Looking for Log Splitter recommendations

[WiscWoody]

So it is assembled then and it has the hydraulic fluid in it? That’s something you won’t get from Menards but I did get a 37 ton 17 GPM 306cc for $880. Like he said above Ashful says to put a 4" cylinder on it but I haven’t yet. Maybe next summer I’ll splurge on a new cylinder for it and see what he’s talking about lol.

 

[Ashful]

Maybe next summer I’ll splurge on a new cylinder for it and see what he’s talking about lol.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...LmqtTNzLM&w=244&h=146&hl=en-us&source=sh/x/im

 

[WiscWoody]

Sometimes the big power is nice to have though like today I split a big heavy crotched piece of elm and it took nearly if not all of the tonnage the splitter had to break up the piece. I did the first split in the middle of it and the wedge stopped for a bit then that’s when the second stage must kick in and it moaned and groaned and creeked it’s way into the knurly piece of wood little by little. We have a lot of elm up here for the taking so I’ve hesitated to go with a 4" cylinder but I could try it and if wanted to I could put the 5 incher back on.

 

[Ashful]

Sometimes the big power is nice to have though like today I split a big heavy crotched piece of elm and it took nearly if not all of the tonnage the splitter had to break up the piece. I did the first split in the middle of it and the wedge stopped for a bit then that’s when the second stage must kick in and it moaned and groaned and creeked it’s way into the knurly piece of wood little by little. We have a lot of elm up here for the taking so I’ve hesitated to go with a 4" cylinder but I could try it and if wanted to I could put the 5 incher back on.

No issues with elm, I have split plenty of it with the 4" cylinder. It makes just as much a mess with any splitter, but it's no issue to split.

As to that crotch, I'd have just left it in the woods. Even if you can split it, you're not going to stack it nicely.

 

[WiscWoody]

No issues with elm, I have split plenty of it with the 4" cylinder. It makes just as much a mess with any splitter, but it's no issue to split.

As to that crotch, I'd have just left it in the woods. Even if you can split it, you're not going to stack it nicely.

I haven’t had any really messed up elm splits in awhile now and I have a hard time leaving any good wood behind. That big piece should have been saved for the inverted skid splitter anyways. I never change my splitter from horizontal to vertical so I end up lifting some really heavy rounds but I should be using the skid steer splitter for them. I’ll get the new cylinder next summer and I’ll let you know what I think and how it performs. This summer I’m putting a lot into the mowing biz, Marks No Mow Worries Lawn Care so it’ll have to wait.

 

[johneh]

Marks No Mow Worries Lawn Care

Love the Name

 

[WiscWoody]

Love the Name

Thanks, eventually I want to add a plow truck to the business and then I’d call it Marks No Mow and Snow Worries. I’m not sure if I’d keep the Lawn Care on the end or the name then...?

 

[Ashful]

Drop the ‘and’.

Mark’s No Mow Snow Worries

Rolls off the tongue nicely, and makes the pun work better, IMO.

 

[ColdNorCal]

For "me", having a log splitter that can be rolled and moved by hand is everything. Can move it to the wood pile, maneuver in the barn to take up minimum space, roll it out of the barn if its in the way... If I had to attach it every time to my tractor or whatever to move it would just be a pita.

 

[WiscWoody]

Drop the ‘and’.

Mark’s No Mow Snow Worries

Rolls off the tongue nicely, and makes the pun work better, IMO.

One last business name post. I think I should keep the snow out of the main name like-

Mark’s No Mow Worries
Lawn Care and plowing services

Now back to the log splitters.

 

[GreenLiving57]

Well the time for debating "which" splitter to get is over - I just got home (after a VERY SLOW drive for 50 miles) with my new Champion 27 ton.

Now, it's time to read the manual, fill it up with fluids, and get to work!

Any tips, hints, or tricks for a guy that has never used a splitter before will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Here's a shot after the long slow drive to my mountain property, in Northern New Mexico!

 

[lsucet]

Congrats you will love it. Very simple to use. It will just take you minutes to get the hang of it.

 

[WiscWoody]

Yeah that’s great that you picked one up. And I like your rust free Super Duty too. You can’t even see a log splitter behind a truck when you pull one let alone feel a drag on the truck lol.

