Need log splitter advice

[wendell]

I split about 4+ cords a year, mostly elm, oak and maple (8-24+" diameter, 14" long) and am thinking about buying a splitter this year instead of renting and would appreciate some advice. I have a friend who says his electric has split everything he has tried but the 25 ton splitter I rented last year had trouble getting through many of the bigger pieces of elm so I can't believe a 7 ton electric would be able to do the job. The price on the 22 ton Huskee at TSC is appealing but don't know of the quality.

Any advice on type, size or brand would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

 

[LLigetfa]

I have a friend who says his electric has split everything he has tried but the 25 ton splitter I rented last year had trouble getting through many of the bigger pieces of elm so I can't believe a 7 ton electric would be able to do the job.

Elm can get quite stringy. I haven't come across any Elm that my 20 ton couldn't split but there were many pieces that I would have to run full stroke and then still have to pull the pieces apart.

I would not try splitting Elm on an electric.

 

[johnsopi]

I have both a 4 ton electric and a gas. The Electric will split easy wood but for real work the gas is the
way to go. I use the 4 ton electric in the basement to resplit wood.

 

[Gooserider]

Splitters are to some extent a "commodity item" - they all use pretty much the same set of components, so none of them are all that bad, but the TSC Huskee has a reasonably good reputation as a well made unit. One thing I've seen several people mention is a need to go over the assembly however, and check bolt tightness, etc., as the units are generally assembled in-store by the lowest paid, least clueful employees, who don't really care all that much about doing it right....

Some people don't care for them, but I have had decent luck with, and like the design on my HF splitter.

Gooserider

 

[LLigetfa]

Some people don't care for them, but I have had decent luck with, and like the design on my HF splitter.

AHEM... the design or your redesign?

I almost fell out of my chair reading that. Didn't you end up doing extensive modifications?

 

[wendell]

Thanks for your input. Nice to hear the Huskee is an OK choice as it is at least $200 less than similar models. The only problem is my nearest Tractor Supply is 2 hours away.

By HF, I assume you mean Harbor Freight? I am intrigued by their model with the hydraulic lift as after a day of lifting 100 lb rounds onto the splitter, my age is beginning to show. <G> Does anybody have any experience with that feature?

 

[struggle]

I have an older huskee (6 years now maybe) and I would never go back to renting a splitter. A splitter will pay for itself in a matter of short time when you figure all the trouble that comes from renting a splitter and time getting and returning it.

I have no regrets about it and you can unbolt the tongue at least on mine and put it upright in a garage in a minimal space.

 

[Gooserider]

Some people don't care for them, but I have had decent luck with, and like the design on my HF splitter.

AHEM... the design or your redesign?

I almost fell out of my chair reading that. Didn't you end up doing extensive modifications?

Yes I did some mods, and I have some additional stuff planned, but I wouldn't call them "extensive" - No welding on this phase, and very little in the way of power tools. I did spend a fair bit on additional hydraulic fittings, but that was partly poor planning on my part, and partly a result of the mods. (I could have done it with one or two fittings and a different high pressure hose)

However the basic design of the machine stayed the same, and none of my future ideas will change it either - all my mods are ergonomic related to make it a little more comfortable to use, but it's useable as it came...

The key design concept of an H/V design that uses the beam for the trailer tongue so as to store in minimal space is still there, and won't be changing...

Wendell, yes, HF = Harbor Freight. I have the 30 ton, Horizontal / Vertical model, not the Horizontal Only model with the lift, so I can't help you with that - a couple of folks on arboristsite had them w/ mixed reviews. My personal preference is for vertical operation only, as I'd rather sit down on the job, but others opinions may vary. I'd just note that in vertical mode, if you can get the round to the splitter (or vice versa) you can split it, no worries about overloading a lift, or having to have a shelf to hold the extra chunks while splitting a round multiple times... (and I don't like multi-way wedges)

Gooserider

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That splitter you are looking at is good. We purchased our somewhere 15-20 years ago and have had zero problems. At that time they were a 20 ton instead of the 22 ton.

I'm not sure how many cords of wood we've split with ours but it is no doubt well over 50 cords. Much of that has been elm, which is the worst splitting stuff there is. In all the time we've had our splitter, I have had one piece that it would not split. this was a piece 20" long with a pretty good knot in it and really twisted stuff. I just threw it on the brush pile and forgot about it. But one piece in that length of time I would not be concerned with.

Also, this splitter will stand so you do not have to lift every piece before splitting it. I hate those splitters where you have to lift the log onto the splitter. My poor back does not need all that lifting and it is a very poor design to make something like that.

I'm not certain which motor they are using now but ours is a B & S engine. My neighbor has one with a Honda. The Honda is no doubt the better engine but the Briggs has been okay so far.

 

[TreePapa]

I'll say one thing about motors: Honda. I rent a splitter and in the past, I always wound up with a splitter with the BS engine. Did the job but noisy and smelly. The last time, I got one with a Honda motor and I would say the noise was nearly cut in half and so was the smoke / smell. If I ever purchase a gas-powered splitter its gotta have a Honda.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[wendell]

Thanks for the input. I agree that a Honda is going to be quieter and uses less gas, but it seems you are going to pay at least $2-300 more for a Honda engine on the exact same splitter. A little more premium than I think I'm willing to pay.

 

[BJ64]

I agree about the little Honda motors. Smooth, quiet, easy to start, they are nice but not worth the extra on a wood splitter.

As for the TSC Husky splitter, I think you will like it. I did run into an issue with my splitter - witch is not from TSC. I have a flat tire that came loose from the rim and it is almost impossible to air it back up. I am about to try using starter fluid and see if a small explosion will not pop it back in place.

 

[struggle]

BJ,

I had to replace a tire on mine and what I did was sprayed a lubricant like silicone on one side of the tire bead and pushed it onto the rim on that side and took a rope around the tire and put the stick in between the rope and tightened the rope little by little and until the tire compressed to touching the other side of the rim and filled with an air-compressor and the tire popped on to the sealing surfaces.

I did this leaving the tire on the splitter as it would have been to much to hold all that with the rim off and also more of a hassle since it would mess up the bearings etc with dirt.

 

[fullbore]

I had an electric 5 ton from Lowes for about a week before returning it. It was a waste of time and money. I have a Huskee 22ton from TSC for almost a year(split 18 cords) and love it. The BS engine is loud but I haven't found any rounds it won't split.