Wood splitter recommendations

[Deleted member 149229]

I wonder what this would cost in US$ given it's made with our banana republic dollars:

Pretty slick but not impressed with the short length rounds. For my furnace I try to cut most of my wood 20”-22”.

 

[KiwiBro]

Pretty slick but not impressed with the short length rounds. For my furnace I try to cut most of my wood 20”-22”.

In Europe they cut and split 3' long. Here, 10-12" is about standard. I've often wondered if a longer stroke would be more or less productive if loading it with multiple short rounds. Might be quite a mission keeping them all together when being dragged back on the return stroke though. Next best I guess is building it with a long stroke and being able to adjust it shorter.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

In Europe they cut and split 3' long. Here, 10-12" is about standard. I've often wondered if a longer stroke would be more or less productive if loading it with multiple short rounds. Might be quite a mission keeping them all together when being dragged back on the return stroke though. Next best I guess is building it with a long stroke and being able to adjust it shorter.

An adjustable stroke length would be a plus.

 

[Deleted member 150358]

I did see one that splits both ways but that looks like it keeps ya busy pulling back resplits... Production is 1 thing but that's literally double the load on the operator.

 

[chipper1]

You guys will get what you pay for, and it effects you as well as our country, but it's your money and your choice.
OP I personally would just grab up a good low hr machine like a huskee 22 ton off craigslist for 5-600 myself. If you find you want something different or bigger you sell it for what you paid or more and move on.
The newest machines with the smaller "Kohler" engines are just Honda clone motors.
I choose not to support Kohler in this endeavor.

I wont say anything bad about Honda engines,, but after the way that I Kohler 196cc/6.5 HP on our splitter has performed, I wouldn't pay any extra to "Upgrade?" to a Honda. That Kohler rarely needs more than one pull to start, and hasn't given us a bit of trouble.

Honda clone made in china.

After just spending another two hours trying to get my DHT/Kohler to start (unsuccessfully), let me say that I would NEVER consider another Kohler. I’m somewhere between dragging this POS back to the shop again or just yanking it off, replacing it with a Honda, and selling it on Craigslist as a mechanic’s special. It’s been sitting for a few months out of the weather but the best I can get it to do is backfire. Buy the best and cry once!

Made in china.

I hope so! I just bought a 22 ton half bar one week ago. It already quit running. No spark. DHT had me take it to a local small engine place and the guy there said he had never heard of that brand and it didn't surprise him it didn't run. Told me it would be a long time before he could look at it? I'm thinking I made a bad decision?

Made in china.

Husky Joe for instance has had bum luck with his Kohler engine.

Made in china.

we recommend the Kohler motor as well.

Made in china.

The engine brand thing is another deal. I think you gotta get a name brand engine like Kohler, Honda, Briggs, Kawi, or whatever. The support network for these motors is already in place for these brands, and most dealers are signed up with them and have access to parts and what not. That's not the case with all of the odd ball "looks like a Honda" knock off engines that are out there(you mean like the Kohler). NOBODY should buy any Champion product with a Champion brand engine on it IMO. There are no parts in the country to support this stuff. See a lot of strange engines on generators. Why expose yourself to this kind of uncertainty just to save a few bucks? People sometimes think we are just blowing them off when we turn away something like that. But we are a busy shop and have neither the time or interest in working on something with an unkown engine on it.

Made in china(for the smaller engines).
Would you service my Honda clone Kohler on a splitter I bought new somewhere else?

I had a happy ending. A lot of people have a lot of good to say about Kohler engines, including my local small engine mechanic. I'm hoping that my troubles were the exception to the rule. The stuck valve was the straw that broke the camel's back. I got in touch with Kohler and they were aware of my issues. They gave me no BS and my new engine will be delivered by FedEx on Monday. Props to Kohler for their service. Closure!

Fresh off the boat.

County Line 25 ton splitter with the Kohler

Made in china.

I have a dht 20 ton with the Kohler. It starts first pull everytime. Never a problem. Its split a lot of wood. has dht helped you at all?

