wood splitter with motor, what to buy.

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Bad shoulder is telling me its time to go hydraulic. Would appreciate any suggestions on what brand to get or not to get. Also the type of motor. side shaft vs verticle. Thanks
 
I use to rent a splitter from a worker at work. he would rent it out by the day. I decided to build one so I took a lot of pictures of the splitter I rented. I had a 10hp Tecumseh engine and in 1982 I started on it. I bought a used piece of 4-inch I-beam. Wheels from a boat sales. I had the hyd reservoir made at a local metal shop. I bought the pump and control valve from Northern Hydraulics in MN. The cylinder was bought at the local government sales. It was a steering cylinder off the 8 ton Goer. They moved that auction later on near DC. When it would hit a knot it would downshift. Hal
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Here is a homemade one that splits 99% of what goes on it. Pump came from Northern Hydraulics and the engine is an 8 HP Briggs.
Richard in NW SC
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I have a north star from northern tool and it really works good. Mine is a twenty ton I bought on clearance for $800 and it was worth every cent. It is a vertical and horizontal, so no lifting of heavy chunks required to split. It has a Briggs engine that has been very dependable.
 
I wouldn'y buy one any less than a 20 ton with a 5 hp Horizontal Brigs engine . Back in the 1980s we decided to start heating our home with wood . So we bought a nice safe inside wood/coal stove , I built an exterior chimney with a brick wall with a nice mantle on the inside of our Dining room . Then my X told me find & buy what ever wood splitter I wnted . So I went to a local lawn equipment store to get his suggestion . He had one sitting on the floor as a model . He was having some guy build up these splitters so there's no brand name on it . But the guy fabricated a 4" x 6" x 6' box reservoir , welded it to a tube axle with small 4 bolt wheels/tires , then he welded a short tongue & trailer hitch to the front end so it can be towed behind a vehicle . It has a nice 5 hp Briggs horizontal engine with the hydraulics mounted on top for the power unit .The Hyd control is a 2 stage which will means that nomal running its in standard mode , then if the ram hits a hard knot , the hydrolics goes into a more powerful mode to push the ram harder .I have dragged a lot of logs in with my little Fotd tractors , then cut in 20-24" chunks & split in those years. I even had trees hauled in by a tree service that he call garbage since it was so hugh that his workers couldn't hand split for selling as firewood . I'm not exaggerating a bit about size here , but I hsd oak & maple logs at least 5' across hauled in to my yard.Now as a safety issue , I chunk these humungous logs into 18-20" chunks .Then the fun of lifting & handleing those brutes began . I had fabricated a set of log lifting hooks on 3' chunk of 3/8" chain . Using my 3 pt boom on my tractor , I very carefully lifted each chunk , set it in the splitter , then ran the ram thru the cycle to split it in half for a little safer handleing . If memory serves me right , I honestly only had a few chunks that my 5 hp would not split the first time thru . Now SAFETY :: wear steel toed work shoes (if possible), wear work gloves & always know where your fingers are . Also wear safety glasses & no loose unbuttoned shirts or sleeves (long). Sorry for such a long post . Please be safe . Maybe even a short Prayer before getting started would help (if you believe in the power of prayer) . God bless , Ken
 
With bad shoulder doesn't sound like you are in the mood to "build" one either. My son bought his at Lowes 4 yrs ago. Not sure of brand name but it's not the Husky like TSC has. It is a 27 ton and has Honda OHC engine and large dia tires to tow down the road with and operates horozontal and verticle. He heats with wood and has split for a neighbor who also heats with wood. Never a problem at all. Hyd cylinder shaft seal doesn't even weep. Cost him $1200-$1300. No one needs more than 27 ton. If this can't split it you probably shouldn't even burn it.I'd buy one in a minute.
 
