Best quality with best Price Splitter?

[Swamp Yankee]

Jedc43

Just a quick heads up.

Was up at the New Holland / Mahindra dealer in Spencer this am and they do have Wallenstein splitters in stock. No idea as to what they're asking, but I know on items that have been sitting a while they will deal.

Take Care

 

[taskswap]

Edit: reply to self as thought of another point..current splitter rental prices will most likely not be the same 20 something years from now, meaning the math changes and payback period etc will most likely be shorter. Either daily rental prices much higher or..well..society collapsed, back to sharp rocks on the ends of sticks... I doubt the price would just drop or remain the same...

I figured the same, and am about the jump the gun on a splitter myself. Around here (CT) you can't rent a splitter for $65 - they're already like $85 and that's per day. I try to spread my work out (it's just for me) and only split a cord a day, to save the back and shoulders. Split my pile and I'm already halfway to the purchase price on the unit.

If you do the math the other way, around here I can get green hardwood split/delivered (and fair measure) at $180/cord. That's a pretty good rate since a lot of vendors around me ask $200-$225 (Superstorm Sandy "helped" - there's a lot of excess wood around). I'm burning around 8 cords a year right now so the more I split myself the faster the machine pays for itself. I have about 6 cords already of crotches, sycamore and elm I didn't feel like killing myself on with a maul or Fiskars - that should cover it right up front. Here's hoping!

 

[Jedc43]

As I understan it, the 35T huskee's are made by Speeco. I couldn't see any diff when I looked at the Huskees.

Tractor supply has the 35 ton huskee for sale at 1800...that is assembled and hydraulic oil filled.....the unit you showed me has a slightly smaller Brigs engine...the huskee has a 1450 series engine....if it was about 400 dollars cheaper I would probably go for it...I just dont like the way they are built and I am not to keen on the B&S engines....at 1800 dollars I am saying to myself to spend another 500 and get a iron and oak commercial splitter.......I will probably never buy one because I want everything....quality and price.

 

[philoshop]

The 22-ton Huskee is a well-built machine (Speeco) with a mediocre and finicky engine. Learn the engine quirks, it'll start for you, don't try to kill it and it'll probably split the vast majority of what you throw at it. I have put some pretty nasty stuff through mine and I'm very impressed.
After a couple of years you might have a pile of cranky stuff that the huskee won't split, then you rent for a half day.

As far as own-vs-rent. Factor in all the days when you only have 45 min's or an hour with nothing else productive to do. The 'season' rolls around and you find you're already done.:msp_thumbsup:

 

[taylor6400]

Have had a 22 ton from TSC for about 5 years. I dont use it a ton. Probably split about 4 cord a year with it. Mainly in cool/cold weather. No issues with it at all. All i have done is change the engine oil a few times. I am not a huge fan of the BS engine on it...its loud and a bit finiky cold starting with no choke. But it always starts. Prime a few times, then you have to know just where to set the throttle on so that its on but very low it will start within first couple pulls and has no trouble warming up and then will stay running full throttle till out of fuel. I wish it was a honda motor, but for under a grand i have ZERO complaints on the unit. Plus i signed up for the credit card and got same as cash for 6 months, didnt need to finance but took advantage of it anyway.

The real hard gnarley twisted and knotted stuff really slows it down but i have not had a piece that it wouldnt split. It will shear through it if it wont split. The new ones main frame and body is built even better than mine with the better jack stand, handle on hitch tube and the rolled splitter beam. If this one dies i will put a Honda motor on it and keep going. But if i ever need a new splitter for some reason if these are still priced similar i will buy another. I do store it inside so i really should never need a new splitter.

 

[Preston]

I found my 22T Huskee on CS too. I bought it from a man in middle Georgia for $750. I've split about 20 cords so far an it ain't missed a lick. Looking at some of the pictures folks have put up, I plan on building a table for it but as for the splitter, other than getting into some knurly knotty stuff that slowed it down and made it grunt a bit, this little squirt just has not missed a beat. The only think I might want is one a little larger.

 

[DHT]

New option to Huskee

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/235401.htm

These are launching now, and available at select fine retailers!

dirtyhandtools.com