Opinions On This Splitter

Traditional Farmer · Oct 17, 2015

Thinking of buying a North Star 30 ton with a Honda GX 200 engine from Northern Tool
$1900, a Northern store is about 50 miles from me so I can pick it up.Anyone used or have one of these wood splitters?

M Nut · Oct 17, 2015

I have a 20 ton model, and it will split anything I have ever tried. We cut 40 cords per year, and have had the splitter 6-7 years. It's kept inside all the time, looks almost new yet and works perfect. I'd buy another without a second thought.

dpendzic · Oct 17, 2015

I have a north star 22 ton for over 10 years now---never had a problem

Cory Schmidt · Oct 17, 2015

Got a 22 ton North Star works good for what we need when needed. We looked around a lot before buying, this brand seemed like best option(looked bester too) anywhere near by. They are solid well built machines.

Other places had similar sized splitters offered for less, but they looked like they would fall apart in a short time, or had design factors we didn't like.

Bob Harvey · Oct 17, 2015

Just askin'. Why do you need a 22 Ton splitter ? As said earlier, I have a 5 ton electric and it will split (almost) everything I can huck in there. Only things it wouldn't split were 2 - 18" wild cherry rounds that had knots every 2-3 ". HPH

Fullers Farmalls · Oct 17, 2015

We have a different 22 ton splitter. Honestly I can't think of why you would need a 30ton. We have split some gnarly stuff that the splitter never had a problem with.

Pair-a-dice farm · Oct 17, 2015

I wonder how the tonnage is measured. I've got a 22 ton that I got from Orschelins and I have split some knotty hickory that it struggles to split. There have been times with a twisted elm where it wouldn't go through. I personally wouldn't want to be in the way it something broke because there is a lot of pressure building up.

Part Time Pete · Oct 17, 2015

My home made one is good for about 24 ton, and I wouldn't mind having more at times.
I'd recommend a minimum of a 16gpm pump, so your cycle times will be fast enough
Pete

Russ from MN · Oct 17, 2015

The 3-point one I built for out tractor is only 12 ton, and it splits anything we have, including Elm. I think some of the tonnage ratings are like Craftsmans horsepower.

Traditional Farmer · Oct 17, 2015

I'm definitely going with at least a 30 ton as I cut a lot of fence row twisted
Hickory,Red Cedar with limbs thru the trunks,Oak,Black Locust and the like.Also want a splitter that'll have some speed to it.

RayP(MI) · Oct 17, 2015

Well, the Honda is a good start IMHO.

Bill VA · Oct 17, 2015

I have a 22 ton TSC/Husky - which is Speeco. It has a briggs engine on it. Split about 7 cords a year with it - a very good wood splitter.

Two things to consider:

Where is the engine in relation to the wood falling off the splitter. Some log splitters, it looks to me like an occasional log might fall on the engine when split - certainly debris.

Is there a standard or optional log cradle available. They are a must IMHO.

Good luck,
Bill

ericlb · Oct 17, 2015

i have one, ive had it for 4 or 5 years and have had no problems with it, split 4 to 6 chords a year with it

Traditional Farmer · Oct 18, 2015

I'm definitely going to add a rack on the opposite side of where the operator stands to catch the part of the wood that would normally fall off onto the ground on the first split so I don't have to pick it up again to split it.It'll be easy enough to extend it to protect the engine good idea and make it solid to catch trash off the split wood to keep it from falling all over the engine.

Bret4207 · Oct 18, 2015

(quoted from post at 21:34:18 10/17/15) Just askin'. Why do you need a 22 Ton splitter ? As said earlier, I have a 5 ton electric and it will split (almost) everything I can huck in there. Only things it wouldn't split were 2 - 18" wild cherry rounds that had knots every 2-3 ". HPH

If it won't cherry, a relatively easy to split wood, then don't even look at elm, locust, some yellow birch or white oak. Tryst me, I have a 27 ton and there are some rounds we've had real trouble with.

D beatty · Oct 18, 2015

I think you will be happy with the 30 ton and get a cradle to catch the piece of wood on other side of splitter. Before I bought my 35 ton I worked with several guys that had 22 and 27 ton splitters and saw a few knots that they had trouble splitting or could not split. When I bought mine it was about $ 400.00 more than a 28 ton and is a hell of a lot better built splitter than the 28 ton. The cradle that I got was from a guy on Ebay out in Montana ( still sells them but only builds so many each year) and it can be taken on and off in just a minute if needed.

Blackhole49 · Oct 18, 2015

When I quit burning wood 25 years ago, I sold my splitter (mistake). It had a 4x6 box beam instead of an I beam. Way better design. No way could you twist the beam or have the sliding ram come loose. I don't see anyone making them any more. Too bad. I don't split a lot of wood any more, but I currently have a 30 ton tiltable beam unit with a honda engine that I got at an auction for $300. I haven't come accross a piece of wood it won't split.

2510Paul · Oct 18, 2015

I have a 22 ton Northern Star with a Honda engine. I have had it many years. A friend also uses it, actually more then I do. It works good, I have had not problems. It is a trailer type. It is pretty simple, not much to go wrong. Paul, La Crosse, WI

Opinions On This Splitter

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

M Nut

Well-known Member

dpendzic

Well-known Member

Cory Schmidt

Well-known Member

Bob Harvey

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Fullers Farmalls

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Pair-a-dice farm

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Part Time Pete

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Russ from MN

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Traditional Farmer

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RayP(MI)

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Bill VA

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ericlb

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Traditional Farmer

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Bret4207

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D beatty

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Blackhole49

Well-known Member

2510Paul

Well-known Member

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