There are a bunch of these made in the 22-25 ton range, the Huskee by TSC (Speeco Product) is often found in nice shape 2nd hand around here, 22 ton models I see often. Along with MTD and other popular homeowner brands, you should look at the features, some things do vary, say tires and wheels, fenders light kits, as well as 11 gpm or 16 gpm 2 stage pumps. 2 things I like about my '08 or '07 vintage 28 ton Huskee, (Speeco) is the log cradle, (regardless of brand) you need something off the beam to hold the wood. To me a splitter is useless if its straight up beam with nothing on it, just useless as its easier to drop pieces, most have something or offer an accessory. The other is the 4 way wedge, which is nice in certain diameter wood, and species of trees with straighter grains. I don't use the vertical position much, nice it does that if you run into real large diameter wood, for the most part with how I set up to split wood, I work in the horizontal, use wheel barrows that I put 4 small wood posts on, to catch split wood, I hate piles, hate working off the ground. To elevate the "blocks" for splitting, I sometimes use the tractor loader bucket, or my gardenway cart, 2 tools that I will not be without are the Lockhart log gripper, 15"-18" and the genuine Log Peavey, or log jack its the one made in Maine. The latter lifts the log off the ground for cutting, rigging or what have you. I have 3 wheel barrows, so from the loader bucket or gardenway cart, I draw blocks, then load the wheel barrows, then the cart if need be, with split wood, then wheel to my stacks and its done. Everyone has their own or ideal way, but I have the same darned shoulder problem and though I can stretch to touch the ground and my toes, I hate working bent over it just kills me, so that log gripper is just enough to make the height difference, + its so much easier to handle a block that way, matter of a fact I have gotten got at using it to toss them with it too, but it has to be done right or you could hurt yourself. A pulp hook is also a nice tool to have for firewood. Around the splitter I am real careful, one block or split piece on top of the foot is a real bad thing, I've had surgery through the top of one foot, cannot take a hit, its something you have to be careful of.

I don't mind the wedge on the cylinder at all, something higher end like a processor it would be different.

The split fire below looks interesting I watched the video, interesting design and function, looks very useful and productive, the larger model.

The typical homeowner splitter may not be the quickest, but I'm never in any hurry or have to produce wood for sale, so it does not matter, and its safer the way I see it, you can check cycle times, they can and do vary. If you do have to produce a lot, get someone to help, this does speed things up a lot, so even a homeowner model can produce quite a bit if things are set up right.

Most homeowner models may have horizontal shaft engines with a coupler to the pump. On my 28 ton there is a Honda GC 190 engine, 5.5-6hp, and its fine, starts easily, sips fuel, and I change the oil, clean the air filter 2x a year, depending on how much wood I split. It runs at one speed, plenty of power for the 11gpm pump/6 gallon hydraulic system, it has not run in months, pull the choke, pull it slow for one compression stroke, then give it a good tug, it will fire right up, no problem down into the teens as far as cold temps go. I think most of the homeowner models will suffice, I do like Honda engines, the rest you can look at the features and decide, also consider tooling to make the job easier, Bailey's has the tools I mentioned, I found old school Jackson folded pan wheel barrows, they don't make them like that anymore, of course thats just me, also breaks up the monotony, split awhile them stack, then load blocks, I can go all day. I had to give up doing it by hand, I think I did 30 cord in the last 5 years by hand, in '12 I had to find a hydraulic splitter, eventually see what can be done on the shoulder, cannot even pound a t-post in with hammer anymore, foolish anyway, they make a tool for that. It sure is a lot easier with this splitter now, I don't mind splitting wood at all, and like to share ideas and or methods.
 
My son just brought a 12HP vertical shaft 35 ton from Lowe's. He had some kind of discount card or something and I'm thinking he paid around 1600 for it. I used it for about a half hour on a few of the nasty pieces of wood I have set aside that my tractor mounted splitter could never split. It just walked right through it like nothing.

I don't really think a normal person would need one that big although it is kind of nice. The downfall for me was starting it. At 10 degrees I couldn't hardly pull it to start it. Although it had oil in the engine when he got it and may have been too heavy for the colder weather.

If your older, you might want to see about getting something with electric start. I use to laugh about electric start on a smaller engine but not anymore. My son's splitter is setting in my shed and I use mine because I can't start his in the ccold.
 
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Built this about 4 years ago but the log lift added 2 years ago. The best part of this is the little car battery to start the 11hp B&S eng. I would never buy a splitter without electric start cause is't usually cold...when trying to start.
 