Made in china.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck. I myself will not buy anything with a Kohler engine, they had many issues on a commercial mowers I've ran. Supposedly in the last five or so years they fixed all that in the mid to late 2000's they were junk, so everyone went to Kawasaki.

The early kohler command pro had plenty of head gasket problems which they fixed mid 2000 if I'm not mistaken, but they also had issues with the ignition system and have "upgrade kits" which are actually a downgrade in that it takes you back to the previous version, but at least it works lol.
They did loose a lot of commercial customers to Kawasaki over this.

 

[KiwiBro]

They did loose a lot of commercial customers to Kawasaki over this.

Who, IIRC, bought fuji heavy industries' Subaru small industrial engine rights/IP when fuji stepped away from that not long ago. I love those small suby engines. I wonder if kawasaki will sell variants thereof?

 

[KiwiBro]

Good question! $8,000 maybe that looks like a prototype?

We'd be a little/lot cruder but was thinking along that design. We have an old tractor driven beam splitter that's clapped out and ready for a revamp. I don't see it being overly difficult.

Have a couple new pumps but not sure the pressure/flow rate on those. A few used ones too. Not as big as he's running for sure. Don't see the need for twin rams really either but will be a learning curve for sure.

He's made quite a few now. I could be wrong but I think a few of the first ones had issues with the Chinese cylinders but he is now using Kiwi made cylinders without issues.

 

[Husky Man]

I wasn't aware of Kohler being a Honda Clone, or where it was built, I had heard Good Things about Kohler for years, and the DHT spltter had the features I wanted, at a Price that I was Comfortable with, and I haven't regretted the choice yet.


Doug

 

[chipper1]

Who, IIRC, bought fuji heavy industries' Subaru small industrial engine rights/IP when fuji stepped away from that not long ago. I love those small suby engines. I wonder if kawasaki will sell variants thereof?

Hey Bro.
I Haven't followed all that, but everyone who has the little suby engines that I've talked to likes them and has had very few problems.

I wasn't aware of Kohler being a Honda Clone, or where it was built, I had heard Good Things about Kohler for years, and the DHT spltter had the features I wanted, at a Price that I was Comfortable with, and I haven't regretted the choice yet.


Doug

I hear what you're saying Doug, and I was in the same boat. I've bought and sold quite a few splitters, usually 5 or more a yr and have watched speeco in particular start to use these engines. In the beginning it was on the speeco labeled splitters and the engines did not say Kohler on them, then they started using the "Kohler" stickered Chinese clones on the countyline splitters. its pretty easy to tell what it is, just look at it and see if it has all the same features as the Honda units do.

Be clear guys I'm not saying they are junk, on the contrary they took a great design and copied it, and even making them on the cheap if you have the slightest quality control it's pretty easy to make a small engine that will run well using this design. I do everything I can to avoid supporting china as well as supporting American manufactures that choose to use Chinese made products. I realize not everyone cares or if they do can afford to do this, but I think everyone should know what they are buying at least. Sure plenty of folks can punch a hole in what I do, but it doesn't bother me as I have many reasons for what I do. Not trying to push what I do on others, just letting them know what's going on so they can make an informed decision.

 

[KiwiBro]

To correct the record it was Yamaha not Kawasaki that bought Subaru industrial off Fuji

 

[Husky Joe]

I popped in at my local Kubota dealer a while back to pick up a filter or something and I noticed they had splitter in the showroom on display (and not sitting out in the freaking rain!). I think the brand was Land Pride and yes, it had the same 6.5 hp Kohler as the DHT I bought at the big box store. I didn’t check the price, but I’m sure it was a lot more than I paid ($899 with a coupon), but had I known they sold them I might have given it consideration. Certainly in hindsight!
My new Kohler just arrived. I will probably update my other never-ending thread. I don’t have a wheel puller but with a crowbar, I was able to remove the shaft coupler from the old motor. As you can see from this photo, this poor thing was just a rust bucket from the start. Kohler definitely made good with me and I’m hopeful that as long as I keep it out of the weather, it will give me good service.

