haven't stalled it yet.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

My 22 huskee will split about anything, I wouldn't go lower tonnage, if you can afford more than I say hey why not.......

 

[BrotherBart]

My 20 ton Duerr hasn't flinched at anything for the last 28 years.

 

[BrotherBart]

If something looks like it is resisting, I just pulse bust it. Push the wedge in until it slows, let off. Push again. Just like using a maul. Never taken more that three and it is done.

 

[firefighterjake]

20-22 seems to be most folk's consensus around here.

I ended up going to 27 ton . . . mostly because the cost wasn't much more when I purchased my splitter . . . but honestly I think I could have used a 22 ton and been fine.

 

[Jags]

Yes - I have. Once. It was stuck so bad that I had to wrap a chain around the stump and use the backstroke of the ram to pull it off. And mine is a big boy splitter. This is not to suggest that a lesser tonnage is not perfectly usable. What if your splitting success was at 99.7% successful with a 22 ton unit? Would that not be acceptable? There will always be that "one" if you split enough crazy stuff. I don't think I would base the performance of a splitter off of that "one".

I get into stuff that many would think a little "crazy". That is why I have a big boy. But it is like using a F450 dually for a daily commuter. Its a bit "unnecessary".

 

[Slimjim]

I have a 22 ton from tractor supply that has gone through some gnarly rounds without much trouble. Was worth every penny, now i only save red oak for the fiskars.

 

[Sprinter]

So what size and species of rounds are you trying to split? A lot of us here get along well with a 5-7-ton electric splitter. Most of what I get is no more than 12-14" dia. but a lot of what I get is very stringy and the splitter handles it fine. There is a member here that splits huge oak rounds with his 5-ton.

Bigger is not always better, it depends on the job, but if you need the big-uns ones, the 22s seem to be the big favorite around here, as Jake said.