I built a 35 ton unit a number of yrs. back from surplus equipment. It is horizontal shaft and only works in vertical mode. I have a foot plate and drive single point wedge thru knarly oak.

Changes I would consider - some type of 4 point wedge to slip on and off to reduce amount of wood handling and optionally a toolbox to carry basic hand tools i.e. sparkplug wrench etc.
 
I like my 3 pt hitch model. I can raise it to a comfortable height where I don"t have to stay bent over, which used to kill my back on my old pull type which was low to the ground. I built baskets on the end to hold the pieces that need resplit. If a piece is too heavy to pick up I lower the 3 pt to the ground and roll the piece up onto the splitter, and raise it back up. My tractor probably uses less than a gallon of fuel an hr., and I have 1 less engine to worry about. If you buy a pull type engine model make sure it is high enough you don"t stay bent over. Mark
 
Id vote to go to TSC (tractor supply Co) and get the 22 ton husky. It cost $999.99. A nice, well built splitter. I bought my own this past fall. Dad and Grandpa have a identical one they bought about 10 years ago. Great splitter, and will split just about everything put in front of it.
 
I have had this Brave wood splitter for over 20 years.
it has an 8 hp engine and 26 tons of splitting pressure.

it is a horizontal unit but it works OK for me.

paperwork showed digging slots for the wheels and tongue stand, so the unit would set flat on the ground so you can roll the larger sticks of wood right upon the bed of the splitter.

all I know is if you keep it loaded and wood moved away, it will wear you out, it just never gets tired.

also a unit like this leave your tractor with lift or front end loader available to move in more wood. Then hook it to the back of the rear platform and pull it back to the shed.
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I have a Swisher 28 ton splitter (about 4 years old) that does a great job. Haven't found anything it won't split yet. They are made in Missouri and company has been around for years. The Rural King farm stores sell them here in S. Illinois. Northern Tool sells them as well.
check this link
 
Watched it and this splitter is great on straight grain wood but it didn't show what it would do with hard wood and knots.
 
I also have a 12.5 HP 35 ton but mine is from Tractor Supply and got mine at a little under $1,500 on sale ( 6 years ago). It is a hard starter but I do all my splitting in the fall before it gets cold. I have yet to find any knots that it can't split.
 
David,
there are two things that control the speed and power of a wood splitter. (Because, I am sure somewhere there is a government employee that sets the maximum pressure allowed in a wood splitter sold to the public.)

so all you have control over is the size of the cylinder and volume (gpm) gallons per minute of the pump.

you want to buy a wood splitter with:
the largest diameter cylinder size you can afford and you want a hydraulic pump with the largest gpm volume.

all wood splitters work on the same principle: the hydraulic pump is a two stage pump, meaning it flows one (gpm) at no pressure, high speed, then when the ram shaft hits the wood, the pump shifts to high pressure low speed to have the power to bust the wood.

to get more power from your wood splitter you have to have a larger diameter cylinder and a higher volume (gpm) hydraulic pump.

just a heads up: when out looking at wood splitter just ask the saleman about these two numbers and you will see the difference in machines.

the units with higher numbers will have larger hp motors and higher cost. but will split wood faster!!!!!!!!! less waiting time for the ram to return after splitting the wood.

good luck and be safe,

these are very dangerous machines. always wondered how long it would take for the government to require a guard cover on the ram as it splits the wood.

I was a safety officer for many years, so I know a thing or two about guard and pinch points.
 
If you have a tractor with the necessary hydraulics, a 3pt I think works great. I have had a tsc unit for about 12 yrs. It is the right unit for me, no constant bent over position, exactly the right speed ( JD 60 just above idle ). Both horizonal and vertical.
 
i bought one 4 years ago i have some pretty severe back problems and also heat with wood propayne is too expensive ,i picked out a 25 ton model at tsc and insisted on a honda engine, ive split many a chord of wood on this thing and still have never had a problem with it or found a piece of wood it wouldnt split even oak and black walnut
 
I got a Troy-bilt 27 ton with a 5hp Honda at Lowes for about $600.00 a few years back, it was a return due to a loose oil line fitting. I've been real happy with it, not sure who actually made it but it looks just like some others from Northern and other places.
 

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