 

[chipper1]

I popped in at my local Kubota dealer a while back to pick up a filter or something and I noticed they had splitter in the showroom on display (and not sitting out in the freaking rain!). I think the brand was Land Pride and yes, it had the same 6.5 hp Kohler as the DHT I bought at the big box store. I didn’t check the price, but I’m sure it was a lot more than I paid ($899 with a coupon), but had I known they sold them I might have given it consideration. Certainly in hindsight!
My new Kohler just arrived. I will probably update my other never-ending thread. I don’t have a wheel puller but with a crowbar, I was able to remove the shaft coupler from the old motor. As you can see from this photo, this poor thing was just a rust bucket from the start. Kohler definitely made good with me and I’m hopeful that as long as I keep it out of the weather, it will give me good service.

View attachment 758369

That's crazy, I wonder what one look like under normal circumstances, or is that normal circumstances?

 

[Andyshine77]

You guys will get what you pay for, and it effects you as well as our country, but it's your money and your choice.
OP I personally would just grab up a good low hr machine like a huskee 22 ton off craigslist for 5-600 myself. If you find you want something different or bigger you sell it for what you paid or more and move on.
The newest machines with the smaller "Kohler" engines are just Honda clone motors.
I choose not to support Kohler in this endeavor.

Honda clone made in china.

Made in china.

Made in china.

Made in china.

Made in china.

Made in china(for the smaller engines).
Would you service my Honda clone Kohler on a splitter I bought new somewhere else?

Fresh off the boat.

Made in china.

Made in china.

The early kohler command pro had plenty of head gasket problems which they fixed mid 2000 if I'm not mistaken, but they also had issues with the ignition system and have "upgrade kits" which are actually a downgrade in that it takes you back to the previous version, but at least it works lol.
They did loose a lot of commercial customers to Kawasaki over this.

Chinese made valves were the issues my dealer and operators had around hear + the head gasket failures. The valve issue came right after the head problems, you couldn't even buy a Kohler after that, no one would sell them on a commercial mower, supposedly the new fuel injected models are pretty good, but.

 

[chipper1]

Chinese made valves were the issues my dealer and operators had around hear + the head gasket failures.

Yep, junk metal isn't good for valves.
The good thing is what they saved they've lost in sales, it always comes back around.
I have a 2009 25hp CP, it's got 2280 hrs on it now in an exmark Lazer Z.
Need to pull it again because it has an oil leak in the valley, glad I have extra gaskets/o-rings. I also need to weld a small crack in the exhaust where the bracket mounts to the engine, fun stuff.

 

[spike60]

Whoa....hold on a minute here.

Hey @chipper1 , I agree with you philosophically, but if your condescending lecture is over and you'd like to open your ears as much as you like to open your mouth, I've got some wisdom I'd like to share with you. And while I share your political frustration with the way things are, venting your anger here on fellow members with that cheesy "made in china" 10 multi quote post is totally inappropriate and out of place here.

Ya might want to take a look at the shoes on your feet, or through out your house and purge your life of all things made in China. Gonna have a tough time doing that in this day and age I'm afraid to say. You going to throw out your coffee pot and try and find one built in the US? I recommend Tasters Choice if you have to switch to instant.

In this industry, as in others, the choice to avoid Chinese sourced engines in some segments simply isn't there. For instance, there are zero snow engines of any brand that companies can choose from to power snow blowers. This has forced Ariens for one to remove their "made in USA" label on their snow thros. Same goes for these splitter engines that we are talking about. There is a distinction, which was my primary point, that American companies are at least able to provide parts and service support for their Chinese sourced engines, which is often not the case with most non descript unknown brands.

 

[Husky Joe]

Here's the new one with the coupler attached.

 

[Andyshine77]

I think making laws that force manufacturers to be more transparent, and list where the major components are manufactured would be a start. Manufacturers still hide behind the curtain! If the masses knew what was what, I believe they would often look for something made in a similar economy to ours. I don't know maybe I'm pipe dreaming.

