Eastonmade Wood Splitter

[Mike Van]

So someone lost a finger with a wood splitter, sued & won? Wow, that drives up the cost of all equipment for all the rest of us that know & accept the risks of operating dangerous equipment. I'd buy an Eastonmade splitter anyday, you can wreck anything if you try hard enough.

 

[Bryan Dodge]

Let's read specifics please. What failed, when, how, etc and on what model, etc.

I will have videos coming shortly, setting up a Facebook feed along with YouTube videos. Will let the videos speak for themselves. The modifications I will keep to myself, there is no reason why I would give the manufacturer free information, time is money, downtime is even more money. You definitely want to hold off until videos are released.

 

[Bryan Dodge]

I met him & saw their splitters demo'ed at the show in Bangor in 2015. Well made, you probably only buy it once in a lifetime, then give it to your kids or sell it when you go out of business.

Not a lifetime, I am at 120 hours of operation now and results are far from satisfactory. I have to rent someone else's equipment to get caught up.

 

[Bryan Dodge]

I will have videos coming shortly, setting up a Facebook feed along with YouTube videos. Will let the videos speak for themselves. The modifications I will keep to myself, there is no reason why I would give the manufacturer free information, time is money, downtime is even more money. You definitely want to hold off until videos are released.

View attachment 543003View attachment 543004
Does anyone have any experience with one of these machines? I talked to the guy and he was very responsive and helpful. They design seems to be way better than all other 'buy-able' splitters.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

I have watched a few of his videos but can't find any posted from anyone but him...would like to though

View attachment 543003View attachment 543004
Does anyone have any experience with one of these machines? I talked to the guy and he was very responsive and helpful. They design seems to be way better than all other 'buy-able' splitters.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

Run as fast as you can, videos coming shortly

 

[Bryan Dodge]

His splitters prices are better than Timberwolf and the machines appear to be built just as well, if not better. The cycle time on the big machine ( the 12-22) is better than a comparable TW5 or TW6. And at a much cheaper price too boot. Plus the goodies to make it as productive and usable as possible are included. Such as the 6 way wedge, table grate, log lift. I don't like how the table grate, 6 way, and log lift are optional upcharges on the TW5 and TW6. Im sorry, but for machines that size and at that pricepoint, it should be standard equipment. If I was looking for a hydraulic monster, I don't see how I could justify the extra cost of a Timberwolf.

How is the service at Eastonbuilt?

Take into consideration downtime and repairs and you will definitely think twice.

 

[NSMaple1]

Run as fast as you can, videos coming shortly

You don't have to keep repeating yourself, we heard you the first time.

And I don't think anyone here is going to pass down a sentence based on one side of a story.

 

[Bryan Dodge]

I will have videos coming shortly, setting up a Facebook feed along with YouTube videos. Will let the videos speak for themselves. The modifications I will keep to myself, there is no reason why I would give the manufacturer free information, time is money, downtime is even more money. You definitely want to hold off until videos are released.

I will have videos coming shortly, setting up a Facebook feed along with YouTube videos. Will let the videos speak for themselves. The modifications I will keep to myself, there is no reason why I would give the manufacturer free information, time is money, downtime is even more money. You definitely want to hold off until videos are release d.

Slide after approx. 50hours

So someone lost a finger with a wood splitter, sued & won? Wow, that drives up the cost of all equipment for all the rest of us that know & accept the risks of operating dangerous equipment. I'd buy an Eastonmade splitter anyday, you can wreck anything if you try hard enough.

That's a good way to look at it, bending 3/4 plate steel within 50 hours, great, tearing up wear slides within 50 hours great, but bending a splitter wedge within 60 hours we are definitely on a roll. Currently @ 120 hours, will keep you posted on what bends and breaks next. I can find better ways to blow $20k on something else, boat, bike, jet ski. Will post photos later today of Honda hour meter along with todays newspaper to verify time and date. Have to add more photos and will keep everyone updated.

