Which log splitter should I get?

I want to buy a log splitter in the next couple of weeks, but I don't know which one to get. I split a lot of large rounds that a tree service drops off so it needs to have some power. I have narrowed it down to these splitters:

1. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200316905_200316905

This splitter is 20tons with a 4x24in ram 11gpm pump. After shipping $1337.36

2. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200326288_200326288

This is a 22ton splitter with the same size ram and bore as the 20 ton:bang:
But you can add a 4 way if needed. After shipping $1440.71

3. http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=5&paID=1037&sonID=778&page=1&productID=30196

I have a TSC next to my house but when I went there it was a 4.5x24in ram with a 11gpm pump with a 18 sec cycle time. it was about $1400.

4. http://http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=116418-270-24BF572B711

I belive this is a 4.5x24in ram with a 5.5 honda and 11gpm pump. price is 1422.03 with tax.

So if you have any input I would like to hear it. Or if you know of one that I have not seen let me know. I would like to keep the price under $1500.00 Thanks!

I'm in the same boat as you, I like the second one on the list with the honda, and the 4 way splitter. I am waiting for info on a timber wolf splitter it looks like a really nice unit but I'm sure you pay for it too.

splitter etc.

rx7145 said:

I want to buy a log splitter in the next couple of weeks, but I don't know which one to get. I split a lot of large rounds that a tree service drops off so it needs to have some power. I have narrowed it down to these splitters:

1. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200316905_200316905

This splitter is 20tons with a 4x24in ram 11gpm pump. After shipping $1337.36

2. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200326288_200326288

This is a 22ton splitter with the same size ram and bore as the 20 ton:bang:
But you can add a 4 way if needed. After shipping $1440.71

3. http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=5&paID=1037&sonID=778&page=1&productID=30196

I have a TSC next to my house but when I went there it was a 4.5x24in ram with a 11gpm pump with a 18 sec cycle time. it was about $1400.

4. http://http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=116418-270-24BF572B711

I belive this is a 4.5x24in ram with a 5.5 honda and 11gpm pump. price is 1422.03 with tax.

So if you have any input I would like to hear it. Or if you know of one that I have not seen let me know. I would like to keep the price under $1500.00 Thanks!

Click to expand...

If you can rent a timberwolf do that and save your money.


I have a used splitter Montgomery Ward built by MTD and I am looking to upgrade to a bigger one-its a 22 ton with a five horse BS engine nearly new and a nearly new two stage pump the splitter is 25 years old with about five hundred hours total on it with the newer pump and motor.

If you are interested let me know.

I have been renting but I want to own one so I can work at my own pace.

Thanks, but NY is far away and it does not sound like what I am looking for. Thanks though.

Am also looking at the Northern 30 ton unit. It would be $1700 but it has alot of power and has a honda on it!

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200326290_200326290

Thoughts?

rx7145 said:

Am also looking at the Northern 30 ton unit. It would be $1700 but it has alot of power and has a honda on it!

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200326290_200326290

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

Beware of advertised tonnage . True tonnage will be more like 24 ton. That machine has a 4 1/2" bore cylinder and a Honda brand horizontal engine which is good but the 5.5 hp and 11 gpm pump will split slow .

timberwolf does make a really nice splitter. id buya splitter that best suits your budget. also are youever planning on selling wood if so id buy one that would last . maybe you could rent a unit for awhile untill you could get a timberwolf.

triptester said:

Beware of advertised tonnage . True tonnage will be more like 24 ton. That machine has a 4 1/2" bore cylinder and a Honda brand horizontal engine which is good but the 5.5 hp and 11 gpm pump will split slow .

Click to expand...

Yes I know of the "advertised" tonnage

Northern says 16sec but I'm wondering if that is true. It's hard to tell what the truth is.....:bang:

I have a new 22 ton splitter that I bought from Tractor supply, and so far I love it. I was a bit concerned about the B&S engine, but after looking into how much a replacement Honda or B&S engine would be {$200-$300} I figured if the engine gives out in a year or two I'll just slap on a new engine. The good thing about a log splitter is almost every thing on it is replaceable. I split this small stack of wood in about 30 to 40 minuets.

lawson's tree s said:

timberwolf does make a really nice splitter. id buya splitter that best suits your budget. also are youever planning on selling wood if so id buy one that would last . maybe you could rent a unit for awhile untill you could get a timberwolf.

Click to expand...

Yes timberwold does. I only will use it to feed my OWB so I don't even need to split it that small. Thanks for the feedback. Right now I'm thinking about the northern "30"ton.