Now in the O P E busses this normally amounts to nothing more than a nuisance and maybe some money lost, in other Industries people's lives are at risk. There are no morals left in big business in my humble opinion. Capitalism is the best system, but with out PROPER regulation these are the results.[emoji111]

 

[Blackbruin]

I have a tsc 35 ton unit with the b&s engine , besides rebuilding the cylinder cause a dimwit was trying to split wood sideways....no issues at all.

That Briggs will run all day...

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[chipper1]

Whoa....hold on a minute here.

Hey @chipper1 , I agree with you philosophically, but if your condescending lecture is over and you'd like to open your ears as much as you like to open your mouth, I've got some wisdom I'd like to share with you. And while I share your political frustration with the way things are, venting your anger here on fellow members with that cheesy "made in china" 10 multi quote post is totally inappropriate and out of place here.

Ya might want to take a look at the shoes on your feet, or through out your house and purge your life of all things made in China. Gonna have a tough time doing that in this day and age I'm afraid to say. You going to throw out your coffee pot and try and find one built in the US? I recommend Tasters Choice if you have to switch to instant.

In this industry, as in others, the choice to avoid Chinese sourced engines in some segments simply isn't there. For instance, there are zero snow engines of any brand that companies can choose from to power snow blowers. This has forced Ariens for one to remove their "made in USA" label on their snow thros. Same goes for these splitter engines that we are talking about. There is a distinction, which was my primary point, that American companies are at least able to provide parts and service support for their Chinese sourced engines, which is often not the case with most non descript unknown brands.

Wow, that escalated quickly.
Seems as though maybe you might not have read my whole posts in this thread.
My goal was in no way to offend anyone, but sometimes when the truth is spoken that happens, I did try to flavor it with grace/understanding I'm sorry if I did.
I was not angry when I spoke any of the above . Gonna take a lot more than a Chinese clone motor to make me angry.
I would think that many of the guys who thought they were buying a good ole Kohler engine may be upset, but I'm not because I'm a pretty informed buyer.
So to draw people to the post who may not know is inappropriate, they get an alert and can see what was said. The truth is I've done what I can to help every person who has contacted me through PM or in the open forums as much as I can. Including all the guys who have hit me up for advice on their chippers which I thought was kinda funny in the beginning and then I figured it out , and that's when I added I am a chipper guy to my account, but that didn't seem to change anything.

Did I say I wouldn't use, touch, or buy a Chinese made product, no I didn't, for many things there aren't many options, I have one or two Chinese carbs that are oe on good quality products. Once again did you read all my posts here?
I prefer not to do instant if I don't have to, but if things don't change soon I may go that route .
No I won't throw out my coffee pot, maybe you should. If you'd rather not here you go . As I said I'm an informed buyer and I'm also patient(that word could also be translated to long suffering).
https://www.beanground.com/coffee-makers-made-in-usa/

Not understanding "there are zero snow engines to choose from", really, or zero that will fit into the price the companies/customers are willing to pay for or can afford to pay for. Will Honda not sell engines for snowblowers because they make them. I thought there were Honda Engines on quite a few splitters, I've owned at least 5 myself both GX and GC and there are others in this thread.
It's simply a choice to avoid the Chinese engine market, we as well as the manufactures have a choice it's a great thing, but if people continue to choose as they have that choice will be harder and harder to make.
I buy and sell quite a few snow blowers, mainly Hondas, but some toros, too bad the toros went to Chinese motors.
Most won't pay for a Honda snow blower, but one or two pull starts sure are nice, and the 50' throwing distance is no joke .

 

[chipper1]

I think making laws that force manufacturers to be more transparent, and list where the major components are manufactured would be a start. Manufacturers still hide behind the curtain! If the masses knew what was what, I believe they would often look for something made in a similar economy to ours. I don't know maybe I'm pipe dreaming.

Now in the O P E busses this normally amounts to nothing more than a nuisance and maybe some money lost, in other Industries people's lives are at risk. There are no morals left in big business in my humble opinion. Capitalism is the best system, but with out PROPER regulation these are the results.[emoji111]

I agree, it's hard to find a balance isn't it.
As I've said for many yrs it's not the Chinese that are ripping us off, it's our own people, but then again many times they are just giving the people what they want.