Iron Horse Electric Splitter In Action!

[kwburn]

Well it looks like it was a great weekend for the electric splitter crowd!
I have to give Elk a big Thanks since I picked up my Iron Horse 6 Ton Electric Splitter this weekend and it is AWESOME!
I could not be more pleasantly surprised with everything about it. With the extra 15% off last week it came to only $257 including tax. I highly recommend it even at the regular price of $289.

I'll attach a link to a video I took of it in action. I really like the controls on it. You can turn the motor on permanently while you work but you do need to use both hands on the levers as a safety feature. But its not bad and I don't mind it at all. After shooting the video my wife came out to check it out. She ended up jumping on the controls and took over loading and running the thing for another 20 logs while I stacked! We both loved it. About the only thing we would improve (like others have said) is just building some sort of waiste high table to run it on to avoid stooping over.

I have always been one to be proud of all my gas powered equipment as I have probably 10+ gas power tools. But after using this, a gas powered splitter is just not necessary for my needs of 3-4 cords per year. This will take up much less room and be much easier to maintain. I also have to say that these things are very well built and not nearly as 'weenie' as they look in pictures.

Check it out here:
(broken link removed)

You probably can't see me smiling in the video but I'm a happy guy today!

 

[DonCT]

Hmmmmm, I don't seem to see any video. It says it's playing, but no picture.

If I didn't have my Ryobi, I was thinking about this model. Sounds like you got a deal

 

[Bezalel]

That is awesome machinery and video. Thanks! I can't believe how easy it looks, compared to me breaking my back with the maul. I'm thin and don't have a lot of muscle power. Have to consider buying this splitter!

What kind of wood was it? It appeared "fresh". Will it split fresh oak with the same ease? And where do you purchase it? I wonder if they have a distributor in California. Will look up. Thanks again for posting it.

 

[Roospike]

Good video on the splitter & thanks for sharing .
I noticed on this model the splitting wedge is thinner and wonder how much of a difference that makes on splitters if this size range ? I agree you need a table and would make like a lot more easier. There was a video clip on the dr splitter and was table mounted is anyone what to check it out and there was also some kind of service catch tray it the end of the splitter .

Again , very good video and heck of a deal on your 6 ton splitter.

 

[DonCT]

Ahhhh, I can see the video now. Must have been a codec issue with the work PC.

Very nice splitter!! Cycle time looks quick and should split most of the stuff you throw at it. I agree with the stooping thing. I'm working up designs for a cart I can put my Ryobi on. If I get it finished up, I'll try to post plans.

 

[elkimmeg]

Another big hint with these splitters Is I use a spacer block in front of the ram piston this saves pulling the splits apart
Especially helpfull in splitting shorter lengths and don't for get to spray pam on the splitting wegde or silicone

 

[RoosterBoy]

nice deal on that splitter it looks like it works real good. also thanks for doing a video of it im glad to see more people are doing videos and a table is a must for it. good luck enjoy the splitter.

Jason

 

[kwburn]

Bez,
This was actually purchased at a chain here in the Northeast.
(broken link removed to http://www.bargain-outlets.com/newbo/index.php)
Unfortunately they don't do any kind of mail order that I know of.
You probably won't find much info on the web trying to find another dealer for the product. If you go with the Ryobi at least you know where to find the manufacturer down the road if you need something. For me, the power per dollar ratio was too good to pass up and its a risk I was comfortable with. Maybe you can try calling Grossman's corporate office for more info on it?

By the way, it looks like this week you get to spin a wheel at the time of purchase to get an extra 5%-50% off if anyone lives near a Grossman's and was thinking of getting one!

 

[elkimmeg]

K a helpfull hint should you run into resistance with the iron horse it turns off the hydro pump. This is a safety feature to protect it from over load. What you have to do is switch it off then on again then try a different amount to split or swap the log orientation. Just like a stove it does not have brute strenght one has to learn how to productively use the machine and its capabilities
It will split bigger than 12" rounds but not down the middle and pam that wedge.
Bet you can't wait to get home from work and run tha toy . IT has added the fun element to splitting wood. No need for ear protection either.

Pretty soon others will complete my setup they will add a 3 way to the cord and attach an electric chain saw to trim up the rounds. My next chain saw will be a makita 16" electric
Right Precard? the ability to quitely cut and split in you garage no breathing in fumes Still need you PE chaps and face,hand, and foot protection

I have a harden 2/4 block and 4/4 spacer block that complete the splits on shorter lengths

 

[wahoowad]

The spacer blocks Elk mentions have been handy for me. All my wood is cut to the same length so I have a block that drops right in the gap and speeds up the cycle time. Of course I broke my block yesterday doing something stupid, but I'll make another. I need to rig up something effective (yet temporary) so the block stays with the ram on the return cycle.

 

[kwburn]

if i were to just use a piece of 4x4 would that hold up? maybe with a little metal strap to make it travel back and forth with the ram? i'll have to look at it.

 

[daninohio]

kwburn -- I always manage to find a chunk or piece of wood laying around and just use that. They almost always break after a while anyway. Mine's one of the gas splitters and the wedge is on the ram so you put the chunk at the "bottom" against the flat plate and the log above it. It usually breaks b/c you go just a little too far and end up running the wedge into your block a few times.