 

[Bryan Dodge]

I haven't heard anything bad about them the easton made look like a simple fool proof design Andrew also uses some better valves and cylinders.

posted photos of the eastonmade, take a look, less than a year old with 120 hours

 

[CaseyForrest]

Bryan,

I've no dog in the hunt, but I can be sympathetic to being disappointed in a product.

For the sake of fairness, you should include what your putting through the splitter. No one knows if your splitting wood or truck rims. Perhaps your trying to split unobtanium.....

Best to not leave that kind of mind wandering information out of your review. Otherwise people make assumptions.

sent from a field

 

[Wood Hound]

Bryan:

You are making,a fool out of yourself...

Bert

 

[Bryan Dodge]

Bryan,

I've no dog in the hunt, but I can be sympathetic to being disappointed in a product.

For the sake of fairness, you should include what your putting through the splitter. No one knows if your splitting wood or truck rims. Perhaps your trying to split unobtanium.....

Best to not leave that kind of mind wandering information out of your review. Otherwise people make assumptions.

sent from a field

Ash & Oak. very little hickory , very little maple. if I spitting wheels or rims or even railroad track you would definitely see marring or deep seated scratches from such materials.

 

[Bryan Dodge]

Ash & Oak. very little hickory , very little maple. if I spitting wheels or rims or even railroad track you would definitely see marring or deep seated scratches from such materials.

You don't have to keep repeating yourself, we heard you the first time.

And I don't think anyone here is going to pass down a sentence based on one side of a story.

No have both sides with documentation, emails, photos, etc. etc. etc.

 

[muddstopper]

The bent slide is easy to diagnose. You let the bolts get loose at the front and bend the plate. This allowed the slide to lift up and that is what squished the wear slide out of the rear. Why do you have washer spacers between the top of the slide and the bottom. The bend wedge wing most likely is the result of pushing a big twisted knot thru the blade. Operator needs to learn which way to turn the round so the knots will split instead of squish and bind. The leading wedge should be sharp all the way down to the beam, but from what I have seen, wood is kept raised off the beam and doesnt contact that area of the wedge.. The other pic, I cant tell whats going on. Oil leak??. Tighten up the loose fitting. If the valve itself is leaking then ask for a replacement.
In this picture, you can see where the front edge of the slide hit something very solid. Enough that it dented the metal on the leading edge. That might be, probably is, what caused the plate to bend. That is not a manufacturer defect, that is operator error. There is also a nut missing on the front bolt. Take the plate off and straighten and then install all the required bolts and nuts.

 

[Andrew@eastonmade]

Here are all the emails and text messages we have had back and forth bryan. I have always been prompt to reply to you and try to satisfy your needs (even on evenings and weekends) And I continue to try and work with you (clearly). These splitters are meant to split wood with the grain. The owners manual clearly says not to split something that doesn't fit the log cradle or has a crooked cut on the butt. When putting a piece of wood through multi way wedge that is cut crooked the block tends to lift and then the secondary knives cut across the grain instead of with it causing a tremendous strain on the machine. I know this is the case because you have told me in a text message that 50% of them are cut crooked. Should anything have bent? No it shouldn't have (I have told you this). Do most guys that buy theses machines figure this out really quick. Of course they do. They have invested a large amount of money and they want to protect their investment.

The only thing under the maintenance section of the owners manual is to frequently inspect the pusher bolts to ensure they are tight. H beams are very seldom flat and the bolts tend to loosen as the wear plates get seated. If the bolts loosen there is a large amount of play in the pusher which contributes to the problems you have been having.

In the one email I offered to give you a full refund on your 22-28 if purchasing a 38-40. In the email after that you proposed that I send you down 38-40 and a new STK24 conveyor (a value of $32,000) in exchange you would tell me what I had to do differently with my splitters to make them better and not blackmail me. I declined. I didn't feel that you were the correct person to partner with in this venture. You had a problem with a hydraulic filter and you were unable to tell me exactly what was wrong with it. This is a very simple component. If you couldn't tell me where the fault was in the filter than I doubt your engineering expertise is up to par.

In the next email you said "okay, are you absolutely sure?" I responded with going into detail about the new frame we were working on specifically for you. I feel this one is pretty much indestructible and a good solution to your problem. I wanted to send you one at the end of January after we have tried to wreck it ourselves.

In the next email you responded with how upset you were with this proposal and my equipment. You brought up your proposal and how much it would benefit myself and not you (I think anyone would appreciate a $32,000 gift). At this point I felt there was nothing I could do to satisfy you, and I felt as though you were being unreasonable. I did not want to exhaust any more of my time and energy into you or the MD group.

You then said "this was the response I was waiting for" I felt as though you just wanted to fight instead of resolve any of our issues and carry on our business as men.

Again, not really sure what I could have done better on my end to try and look after you. I offered you full replacement value on your machine to upgrade to a larger unit. I redesigned my machine to try and accommodate you. I offered you updated parts at zero cost to you. I have tried to educate you. Give me a reasonable proposal and I will work with you from there.

Andrew

 

[panolo]

Gotta respect a guy willing to play his hand face up.

 

[KiwiBro]

Andrew, how about a refund without the upgrade condition, and Bryan, how about that refund less a fair rate for the hours accumulated on the machine?

Andrew, how about acknowledging the downtime and consequential costs/hassles Bryan is experiencing? Bryan, how about acknowledging the time spent and offers Andrew has made thus far at what I'm sure is a stressful time already. It's not like he's just told you to go to he11 and hung you out to twist in the breeze.

Andrew, how about accepting the updates is a tacit acknowledgement that the existing design was marginally vulnerable at the limits and that once a product is let loose you haven't control over the things people will put on it beyond spelling it out in a manual and conversations?

This is one of the reasons I like the open box wedge concept. If done right it puts a fairly predictable max load limit on the system that is reliable to design/engineer to without having to engineer something for the 1% of users who live and work at the limits of the machine far longer than the machine was ever intended to handle.

 

[Bryan Dodge]

Bryan:

You are making,a fool out of yourself...

Bert

I am only responding to someone's request if anyone had experience with his equipment I did not create this forum nor did I start this thread. Only providing personal experiences with the equipment, providing photos of wear and tear. If responding to someone's request is foolish then why are you reading the responses to other peoples requests. This is definitely not benefiting andrew or myself, this is for individuals like yourself for you don't repeat the same mistakes as I. This is for individuals that cant afford to lose 20k or cant afford to lose downtime or cant afford repairs. If that makes me a fool than so be it.

 

[Wood Hound]

Bryan,i also have an 22-28 splitter,first thing i did was remove the 6 way,put on a 4 way because i split some nasty stuff..
This machine is like the day i got it,new-It is over a year old now...
I am a Equipment operator,both army then 21 yrs fire service...
You need to look after your machine..

 

[KiwiBro]

Bryan:

You are making,a fool out of yourself...

Bert

I don't agree. Bryan's pi$$ed off, has experienced failures, hasn't had the resolution he's seeking, has encountered significant consequential costs and hassles resulting from the failures, and is taking time to inform others. Most of us on here can discern reasonably well. Bryan or staff may have overloaded the wedge, failed to keep the machine running in spec, and generally contributed to the failures and he may have been unreasonable in his demands from Andrew and not accepting any repair/replace offers. Andrew may have sold a machine unfit for the intended purposes or which simply couldn't handle rough treatment that may have been reasonably foreseeable, or the machine has just had an isolated component failure or two not indicative of the overall quality of his machines complete or the individual components.

I would caution against calling people fools, lest it discourages any discovery process that ultimately informs everyone. Again, I come back to having some faith that we are all better off the more info we have and that most of us are pretty bl00dy good at separating the wheat from the chaff. Sure, it could be argued this should be handled outside the public domain but it's obvious that hasn't happened to their satisfaction and I for one am happy to be informed.

 

[JeffHK454]

I’m betting the failure started with the phenolic sheet that was used as a buffer/spacer , composite resin board delaminates and becomes “mushy” when it comes in contact with certain chemicals. Just a guess.