Convert small electric splitter to gas?

[zogger]

I really have two questions, are they useful at all, those small cheapo electric splitters, or just for straight grained small stuff that is easy to do with a maul anyway..so why bother.

Second question, I don't have one to look at, just wondering how hard it might be to change from the built in electric motor to like a cheap gas lawnmower or whatever engine. Those I have spares of kicking around and are cheap new.

 

[byron2]

I like mine ,its a 5 ton homelite I picked up at home depot....I use it mostly for stuff that's gets by a little big from the gas splitting . I have also used it on some pretty good sized red oak last year . Some of that was 30 " dia that I had to noodle down to 1/4 and then split it, it done just fine . Nice to have in the cellar to use as needed making kindling or whatever. I also have an electric chain saw I can use down there for stuff that gets cut a little long...... I'm not sure how easy it would be to retro an engine to it for me I like having it to use in the house ...

 

[muddstopper]

I have considered buying one of those electric jobs just to keep in the basement. I slit a lot of large dia wood and sometimes a split that is a little to big for the wife to handle slips thru. I think a electric job would work just fine for that situation. Shouldd work really well for making kindling for those hot spells during winter when you dont want to keep a fire, but dont want to let it go out either.

I havent looked at one to see how hard it would be to put a gas motor on, but believe it to be doable

 

[blades]

The pump on most of those is integral to the motor housing- don't know if there is a love joy in there or not but doubt it. I know I have seen a couple that had a separate pump because they are offered in both gas or electric. Those were also twice the price of the 5-7 ton electric rigs.

 

[byron2]

The pump on most of those is integral to the motor housing- don't know if there is a love joy in there or not but doubt it. I know I have seen a couple that had a separate pump because they are offered in both gas or electric. Those were also twice the price of the 5-7 ton electric rigs.

Just looked at mine the pump is mounted right to the end of the electric motor , not very big and fashioned to and bolted directly to the ram push only...

 

[jr27236]

I had one of those electric homelite 5 ton and I must say besides being slow, that thing WORKED I would drop rounds on there of oak that had no business being there in the first place and this thing split them in half. It's quiet on the ears and does a great (slow) job. There are times it will not split, but you turn your round and go at it from a different point and she'll pop apart. The greatest part of the electric was I could widdle down a split into kindling in the garage at anytime. Now I have to wear ear protection.
As for the second question: NO

 

[jags]

Too many unique parts on those things to try and retrofit. Pump direct couples to the motor, even the hydro lines are unique to the machine, so the pump has to be "exactly" in the proper position. I think it would be pretty maddening to try.

 

[cantoo]

Jags, sounds like a Dare to me. Where is my welder and torch?

 

[zogger]

Jags, sounds like a Dare to me. Where is my welder and torch?

Oh man, I don't think anyone is daring this to be done, I know I ain't. It is most likely not a good idea anyway, much easier if you have one and need to run it remotely, use a generator with it. It's just a goofy thought I had, but I don't have one to look at good. And, once you buy one then get a different pump and fittings, etc, even if you have a spare gas engine around, you'll be into it sneaking up on a used gas splitter anyway. Now, different story if it was EXTREMELY easy to mod one, but so far what the guys have said, meh.

I think a more practical cobjob is mod a three point hitch splitter to not need a tractor, those are cheap on the used market. Running regular splitters, near as I can see, hold near new asking prices used.

 

[mainewoods]

I thought about the 3 point hitch splitter conversion too, zog. They are a lot cheaper than a gas powered splitter, and an equally robust hydraulic system. Possibly it could be hooked up somehow to a riding mower with a belt driven PTO?

 

[mainewoods]

I've seen these 7 ton gas powered Champion log splitters for around $500. Pretty hard to beat that price for a gas powered splitter.

 

[jags]

Jags, sounds like a Dare to me. Where is my welder and torch?

I suppose someone, somewhere would even find this appealing:

 

[jr27236]

I thought about the 3 point hitch splitter conversion too, zog. They are a lot cheaper than a gas powered splitter, and an equally robust hydraulic system. Possibly it could be hooked up somehow to a riding mower with a belt driven PTO?

Now that would be cool to do.
Weld up a frame and make a mount for a pulley to a pump. But you have to get the right size pulley to create the rpms needed for the pump. But if I was going to doing all that work for a three point hitch......I'd just but the tractor lol

 

[blades]

I've seen these 7 ton gas powered Champion log splitters for around $500. Pretty hard to beat that price for a gas powered splitter.
View attachment 500610

That was at one time also offered in electric

 

[cantoo]

Jags, darn it that sounds like another dare. Where is 08F150 when you need him? I'm pretty sure he would hit that.

 

[WES999]

I picked up a used electric splitter on CL real cheap. They work surprisingly well for what they are. For me they are faster
than splitting by hand and a lot less tiring. Also they don't make much noise. It will handle most of what I needed to split, except the really notty stuff.

As others have said a conversion to a gas engine would be not be worth the trouble.


Split all this with it.

 

[brenndatomu]

I picked up a used electric splitter on CL real cheap. They work surprisingly well for what they are.

I agree. I have a red one that looks like the twin to yours, picked it up off CL for $65...took ~3 yrs of waiting/watching to find one worth having that was under $150. It is nice to have it in the garage to bust a split that is too large. 3-4 years ago (the average age of my stacks) I was splitting larger for my Yukon wood/oil furnace...but now my Drolet Tundra furnace finds those pieces too large...it really likes smaller splits. My little electric splitter has been really handy to "custom make" splits to fill in the corners of a large load on those cold January nights.
And yeah, there is no modding these things to gas engine...at least not without wrapping up an insane amount of time in it...totally not worth it. But what I am gonna do is make a "shoe" to drop on the push plate to make it possible to split all those pieces that are an inch or two too long to fit now, IIRC it will take 20-21" pieces now, and I was cutting 22" back then...