I looked at the speeco (TSC) 22ton unit; looks nice, I just wondering if it will have enough power to split large rounds that I get sometimes. I'm almost cross-eyed looking at all the different splitters. What is your cycle times?

The cycle times are not to bad, I haven't timed it so I can't say, they claim 14sec. I've split some big chunks of oak and hickory with it, and so far nothing has stopped it.

if you are splitting extra large rounds all the time. you need the largest unit that you can afford.

horizontal/vertical units are the way to go. trying to muscle a 3-4ft diameter round up to a horizontal splitter can be a bear. unless you've got a model with a power lift ramp.

pro units like iron&oak and timberwolf start at $2,500 and are the way to go if you've got the budget.

best lower priced units based upon feedback (do a search) pretty much trouble free and does the job are Speeco (TSC) and Northern tools. stay away from harbor freight and MTD made splitters.

go with what close to you and wait for a sale. shipping can add $300+. spend that $$ for a better splitter. closest TSC to me was 60 miles and not a problem to tow home slowly.

ignore the ratings... go with spec's instead. normally the smallest splitter from speeco (TSC) and northern can split most anything folks can thrown at it. cycle times will be slower than pro-units.

got my 35 ton speeco on sale for $1,500 from TSC. got them to match a no sales tax day sale, from a compititor and got splitter on sale. http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=5&paID=1037&sonID=778&page=1&productID=29457

similar sized unit from northern would be $2,300 shipped. would rather have northern 37ton unit with four way option and tows better. but too large price difference after adding shipping. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200326296_200326296

my 35ton speeco is a monster splitter with 12.5hp OHV motor, 22gpm pump, 6in ram, 12in beam. 15 second cycle times are slower with 6in ram. overkill in size, a 5in ram would be plenty.

note you cannot tow most splitters fast! no suspension... will flip over at highway speeds if you hit a large enough bump. this will cause massive damage!

the two links above are the two best large splitters for the $$. northern unit is the better one. speeco 35ton is killer too. getting a honda motor and four way option for $1800 with northern is hard to beat. just hope you are close to a northern tool to avoid shipping.

rx7145 said:

I looked at the speeco (TSC) 22ton unit; looks nice, I just wondering if it will have enough power to split large rounds that I get sometimes. I'm almost cross-eyed looking at all the different splitters. What is your cycle times?

Click to expand...

Northern tool splitter

If you can afford it I would opt for the big unit from Northern Tool. The Honda GX engine as well as the availability of the 4-way wedge make it very versatile. Note also that the larger units tend to be a bit heavier. How do you plan to move this around your property? Will you be working by yourself? I tip my lighter HarborFreight model up to vertical myself as well as roll it around manually, but it is not exactly a picnic. Mine weighs about 500 but the larger 30-37 ton models often weigh over 600 lbs.

I've had my share of problems with my unit but I got it very cheap and it has split everything I've needed to. I've worked with a logger splitting butt ends and crotch pieces, etc. There is very little that my splitter hasn't split (22-24 ton model).

MarkG

Of those 4 I would go with the Huskee.

The Northern come with a Honda *GC* engine, that's their entry engine. I think the Briggs will last just as long with a little care.

Try this site Americanmsr.com The american splitters are the only thing I've found close in comparison to Timberwolf w/reasonable price.Not knocking huskee,or Northern but they won't hold up long term. This comes from experience.My american runs thru 250 -300 hardwood face cord a summer w/very little wear. Just my suggestion,Bill

don't think he's setting up for production splitting. no question timberwolf and others makes good fast splitters that last.

based upon feedback from loads of folks, speeco/huskee and northern makes good splitters that hold up very well for the long term. these are american splitter made by local folks. my 35 ton speeco has a 12in I beam and 6in ram. don't think that's breaking anytime soon.

and no I'm not planning on doing 250 cords anytime soon. if I was, a good production splitter would be in the plans.

paid $1,500 for my 35ton speeco w/12.5hp overhead valve briggs. American has no prices posted, it's pretty safe to guess. $1,500 may not even get me the base model with 5.5hp briggs motor.

bill's firewood said:

Try this site Americanmsr.com The american splitters are the only thing I've found close in comparison to Timberwolf w/reasonable price.Not knocking huskee,or Northern but they won't hold up long term. This comes from experience.My american runs thru 250 -300 hardwood face cord a summer w/very little wear. Just my suggestion,Bill

Click to expand...

