Considering buying a wood splitter

[Paul Bunion]

I have a woodlot behind my home and I get my own firewood, Maple, oak, yellow birch and beech, mostly. I use about four cords a year and take trees up to around 20". I have been looking at wood splitters. I enjoy the exercise with a maul but I'm no spring chicken and my time is getting more valuable. My gut tells me to buy something in the 20k-25k lb range, vertical/horizontal with ideally, a Honda engine but I'd probably find the usual Briggs & Stratton to be perfectly reliable. I have read that a two stage pump is preferable. I was thinking of something as close to $1000 as possible for a new machine. It appears it will run me little more, say $1200 to $1400. My first question is :Is it worth it? 2. How much power should I get? 3. I am open to all or any recommendations. Thanks.

 

[flyboy553]

There are probably a thousand threads on this subject. Try doing a search and see what you find.

Ted

 

[GeeVee]

There are probably a thousand threads on this subject. Try doing a search and see what you find.

Ted

20 to 25 Pounds isn't going to be that usefull. Try taping three mauls together and save a grand.

 

[turnkey4099]

I have a woodlot behind my home and I get my own firewood, Maple, oak, yellow birch and beech, mostly. I use about four cords a year and take trees up to around 20". I have been looking at wood splitters. I enjoy the exercise with a maul but I'm no spring chicken and my time is getting more valuable. My gut tells me to buy something in the 20-25 lb range, vertical/horizontal with ideally, a Honda engine but I'd probably find the usual Briggs & Stratton to be perfectly reliable. I have read that a two stage pump is preferable. I was thinking of something as close to $1000 as possible for a new machine. It appears it will run me little more, say $1200 to $1400. My first question is :Is it worth it? 2. How much power should I get? 3. I am open to all or any recommendations. Thanks.

I'm 76 retired over 10 years ago and 'wooding' is my hobby and about the only excercise I get.
I bought a troybilt 27 ton model several years ago to sue on the tough stuff and when my "to be split" pile got out of hand and needed some catchup. I still split everything reasonable with Fiskars, maul, wedge/sledge - only the rejects now run through the splitter.

Watch sales at the big box stores, amazon and etc. you can get 22 ton models down in the low teens.

Harry K

 

[Mac88]

20 to 25 Pounds isn't going to be that usefull. Try taping three mauls together and save a grand.

You forgot the smiley at the end. I'm sure the OP was talking "K". ;o)

 

[Fred Wright]

About our hydro splitter, the SheWolf likes to say "My Dad would've loved this thing." I'm 54 and wouldn't work up firewood without one. Swinging a maul is a job for younger folks.

We cut in an adjacent woodlot and load the rounds to the side yard where they're stacked for splitting. I don't split on site. A lot of folks do out of necessity but it's not necessary in our case.

If you prefer to split on site, get a 20-tonner gas engine splitter with 2-stage hydraulics. If you'll be splitting at home, give the electric over hydraulic models a look. I've used both and prefer the electric/hydraulic. No engine to maintain, no gas, no oil to change, no exhaust fumes, no noise.

We bought a 16-ton electric/hydraulic Ramsplitter a couple years ago and have been happy with it. Park it where we're stacking, run a power cord to it and it splits everything we've put on it. I've laid 20" rounds on it and slabbed 'em down.

Hope it helps.

 

[allstihl]

im 58. never had a splitter. kids wanted to buy me one a few years back. said thanks but no thanks.swinging iron keeps me young.i do noodle more than i used to.

 

[John R]

I have a 22 ton Huskee from Tractor Supply, it has split anything I've put in it.
Usually can get them for $1000.00, watch for sales.

 

[brenndatomu]

Yup, we're all gettin older by the day! And soft. Even Paul Bunion on here talkin bout hangin up the ole ax, gettin 'im one dem juice splitters! What's the world comin to??? Spose ya gonna retire ole Babe too, huh? tsk tsk tsk

To the topic though, yup, more wood splitter advice threads on here than an old retired lumberjack could read in a week...

 

[Encore]

22 Ton Huskee here too.

I go back and fourth. A lot of times I split the straight grained stuff with a maul and then just hit the goofy stuff with the splitter. Not so much because I like the exercise but because it's faster than the hydraulic splitter. But sometimes you need a splitter because nobody wants to spend half an hour on a single round lol.

 

[sdt7618]

I'm 76 retired over 10 years ago and 'wooding' is my hobby and about the only excercise I get.
I bought a troybilt 27 ton model several years ago to sue on the tough stuff and when my "to be split" pile got out of hand and needed some catchup. I still split everything reasonable with Fiskars, maul, wedge/sledge - only the rejects now run through the splitter.

Watch sales at the big box stores, amazon and etc. you can get 22 ton models down in the low teens.

Harry K

Now Harry some folk fish, or such for a hobby, devoiding an entire state of wood is a mission!!

 

[allstihl]

its not a hobby its a way of life

 

[Paul Bunion]

There are probably a thousand threads on this subject. Try doing a search and see what you find.

Ted

Thanks Ted. Wouldn't want to put you out or anything :>)

 

[John R]

There are probably a thousand threads on this subject. Try doing a search and see what you find.

Ted

WOW, what a big help that was.

 

[Paul Bunion]

Yup, we're all gettin older by the day! And soft. Even Paul Bunion on here talkin bout hangin up the ole ax, gettin 'im one dem juice splitters! What's the world comin to??? Spose ya gonna retire ole Babe too, huh? tsk tsk tsk

To the topic though, yup, more wood splitter advice threads on here than an old retired lumberjack could read in a week...

The name is just a way at pokin fun at myself. A rank tenderfoot, I am. Note the spelling of Bunyan' :msp_smile:

 

[Paul Bunion]

I have a 22 ton Huskee from Tractor Supply, it has split anything I've put in it.
Usually can get them for $1000.00, watch for sales.

I like this idea. We have a TS a few minutes away.

 

[brenndatomu]

The name is just a way at pokin fun at myself. A rank tenderfoot, I am. Note the spelling of Bunyan' :msp_smile:

Yeah, I caught the spelling, clever. It's all good, just funnin with ya!

 

[Fifelaker]

Another vote for the Huskee 22 ton. I bought mine on sale for $899.

 

[stihl023/5]

Another vote for the Huskee 22 ton. I bought mine on sale for $899.

My brother has one and it works well except he likes my cut and split wood better. But that is another story.:msp_angry:

 

[Paul Bunion]

Yeah, I caught the spelling, clever. It's all good, just funnin with ya!

Fun on!:msp_thumbup: