Any body have a wood splitter? Other than your spouse with a AX!

[joel]

I have a few pine trees to remove & I was told I need to cure/dry them for 24 month to use them.
We never use pine in a stove, nor did we cure own hardwood, we burnt it green for over twelve year without a problem.
The house is over 100 years old & still standing, but I will need to split the rounds to cure it in 24 or less months.

 

[Magus]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/PowerSmart...p.ds&msclkid=a2e116b7eedc1828293475801e85c350
Is this what you're after?
4 months generally does pine 6-8 keeps the creosote from being too bad. the ideal is to only use pine in the morning to warm the house up or cook with, NEVER bank your fire with it, you WILL regret it! mix it pretty heavy with hard wood during the day as you use it. around here, pine is "fall wood" when you want a fire but don't need it all day or night. it burns fast, makes a lot of heat. just the thing to warm the living area and make breakfast.

 

[joel]

Yes, but looking at gas powered 25 tons, so I can take it anywhere.

 

[Magus]

Ask and ye shall receive.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Boss-Indus...rizontal-Vertical-Gas-Log-Splitter/5000289619

 

[Pearl]

This is my 12 year old from TSC, before they started making them really cheap. But I think they sell County Line brand now?! This thing has split A LOT of wood!!! We take it in the woods with an old garden tractor hubby put a ball on, we keep trails cleared. We can split where we cut and then we have a small trailer we hook to the garden tractor and haul it out to stack!! Been really happy with the Huskee!

 

[Griz78]

Pine and fir is just fine to use at anytime of the day or night if you've seasoned it properly. If it were not there would be a lot of folks in Canada that would be totally screwed. How many months you need to season it after youve split it depends on a few different things. Like the time of year you harvest them and whether or not you girdle before harvesting. If ya girdle it in the early spring and fell it in the late fall and split at that time it'll be pretty well seasoned by that next fall.

As for splitters, I have a few. If you're only going to be splitting a couple cord for yourself every year you might actually do ok with a small electric splitter from someplace like harbor freight. They're really pretty decent little machines. I bought one for my oldest daughter and her husband when they bought their own place five or so years ago and they burn a cord or so a year. And they regularly split 18 to 24 inch rounds with it. With some effort though.

The big box store gas splitters aren't horrible either. And most of them will pivot so you can split larger rounds vertically. I have an old Brute 30 ton that I'll sometimes use on larger rounds that I can't put through my processor. You do want to follow the storage instructions on them. Make sure they are covered when you're not using them. The carb on those big box store splitters are pretty finicky and if you want them to last you've got to take care of them.

 

[Plainflatlander]

Bought a troy-bilt splitter from lowes when I turned 50. 27 ton and has split just about everything I wanted to. Only the most knotty didnt split.

 

[Cascadian]

I agree a 20 ton of larger with the pivot should work fine for most casual users. We bought a splitter made by Oregon brand under another name. At the time it was as American made as you could get. You will not regret having one and if you do the resale is really good.

I found my old thread.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/log-splitters.3951/

 

[FarmOR]

I've got an old three point splitter with four inch cylinder that runs off my tractor hydraulic. My dad bought a tsc trailer unit like that one in the pic above, only his is blue. I've used both and the old fashioned over the shoulder splitting maul for 20+ years. Use about four cords per year.

Pro's of the small gas engine units: fast! Especially the return direction. My tractor cylinder is slow, by comparison in both directions.

Cons: cost $. Maintenance.

Design considerations: move the wedge, not the block! Vertical pivotal option is very nice to have. Bigger cylinder is better, up to a point.

Prime bulb on carb is a real plus since it's seasonal use. Work around that I have learned from my older genset carb is removing the air intake and pouring couple tablespoons of seafoam. Don't pour more gas in the tank than you need. Bonus points if you can buy ethanol free gasoline.

 

[zoomzoom]

I have a SpeeCo splitter, pretty much identical to the Huskee pictured by Pearl. It's never failed me in close to 20 years of operation. I store it in the wood shed to keep it out of the weather.
It's been sitting for months or maybe darn near a year. Last week, I added gas, pushed the primer bulb a few times and it started first pull.

May I make a suggestion that you consider getting a moisture meter? You can get them for under $30 and they do a great job of checking the moisture in your wood. Myself, I get my wood to under 10% moisture. If I burn a log that's at 20% or more, I can hear the water sizzling out of the log when it's in the stove.
I think this is the one I have but mine is older so this one has more options.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-MMD4E-Moisture-High-Medium-Low/dp/B00275F5O2/

 

[zoomzoom]

Another thought that just popped in my head.
When choosing a splitter, make sure it can be used at a height where you, the operator can stand fully upright. Some units have the ram at around knee height. That's really hard on the back as you get older.

 

[Cabin Fever]

Ours is a 25-ton splitter purchased from Northern Tool. I bought this one because it had a Honda engine, the engine is mounted high (where it won't hit a stump), and can be operated both vertical and horizontal).

 

[Peanut]

A friend down the road converted a big box store splitter when the engine died. The hydraulic cylinder operated at the same range as cylinders on his farm equipment.

He put quick disconnect hydraulic hoses on the cylinder and continued using it with his tractor.

If I happen to see a broke down piece of junk splitter for cheap... I'm going to do the same. For the price of a couple new hoses I'll have a splitter.

 

[zoomzoom]

I've considered a PTO or tractor hydraulic driven splitter. Two things always turn me away and opt for a stand-alone unit.
1) When it's the logging and splitting season, the tractor always has other duties. Normally, I have the logging winch on the tractor. To connect/disconnect all the time is a PITA.
2) I don't like the tractor racking up the hours doing something as menial as splitting wood. I'd rather put those hours on a 6 HP Briggs & Stratton (or Kohler or Honda) than on my larger diesel engine.

 

[zoomzoom]

Cabin Fever - This picture gave me another thought.

For my entire life, I've always removed the fenders on the splitters. I've banged up my shins enough times on those steel fenders. I'd rather have my shin hit the rubber of the tire.

 

[Cabin Fever]

Cabin Fever - This picture gave me another thought.

For my entire life, I've always removed the fenders on the splitters. I've banged up my shins enough times on those steel fenders. I'd rather have my shin hit the rubber of the tire.

View attachment 95188

 

[Cabin Fever]

I hear ya. One of the support pieces for a fender broke years ago, so the fender vibrates when in use or when being towed. I should just cut the fenders off.

 

[Magus]

fenders are 90% useless. junk them.

 

[AMC]

Ah the memories.

 

[Magus]

LOL. yeah. I think the Fred misses you now his beer buddy dropped dead.

 

[Alaskajohn]

One of the best things I ever purchased was a gas powered log splitter. Makes getting ready for winter so much easier since I go through about 8ish cords a year. Mine happens to be a 22 ton Ariens with one of those nifty Subaru engines. Runs flawlessly now on its 7th year. The wife loves to use an axe to split logs for kindling. Once they are bite size she switches to a hatchet to make them kindling size. I still swing an axe and personally enjoy the exercise and the feel of a good axe. Truth be told I use the log splitter mostly, and use my axe for when I am camping or during the winter when the log splitter is stored for the winter.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I have a 30 ton Countyline splitter from TSC. I split about 8 cord a year and love this thing. I would highly recommend getting a splitter with the fast return, and a rack to set the logs on. It's easier to roll the log on to the splitting frame.
I personally would never burn green wood in a wood stove. My dad did when I was a kid and the creosote ran everywhere.
I only cut standing dead larch and doug fir. The only place where I burn pine is in our outdoor fire pit.

 

[zoomzoom]

I would highly recommend getting a splitter with the fast return, and a rack to set the logs on.

Agreed for the log rack.
As for fast return, I'm getting old (and my splitter doesn't have that option). I run the splitter at pretty darn low speeds. That's fast enough for me.

 

[Tim Horton]

We have a 20 ton splitter similar to the picture Pearl posted... We got it on an end of season discount, dealer changing brands, and the like, about 5 (?) years ago now.. It is not rated that powerful so some have told us ...that won't do what you need... It has performed flawlessly... It also has a vertical shaft Subaru motor.. Again some saying ...those are piece of crap...

Despite all, it has worked well for us... Knock on wood.. But then we don't abuse our equipment and take care of it well.. I do wish it had a table on the off side at times...

We burn mostly pine as that is the most available.. We season close to 12 months and have good results. Like said.. The capacity of the fuel tank on the splitter and my stamina are well matched..

 

[Griz78]

We have a 20 ton splitter similar to the picture Pearl posted... We got it on an end of season discount, dealer changing brands, and the like, about 5 (?) years ago now.. It is not rated that powerful so some have told us ...that won't do what you need... It has performed flawlessly... It also has a vertical shaft Subaru motor.. Again some saying ...those are piece of crap...

Despite all, it has worked well for us... Knock on wood.. But then we don't abuse our equipment and take care of it well.. I do wish it had a table on the off side at times...

We burn mostly pine as that is the most available.. We season close to 12 months and have good results. Like said.. The capacity of the fuel tank on the splitter and my stamina are well matched..

Generally speaking the ower rating on splitters from the big box stores is not accurate at all. Not even a little bit. For example. My buddy has a 22 ton dirty hands splitter. The cylinder, hoses and pump are identical to the brute 30 ton splitter I have. The only difference is mine has a 250cc engine and his has 196cc engine now you'd think the extra fifty some ccs would make up the extra 8 ton. But if ya hook up flow meters and a pressure gauge ya find they operate at the same pressures and flow. By the math the 30 ton and the 22 ton actually produce between 16 and 21 ton of force. Depending on which stage the pump is operating in.

 

[sonya123]

You can rent one for relatively cheap, that's what we plant on doing soon since we have a bunch of cut up logs to split and not much time to do it ( son is too busy studying to do much right now and husband and self are too old to do that much)
One less piece of equipment to have to maintain.....

 

[Pearl]

You can rent one for relatively cheap, that's what we plant on doing soon since we have a bunch of cut up logs to split and not much time to do it ( son is too busy studying to do much right now and husband and self are too old to do that much)
One less piece of equipment to have to maintain.....

We used to do that, could rent a 30 ton for 80$ on a Saturday morning and return it before noon on Monday. It is better for us owning one because we can cut and split on the spot. Like this Saturday when it's a little cooler there are two downed trees in the woods we will cut, split, and stack.

 

[zoomzoom]

and a rack to set the logs on. It's easier to roll the log on to the splitting frame.

Mine didn't come with a rack/cradle so I made my own. A couple scrap pieces of steel, some 5/16" bolts and a couple C-clamps. I put this on at least 10 years ago. No issues. As you can see by me standing on it, it's plenty strong as well.

 

[Tim Horton]

The cylinder, hoses and pump are identical to the brute 30 ton splitter
--- ---
Having been lightly involved in making some parts for several home made splitters.. It seems to work best in planning components to work backward... That is... Take the cylinder you want to use, find what rate of flow will give you an acceptable cycle time, this will determine pump size, pump size will determine horse power needed for the system... System pressure seems the least relevant to the info mix... Most pumps run about the same pressure.. In the 2500 psi or so range..

Unfortunately... This info is where it seems many people who want to run a splitter off the flow of there small compact tractors get into trouble and are not happy with the results.. Most hydrostatic, small compact tractors do not have excess gallons per minute of flow to make a splitter work well..

My 5 cents of experience...
---
---
Zoomzoom... Great idea for a table... Legs to span the bottom flange of the I beam with bolt on clips to hold in place is a great next step modification... I will be doing some design thinking in my "good ideas" note book... Thanks for the pictures...

 

[Plainflatlander]

We used to do that, could rent a 30 ton for 80$ on a Saturday morning and return it before noon on Monday. It is better for us owning one because we can cut and split on the spot. Like this Saturday when it's a little cooler there are two downed trees in the woods we will cut, split, and stack.

That plus when I use to rent equipment I learned quick to operate it at the rental yard. Many times equipment needed work or would break when I had it on the site. As an owner-operator I know how I am using my equipment, by not beating on it like rentals are.