Small Foot Pump Splitters?

[Joey Jones]

As it is my first year burning I have found much of my wood above the 20% moisture content range. I was thinking of buying a cheap foot splitter to reduce the larger pieces to smaller pieces so that they would dry faster and catch fire faster....Here is the link I have found and for $200 plus $30 shipping seemed like a plausible idea....http://www.westcoastminisplitter.com/ please tell me what you think!
J.J.

 

[computeruser]

Interesting idea, but that's a lot of coin for a slow, not-too-powerful apparatus. I've used those (the pneumatic version) and was not impressed at all.

Assuming you're able-bodied, buy a mega maul from Iron&Oak;, and just pop the big pieces apart by hand, with gravity's help. You'll be surprised by how much less work the 15lb triangle requires as compared to a standard 6- or 8-pound maul.

 

[Joey Jones]

What is a 15# triangle? And admittedly so I am handicapped with a spinal injury. So have little strength and endurance

 

[Gooserider]

What is a 15# triangle? And admittedly so I am handicapped with a spinal injury. So have little strength and endurance

What the 15# triangle refers to is a type of manual splitter originally sold by Stotz as the "monster maul" - an all steel maul with a 12-15 pound triangular steel head, and about a 24" steel pipe handle. Stotz is now out of business, but other companies are stlli selling clones of the original.

The theory is that rather than swinging it with lots of effort like a standard maul, you mostly just pick it up and drop it on the round, and the weight does the work. I have one, and it works well, but I'm also being forced to give up manual splitting because my left elbow is giving out - probably from over-use.

If you have a spine injury, I'd suspect that you'd probably find the monster maul is the wrong tool for you, but I'm not sure a hand or foot pumped splitter would do you much better. It takes a certain amount of energy to split a log, whether it comes from lots of light efforts or one big one - thus you would have a lower per-stroke effort with the hand cranked hydraulic, but need to make a lot of strokes. IOW, trading endurance for strength - since you say you are short on both, doesn't sound like a workable trade.

If I were in your position I think I'd probably be looking at a small powered unit, either the air over hydraulic unit the same company you mentioned earlier offers (only if you already have a good compressor) or possibly one of the electric / hydraulic splitters.

(I am going with a big gas splitter since I am wanting to split large rounds rather than just breaking down small splits further.)

Gooserider

 

[Joey Jones]

I do still have very strong lower body strength as I have a short torso and that portion of my body seems to be untouched by paralytic natures. I have fair wind and unfortunately have just sold off my good compressor . Will this lower body strength make up for weaker arms and a lower tolerance to lung consuming breath should I invest in this small splitter?

 

[backpack09]

I would recommend one of the small electric splitters. (I dont have one, but everyone here that does seems to be happy with them) They are slightly more $$ than you are looking at for the foot version delivered.

For about 300$ lowes has this one: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=241483-53393-26083&lpage=none
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/841821/841821002060md.jpg

 

[Joey Jones]

I would recommend one of the small electric splitters. (I dont have one, but everyone here that does seems to be happy with them) They are slightly more $$ than you are looking at for the foot version delivered.

For about 300$ lowes has this one: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=241483-53393-26083&lpage=none
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/841821/841821002060md.jpg

Thanks my friend, I shall look into this product as an investment for making hardwood kindling and also as a device to make small my large pieces of wet cord wood.

 

[Joey Jones]

Anyone here have the small electric wood splitter form Lowes. It does claim 5 HP and sells for $299. Is it worth the price or will i be disapointed?

 

[glacialhills]

I have the task force from lowes and it beats splitting by hand, hands down. I have been splitting all summer with it and have only run into a hand full of large knotty 20+ inch rounds I couldn't get to split. I split some straight grained oak rounds as large as 25" no problem. It just takes a bit more time and finesse splitting stuff with it than a powerful gas. But its quiet, no fumes and no gas or engine oil to mess with. just plug it in and split away.I have done over 6 cords this summer alone with it. Only problems I have had is the wheel bracket is weak and bent on mine. also have a small drip of hydro fluid from a pin hole in a gasket in the rear of reservoir. neither one a huge deal and I am sure if I write the company they will send me replacements. All in all a very good little unit and handled all size oak,maple,hickory,cherry and even well seasoned elm with very little fuss.it says 10" max dia. logs but if you live in the real world you split what you got. just gotta work a little harder at finding the weak point in the round and sometimes re position. I did just get a 22 ton gas from TSC because I do have some 25+ rounds that it wont handle and I want to split back in the woods where I am cutting and load the stuff already split,to take to its final storage instead of cut ,load,unload,split,haul,and then finally stack.

 

[colsmith]

We bought a foot powered splitter just a few weeks ago. We were pretty keen on it, not very hard to pump or use, and split everything we tried it on, although some things needed a little whack with a maul to make them fall apart. However, just using it for a few weeks it broke. After just a couple days there was some smell of hydraulic fluid. Then the shelf part that the wood sits on kept bending more and more and the thing finally stopped being able to move up and down (springs are twisted or something). Anyway, it is being returned to Mendards, it cost about $108 + tax with their 10% off everything rebate. It was from a Canadian company called Quality Craft but made in China. It is the 8 ton hydraulic splitter listed on this page:
(broken link removed to http://www.qualitycraft.com/products/outdoorequipment/logsplitters)

Does anyone know of a better but similar foot operated splitter? Possibly ours was assembled poorly by the Menards staff, we bought the display model, it was all they had left. But I am leery of almost anything made in China. The concept seems great, split wood easily and without using gas or electricity. Plus get a good workout for your legs. Yes, we have several mauls, but hubby has a shoulder problem so only I use them, and no I don't want to buy a gas or electric splitter. (Maybe when I am older, right now it is my best workout.)

 

[Gooserider]

No personal experience, but these folks, West Coast Mini-splitter have a pretty good looking website. Assuming it's accurate, I like the design, and the construction looks solid. I'd probably go for the 8 ton model in order to have the air over hydraulic upgrade option at a later time, or possibly even go for the 12 ton right off, since it can be hand pumped... Sounds like more $$$ than the Chinese unit you've had trouble w/ (especially if you are in Canada) but you get what you pay for most times...

I went w/ a gas unit, but if I wanted something manual these folks would have been on my short list.

Gooserider

 

[awoodman]

I was thinking of building a manual splitter using a 10 tone bottle jack as a back up.
Has anyone built their own?

I have a Brave splitter I bought new and have been using for over 10yrs. Only had to replace the pump.