- just talked to a landscaper here in Ct that has a homebuilt log splitter FS. 600... new 5hp motor on it... sounds like its an OK machine but needs a bigger motor... to bad i don't have $$ for it...may take the free wood he was talking about though

Stew

Thanks for all the replies. I looked at a used Brave today it was the older style with 8hp briggs and 4.5' cyl. Don't know the about the pump they said it could be 13gpm? The splitter is in good overall shape and they want $850. I might just get this and see how much splitter I need. I can always sell this for what I have in it.

They (the local chainsaw shop) also sell new Brave splitters. The older one looked much more "beefy" that the new one. So any one know about Brave splitters? I don't know the model # but it was 8hp, "24ton", 4.5 cyl. and around 13gpm.

Thanks for all the replys.

brave splitters have issued a recall, One consumer reported a hand amputation

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2007
Release #07-243

Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 350-8739
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Additional Incidents Prompt Log Splitter Recall Expansion by Brave Products; Could Pose Serious Injury Risk
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Log Splitters

Units: About 8,000 (4,000 additional units were recalled in February 2005)

Manufacturer: Brave Products Inc., of Streator, Ill.

Hazard: The log splitter's hydraulic cylinders can have defective rod retention, causing the seals to leak and the rods to detach. This can result in serious injury to the operator, as the rod can rapidly and unexpectedly extend the splitting wedge.

Incidents/Injuries: Brave Products has received 59 additional reports of leaking cylinders and/or rod retention failure. One consumer reported a hand amputation that could have been caused by this cylinder defect.

Description: The log splitters are made of steel and painted orange and black, or blue and black. They have trailer hitches and rubber tires. Each log splitter has a decal on the side that reads "Brave Products, Inc." or "Iron & Oak" and "__ ton" (either 15, 22, 26, or 34). The following Brave Products or Iron & Oak models are included in the recall:
LOG SPLITTER MODEL SERIAL NUMBER
Brave VH0234 (34 ton) Serial #S008277 through S016976
Brave VH0634 (34 ton) Serial #S026956 through S030562
Brave VH9926 (26 ton) Serial #S006836 through S017534
Brave VH0626 (26 ton) Serial #S026965 through S030558
Brave VH9922 (22 ton) Serial #S006691 through S016862
Brave VH0622 (22 ton) Serial #S026426 through S030701
Brave SR0622 (22 ton) Serial #S020721 through S029688
Brave HB0115 (15 ton) Serial #S013853 through S017534


The following Iron & Oak models are being recalled:

LOG SPLITTER MODEL SERIAL NUMBER
Model BHVH3402 (34 ton) S008724 through S017729
Model BHVH3405 (34 ton) S027103 through S030442
Model BHVH2699 (26 ton) S006847 through S017720
Model BHVH2699 (26 ton) S026447 through S030538
Model BHVH2299 (22 ton) S006735 through S017714
Model BHVH2202 (22 ton) S026418 through S030547 & DG (Duro-Glide)
Model BHVH2299FC (22 ton) S013853 through S017534 & DG (Duro-Glide)
Model BHVH2202FC (22 ton) S026999 through S030537 & DG (Duro-Glide)
Model BHH3003 (30 ton horizontal) S008457 through S017743
S026993 through S030439
Model BHH2003 (20 ton horizontal) S006746 through S017742
S026560 through S030491
Model BHHB0115 (15 ton horizontal) S013853 through S017534
Model TMVH95/HYD, TMVH02/PTO, TMVH03/HYD S006645 to S017885
S026736 through S029584


The serial number is located on the hydraulic tank.

Sold at: Ace, True Value, and Do It Best Hardware stores and independent power equipment dealers nationwide from January 2002 through October 2004, and from May 2006 through April 2007, for between $900 and $2,000.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled log splitters and contact Brave Products Inc. to receive a free replacement cylinder.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Brave Products at (800) 350-8739 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or write to: Brave Products Inc., P.O. Box 577, Streator, Ill. 61364-0577. Consumers also can visit the company's Web sites at www.logsplitters-ironoak.com (PDF), or www.braveproducts.com (PDF)

Picture of Recalled Log Splitter

Picture of Recalled Log Splitter Picture of Recalled Log Splitter

Picture of Recalled Log Splitter Picture of Recalled Log Splitter

Picture of Recalled Log Splitter Picture of Recalled Log Splitter

Picture of Recalled Log Splitter Picture of Recalled Log Splitter

Picture of Recalled Log Splitter Picture of Recalled Log Splitter

Picture of Recalled Log Splitter


http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml07/07243.html