Anybody using a Wood Mizer splitter?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

DSW

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Jul 18, 2016
Messages
1,191
Reaction score
2,167
Location
TheWoods
Haven't ran them but they are some beefy units, curious if anybody was using one, don't hear too much about them.
 
They are very expensive for what they are IMO. For ~13k I'd expect a much faster cycle time, like 4-5 second area.
 
They offer a whole range. They're definitely a niche market right now. Take their small one, compared to an average department store splitter it doesn't seem that different and is definitely more expensive, but it's built WAY beefier than anything in that size.
 
I haven’t used one, but when I looked into them, their quality looks far superior to your typical $900 splitter. I really liked their two split model. They have a video going over each model, you could tell just from the video that they are built well and seem much larger than your typical box store type splitter.
 
The only model they sell that is 13k is their 42 ton commercial unit. It specs a cycle time of 4 1/2 seconds and claims 3 cords an hr.


I can't find the other vidjayo but it's not 4.5 sec cycle. Maybe 7-8.

They are bui my by Tempest? I forget the deal if Woomuzer bought them or just contracted them.
 


I can't find the other vidjayo but it's not 4.5 sec cycle. Maybe 7-8.

They are bui my by Tempest? I forget the deal if Woomuzer bought them or just contracted them.

"
FS500 Dual Action 42-Ton Commercial Log Splitter

Now Only $12,995 $13,995

High-production, commercial wood splitter with bi-directional splitting, 688cc Honda gas engine, 4.5 second cycle time, 42 tons of force, 3-way wedge, log lift, and production up to 3 cords/hr."
 
I haven’t used one, but when I looked into them, their quality looks far superior to your typical $900 splitter. I really liked their two split model. They have a video going over each model, you could tell just from the video that they are built well and seem much larger than your typical box store type splitter.

Even that little FS150 is built like a tank.

It's not just a cylinder bolted to some channel it's an entire boxed frame with some beefy ends. I wouldn't mind having one myself.

Those commercial splitters are neat but the designs on those wedges, not exclusive to a wood mizer, just shred wood. I know how picky wood buyers are, which is ironic since they won't do the work themselves but are experts on it, and I can't see them not complaining.
 
Even that little FS150 is built like a tank.

It's not just a cylinder bolted to some channel it's an entire boxed frame with some beefy ends. I wouldn't mind having one myself.

Those commercial splitters are neat but the designs on those wedges, not exclusive to a wood mizer, just shred wood. I know how picky wood buyers are, which is ironic since they won't do the work themselves but are experts on it, and I can't see them not complaining.
I agree, if I were to buy one, it would be their small dual direction model. I did not like that wedge design of their 3way+ models. It looks like it is designed for very large rounds and the end split always looked odd sized. Alas I will never own any of them because I can’t justify even $2500 for the small amount of personal firewood I split in a year.
 
Interesting topic. My wife showed me a ad that a coworker had forwarded to her today. It was for one of these. He wanted to know if we wanted to go in on it with him... No thanks. I am happy with my cheap box store unit. They do look nice though!
 
I agree, if I were to buy one, it would be their small dual direction model. I did not like that wedge design of their 3way+ models. It looks like it is designed for very large rounds and the end split always looked odd sized. Alas I will never own any of them because I can’t justify even $2500 for the small amount of personal firewood I split in a year.

i understood that feeling. Some years i may sell 25+ cord and i still use a Fiskars. Thinking of changing that though.

Interesting topic. My wife showed me a ad that a coworker had forwarded to her today. It was for one of these. He wanted to know if we wanted to go in on it with him... No thanks. I am happy with my cheap box store unit. They do look nice though!

Which model are they considering?
 
When it came out as the Tempest I liked it. But in one video they made it clear it was not for knots. And if you tear up that big box wedge, they are pushing $800 or more.
 
Long time lurker here,

I bought the FS500 last fall and have put less than 20 hours since then with a five way wedge. It is a fine machine with plenty of power but does it ever create a mess of debris...you need a screener to sort out all the debris even with its' grated outfeed tables. Seems to guzzle a tank of gas pretty quick too.

Big knots it doesn't do well as it will spit the log out and not split it. But straight clean big wood it splits with ease and quickly. Due to the amount of debris it creates and its gas efficiency I have considered selling it and moving to a Halvorsen skid steer splitter or entry level dedicated firewood processor.
 
Long time lurker here,
Much appreciated post.
Until you run something it is hard to really know. I bought a big Timberwolf, high dollar machine, and as I posted before it worked me pretty hard until I had the wedge modified. It also made a bit of junk, though probably not as much as a box splitter. Big wood in general is just much more work, and often more difficult, knotty pieces. Not faulting Timberwolf, just not how I work, rolling chunks around.
I'd have to rent a processor before buying, to see first hand what they do and don't do, and if one could be run by one person.
 
Welcome Flatbed.
Its good to hear from someone that has run a box type wedge. Some times I think I should build a splitter with a box wedge to speed up production but most of the locust and hedge I split has a lot of knots and even a multi wedge doesn't seem to like it. We buck and split some big locust logs last week the smallest was 36" dia and the biggest was 48" dia we noodled most in half and they were full of knots. We put the multi wedge away and just used the single wedge and if you read the wood it worked good. The logs made a lot of wood but it was a bunch of work for three old guys. They had been setting on the log yard for two years as I didn't want to deal with them but it was time so we did.
 
Much appreciated post.
Until you run something it is hard to really know. I bought a big Timberwolf, high dollar machine, and as I posted before it worked me pretty hard until I had the wedge modified. It also made a bit of junk, though probably not as much as a box splitter. Big wood in general is just much more work, and often more difficult, knotty pieces. Not faulting Timberwolf, just not how I work, rolling chunks around.
I'd have to rent a processor before buying, to see first hand what they do and don't do, and if one could be run by one person.
My BIL has a firewood processer it can be run by one person but not as efficiently. They are very expensive to buy and are equipment intensive to run in my opinion. Unless you are talking a smaller winch operated one, you need a tractor to load the logs, a conveyor to move the splits and wagons of some sort to load into. When he has straight logs and things are working right it piles up the splits in a hurry when it’s not working good it’s a pain in the ***.
 
Yes, Woodmizer bought Tempest a while ago.
@Flatbed Firewood thanks for that info. Could you please take a few pictures of your wedge, noting in particular the staggering of knife edges, knife thickness, knife offset angles and the type of steel used? Like just about everything, sometimes a properly optimised wedge can make or break the performance.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top