log splitter rental

[Byron]

I just scored two rather large locust trees (black locust, I think) a lady less than a mile from my home had cut down. The guy who beat me to the punch in asking for the wood didn't show up when he was supposed to; his tardiness will be my gain, as I'm heading over on Monday to clean up.

That said, I need to rent a splitter. I just talked to a local place than rents a gas-powered, 26-ton, 8 hp splitter for $55 per day. Is this a good deal? Is this the type of splitter that can take care of some rather large rounds? My splits will be 16", with maybe some in the 18" range. Over the last week, I split about 2.5 cords worth of walnut with an axe, wedge, and 3.5-pound hammer. I love splitting wood by "hand," but my summer is about to come to an end -- I'm a teacher -- and I'm not going to have a bunch of time to mess with the locust.

 

[iceman]

I just scored two rather large locust trees (black locust, I think) a lady less than a mile from my home had cut down. The guy who beat me to the punch in asking for the wood didn't show up when he was supposed to; his tardiness will be my gain, as I'm heading over on Monday to clean up.

That said, I need to rent a splitter. I just talked to a local place than rents a gas-powered, 26-ton, 8 hp splitter for $55 per day. Is this a good deal? Is this the type of splitter that can take care of some rather large rounds? My splits will be 16", with maybe some in the 18" range. Over the last week, I split about 2.5 cords worth of walnut with an axe, wedge, and 3.5-pound hammer. I love splitting wood by "hand," but my summer is about to come to an end -- I'm a teacher -- and I'm not going to have a bunch of time to mess with the locust.

not trying to be mean .... but how can 55 a day be bad comparing to at least 1100 buying????
see if you can get it on sat return monday for just the 55
out here in mass splitters go 85 up for day most avg 95-105
but the guy i use is closed on the weekends so i get it fri after 3 bring it back mon before 9am and its only 85 bucks...
rent it get a friend and you'll be surprised how long it takes the key is the second person

 

[savageactor7]

The splitter can wait...secure those rounds in your backyard 1st. when you get a pile about the size of a car and a half garage that's the time to rent a splitter for a weekend. It's not like like you'll be burning the locust this coming winter anyway.

 

[iceman]

The splitter can wait...secure those rounds in your backyard 1st. when you get a pile about the size of a car and a half garage that's the time to rent a splitter for a weekend. It's not like like you'll be burning the locust this coming winter anyway.

very very very good point

 

[fossil]

Bring the wood home, unless you absolutely have to split it where it is in order to move it. The splitter rental doesn't sound like a bad deal, and a 26-ton is more than powerful enough for the job. If the wood rounds are large & heavy, then a splitter that will work both vertically and horizontally may serve you well. Rick

 

[WES999]

$55/day is a good deal, I paid $100/day for a 16 ton splitter. It split everything I have with no problems.

 

[begreen]

I rented a splitter for years. Last year it was $65/day locally. The key is to have a crew. With my two sons we could split and stack a couple cords before my back said to stop. But that was with really big rounds.

You could also go in on it with a neighbor and do shifts.

 

[Backroads]

The splitter can wait...secure those rounds in your backyard 1st. when you get a pile about the size of a car and a half garage that's the time to rent a splitter for a weekend. It's not like like you'll be burning the locust this coming winter anyway.

I'll third this. Definately wait until you have enough to make the rental worth while.

 

[pinewoodburner]

A splitter here is about $90 a day. I agree that you should first get the wood home and then worry about splitting. You can move some very large wood with a hand truck and a ramp. Get the wood before the other guy shows up.

 

[Byron]

Here's the locust I got yesterday. I believe it's black locust, but you guys probably know better than I. I'm guessing it's at least a cord. You can't see all the wood in the photos, as there's more behind the covered chiminea. I had to lug each piece of wood down a terraced hill to my minivan (I don't have a pickup) parked on the street below. I also hand-split about a quarter of a cord for the lady who let me take the wood. I was definitely whipped at the end of the day. There's at least a cord of wood worth of HUGE rounds still in the lady's front yard, but I'm going to need a pickup and at least one other person to help me move them down the hill. She's going to hold them for me, and I told her I would be in touch by the end of the week if I'm going to take them.

 

[Byron]

Another photo...

 

[Byron]

I'm not sure what happened with that first photo, but here's another like it...

 

[Byron]

By the way, the wood sitting upright in the photos is from a hard maple we had taken down last summer. I see firewood, but my wife insists it remain a table and chairs.

 

[fossil]

Nice load of wood. Go get the rest of it, fer sure. Don't let those kids get hurt climbing on a round that decides to roll. Where are you in the Valley? We used to have a little weekend place on the S. Fork of the Shenandoah abt 9 mi. north of Luray. Have fun splitting! Rick

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Good score!

Watch out with kids around log piles- remember what happened to Elizabeth Walton...

 

[Byron]

I checked (and double-checked) the wood where they were climbing to be certain nothing would move. My daughter, who just turned 4, knows she's not normally allowed to climb on wood and listens really well. My son, who turns 2 next month, doesn't listen as well, but my daughter literally tackles him if he does something she knows she and he are not allowed to do.

 

[Poult]

Smart daughter!

Nice wood!

Go get the rest of it!

Poult

 

[jamkam]

Nice haul, but I have a young daughters, too. Forget about how much a splitter rents for, where do i rent someone's sons to help me with my next free rounds pickup, splitting festiva!?

 

[JayD]

So locust has that thick coarse bark like that ? Darn I have been walking right by a pile of this to get the ash wood behind it :ahhh: I though that was some old Poplar. I never seen a cross section of locust before and that is what I'v been walking bye.