 

[kwburn]

I used my splitter again today for the first time in a while and this time we put it up on a table. Nothing fancy, just one of those rectangle jobs (3x6'?) everyone uses for events,etc. Having the table made a huge difference! My wife and I probably split a cord of wood in only 2 hours or so. No stooping over makes life much easier.

By the way, out of an entire truckload of logs I did not overload the splitter once. Every log split on the first try.

 

[Bezalel]

Thanks for the update, kwburn. Which wood were you splitting, and what was the largest diameter? I'm trying to gauge the capacity of these splitters. I will be getting one of those Ryobi 4 Ton unit, which will be weaker than yours. Thanks!

 

[wahoowad]

I recently did a 16" diameter red oak log that was 17" long (using my Ryobi). Cracked it right open. I'm finding larger gnarly spots near the splitting wedge side cause most of my "can't do it" episodes. Readjusting gets everything split. I have yet to try a log that needed me to use a maul.

 

[Jay H]

I used my Grossman's purchased Iron Horse last night on about 1/3 cord of pretty old mixed woods that I picked up from Freecycle, I can say that it works really well and is easy to use. Despite the instructions which says not to use it on the ground, I don't have a table to use it on and I used it straight on my concrete driveway. Found its pretty powerful, quiet and does a good job on the rounds I gave it so far. It got stuck on a few big rounds and once the hydraulic pump shut which elk mentioned. I turned the unit off and on and rotated the round as per the instructions and it worked the second time. I already knew the Pam suggestion (I have garlic flavored generic cooking spray, maybe my wood burns will now smell aromatic???). I am running this on a 20amp dedicated outside line on a 20amp GFCI breaker and I ran it on a 100ft 12gauge extension cord with no signs of motor lagging that I can tell.

Interestingly enough, the box says 6ton, the instruction manual mentions 4ton, the lengths and diameters they list in the instruction is in mm but I threw logs on there so long as it fit the tray and it worked well. The only shooters I get are typically thinner diameter logs, (8" or less) and they will shoot out, away from the user anyway, at least so far.

It's a good deal and as mentioned before, you can get 10% off at Grossman's by signing up for their freq buyer club..

Jay

 

[johnnywarm]

Well it looks like it was a great weekend for the electric splitter crowd!

You probably can't see me smiling in the video but I'm a happy guy today!

Are you still happy with your splitter?? Happy New year!! John

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It's been good to me! Just before the snow started falling I picked up a good amount of oak and maple from some trees they took down.

So far I've processed around 4 cords of mixed hardwoods. It really speeds my splitting up over mauls and the sledge/wedge combo. I keep a maul with me to remove the odd split that gets stuck on it.

Matt

 

[johnnywarm]

It's been good to me! Just before the snow started falling I picked up a good amount of oak and maple from some trees they took down.

So far I've processed around 4 cords of mixed hardwoods. It really speeds my splitting up over mauls and the sledge/wedge combo. I keep a maul with me to remove the odd split that gets stuck on it.

Matt

I'm happy for you matt. Are they still available???

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'm not sure. I haven't been to Grossman's in a while.

(broken link removed to http://www.bargain-outlets.com/locations.php)

If they have one by you it's probably best to give them a call.

Matt

 

[johnnywarm]

I'm not sure. I haven't been to Grossman's in a while.

(broken link removed to http://www.bargain-outlets.com/locations.php)

If they have one by you it's probably best to give them a call.

Matt

They Do!! in sprigfield Mass. Thanks John

 

[fullbore]

Were the logs oak by chance in the video?

 

[paulie]

Hey KW, looks good. I got the 5 ton Dr splitter, and I am very impressed with its preformance for an electric splitter. I got the table "which brings it up to 34" " and the splitting tray, which holds the wood at the same hieght...LOVE IT ! of coarse, it was not the same great price that you got. But hey, beats the h*@# out of that 8lb maul !!

 

[kwburn]

Hi Guys,
Glad to see there is some life in the Iron Horse thread (sorry for not responding sooner).

Ours is still treating us just fine. I'm very satisfied with the purchase. I probably have 3 or 4 cords through it now. I just happened to pick up a couple cords of wood already split last summer cheap locally so I didn't have to split a whole lot this year. There's lots to like about electric splitters but I think my favorite is having it in the garage all winter taking up hardly room. I have mine ready to go at all times. Just this morning at 6am in my pajama's I threw a log through it to make some kindling to get my stoves back up to speed quick. I had underestimated the temp dropping last night when i went to bed and underloaded the stoves waking up to a cold house.

The Iron Horse being able to stay running (although you need two hands on the levers) at all times is a nice feature not available on the Ryobi or Task Force as far as I know. I would take any of the three though if I had to. Money no object DR makes great stuff (I have one of those DR mowers that goes over small trees!) Mantis makes a model called the SwiftSplit which is pretty nice too.

By the way, I think when I posted these video's (if they still work) I had just gotten the splitter that day. I have it down to a science now so there isn't much fussing with the wood in between.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'm not sure if I should say this, but I use the Iroon horse all the time with one hand holding the wood and one hand holding both levers down. I don't think I have large hands or anything. I'm just real careful to keep my hand out of the way.

Matt