 

[WiscWoody]

No issues with elm, I have split plenty of it with the 4" cylinder. It makes just as much a mess with any splitter, but it's no issue to split.

As to that crotch, I'd have just left it in the woods. Even if you can split it, you're not going to stack it nicely.

I could use a faster splitter soon. I have about 8 cords of bucked oak in a pile by the splitter now, 2 full cords of small rounds on the racks already and 2 more cords to buck up yet and throw on the pile. That’ll keep me busy splitting this fall.

 

[ColdNorCal]

Good choice!

 

[WiscWoody]

I was going to say if you are going to split wood in the winter to use ATF in it but I see that you are in the south west so you’d probably be ok using regular hydraulic fluid.

 

[pjohnson]

View attachment 246415 View attachment 246416 View attachment 246417
I could use a faster splitter soon. I have about 8 cords of bucked oak in a pile by the splitter now, 2 full cords of small rounds on the racks already and 2 more cords to buck up yet and throw on the pile. That’ll keep me busy splitting this fall.

View attachment 246415 View attachment 246416 View attachment 246417
I could use a faster splitter soon. I have about 8 cords of bucked oak in a pile by the splitter now, 2 full cords of small rounds on the racks already and 2 more cords to buck up yet and throw on the pile. That’ll keep me busy splitting this fall.

WiscWoody if your looking for a faster splitter local to us take a look at Wolf Ridge splitters made in Eau Claire. Very pleased with mine throw a 4 way or 6 way wedge on it and will clean up that pile in a hurry.

 

[WiscWoody]

WiscWoody if your looking for a faster splitter local to us take a look at Wolf Ridge splitters made in Eau Claire. Very pleased with mine throw a 4 way or 6 way wedge on it and will clean up that pile in a hurry.

I’ve looked at Wolf Ridge splitters and yes they are made just a hour and a half south of here but they cost too much for my budget. They are nice splitters though. I can put a 4" cylinder on my splitter for just $200 so that’s the route I’ll take but I won’t have a multi-wedge.

 

[xman23]

One tip. I find mine only needs to run a little over half throttle. No reason to have the engine screaming if it doesn't need to.

Hows it going? We need a Champion splitter report.

 

[SpaceBus]

One tip. I find mine only needs to run a little over half throttle. No reason to have the engine screaming if it doesn't need to.

Hows it going? We need a Champion splitter report.

So true on half throttle. Rarely do I ever need to elevate any higher. I also imagine around half throttle is also peak torque and max throttle (max RPM) is peak HP.

 

[spudman99]

Don't know if this affects your brand, but it happened to my DHT 28T model recently

I was spitting, finished loading the wheel barrow and reached over to shut off the splitter before running load to stacks.

Came back and the unit would not start... I mean just dead. Pondered it for a day, checked plugs and everything.

Called DHT and they figured it out pretty quickly. I shut off the unit before the wedge reached its full retreat location. That left the lovejoy handle in the return spot and not yet back to neutral. There is a safety whereby the unit wont start unless handle is neutral. Simple fix -- whack the handle to center/neutral and bang-- starts right up.

That was just my inexperience with the splitter, thought it might help you or someone else out.

 

[Ashful]

One tip. I find mine only needs to run a little over half throttle. No reason to have the engine screaming if it doesn't need to.

We are so different, Xman. Assuming your lines and fittings are all properly sized, the faster you turn that pump, the faster your cycle time. And there is no such thing as “fast enough”, buddy. [emoji14]

 

[WiscWoody]

One tip. I find mine only needs to run a little over half throttle. No reason to have the engine screaming if it doesn't need to.

Hows it going? We need a Champion splitter report.

I hear a lot of splitter owners say this but the engine is made to run at full RPM’s and it just slows down the splitter to not do so like Ashful said. Let ‘er rip and git ‘er done.

 

[SpaceBus]

I hear a lot of splitter owners say this but the engine is made to run at full RPM’s and it just slows down the splitter to not do so like Ashful said. Let ‘er rip and git ‘er done.

While I do agree with you, I prefer the reduction in noise to the increase in speed.

 

[WiscWoody]

While I do agree with you, I prefer the reduction in noise to the increase in speed.

I wear ear plugs when I operate my splitter. But each to their own.