Electric log splitters

[sb47]

I'm thinking about getting one of those small 5 ton electric log splitters for my shop so I can split small stuff when the weather is bad. But as I reserched them I see about a dozen brands that make them and they are almost identical with a few differences.
Anyone have one and how does it preform and hold up?
Thanks.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/log-splitters?

 

[GenXer]

I have an old 4 ton in my basement, it works decent for small stuff. You would be better off finding one with the foot pedal

 

[esshup]

I've had one for about 12 years. I agree, try to get one with a foot pedal. Mine you have to push a button and pull a lever - takes 2 hands.

It's not for splitting anything with knots or crotches, but if the grain is straight like Red Oak, it'll split a 12" dia log easily (16" long). You won't set any speed records.

 

[Wood Hound]

Another:

 

[sb47]

I've had one for about 12 years. I agree, try to get one with a foot pedal. Mine you have to push a button and pull a lever - takes 2 hands.

It's not for splitting anything with knots or crotches, but if the grain is straight like Red Oak, it'll split a 12" dia log easily (16" long). You won't set any speed records.

Im not looking to set any speed records. I just want a small electric splitter to bust up the short drop offs into small chunks for smoking wood for people that have small smokers and green egg smokers.
That way I can still be productive when the weather is crappy.

 

[fields_mj]

Friend of mine uses the Harbor Freight one in his basement and loves it.

 

[esshup]

Im not looking to set any speed records. I just want a small electric splitter to bust up the short drop offs into small chunks for smoking wood for people that have small smokers and green egg smokers.
That way I can still be productive when the weather is crappy.

Then they will work perfect for you. I have mine set up on an aluminum platform that gets the table of the splitter about the height of my belt or a hair higher. No leaning over to work it. I think my aluminum platform is a type of "plank" with legs that you would stand on if doing work on a ceiling. It's about 10" wide and 36"-40" long.

Something like this:
https://www.harborfreight.com/40-in-lightweight-aluminum-work-platform-56203.html

 

[The Shooters Apprentice]

They won't split anything that you can't split by hand faster. Waste of money in my opinion.

 

[Marine5068]

Then they will work perfect for you. I have mine set up on an aluminum platform that gets the table of the splitter about the height of my belt or a hair higher. No leaning over to work it. I think my aluminum platform is a type of "plank" with legs that you would stand on if doing work on a ceiling. It's about 10" wide and 36"-40" long.

Something like this:
https://www.harborfreight.com/40-in-lightweight-aluminum-work-platform-56203.html

I bought one of those aluminum step platforms 50% off (because I'm frugal...lol).
It's a great addition to my ladders and can double for things like that.

 

[Marine5068]

They won't split anything that you can't split by hand faster. Waste of money in my opinion.

I disagree.
Mine has been through hell and back and was my first splitter when I was just starting out in my new property. Have split a hundred cords on it after 17 years.
You can run them indoors and its hard to swing an axe in the basement.
They're a great buy and useful tool, especially on sale.
I also have a very large gas powered splitter now too.

 

[MudgeHollowBeaver]

I'm thinking about getting one of those small 5 ton electric log splitters for my shop so I can split small stuff when the weather is bad. But as I reserched them I see about a dozen brands that make them and they are almost identical with a few differences.
Anyone have one and how does it preform and hold up?
Thanks.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/log-splitters?

I picked up a 9 ton unit at Princess Auto (Canadian equiv to HF) really cheap that someone had 'rented' for the weekend, got their job done, and returned for refund as not working...must have fixed itself on the ride home in the back of my truck. It was the type that one had to push and hold the pushbutton to run the electric pump and operate the hydraulic control lever with the other hand (or whatever)...kept one's hands away from the splitting action but frustrating being unable to stabilize any pieces of wood determined not to stay put. I modded the control setup by extending the control handle and adding an industrial roller type limit switch actuated off of the handle. This switch controlled a solid state relay (that I managed to squeeze into the control box) that runs the motor...has worked great. One other suggestion would be to space out the wheels on a longer axle as the unit is top heavy and tends to want to roll over if one tries to move it over uneven ground.

 

[sb47]

I picked up a 9 ton unit at Princess Auto (Canadian equiv to HF) really cheap that someone had 'rented' for the weekend, got their job done, and returned for refund as not working...must have fixed itself on the ride home in the back of my truck. It was the type that one had to push and hold the pushbutton to run the electric pump and operate the hydraulic control lever with the other hand (or whatever)...kept one's hands away from the splitting action but frustrating being unable to stabilize any pieces of wood determined not to stay put. I modded the control setup by extending the control handle and adding an industrial roller type limit switch actuated off of the handle. This switch controlled a solid state relay (that I managed to squeeze into the control box) that runs the motor...has worked great. One other suggestion would be to space out the wheels on a longer axle as the unit is top heavy and tends to want to roll over if one tries to move it over uneven ground.

I can build a stand to put it at the right height for comfortable use.I don't plan on using it anywhere but the shop. I have 2 40 ton gas powered splitters that I use in the wood lot.
I did find a full sized electric log splitter from Swisher but they are very pricy for what I am looking for.

 

[WES999]

I picked up this one on CL for $65, needed some TLC to get running well.
Modded the handle for one hand operation.
You can speed up your splitting a lot by making different length return stop blocks to match the length of you wood.
For what they are they work quite well, you can split some fairly good size rounds if you start around the edges.
The table from HF looks like a great idea.

 

[blades]

just find a cheap 5hp old gas splitter and replace gas with electric , take about a 3hp electric motor 220v single phase to keep the amperage draw down. as those little electrics all over the place are mostly 110v and suck around 15+ amps. Where problems come from is people use a standard outlet ( mostly 15 amps) and undersized extension cord, effectively starving the motor which burns it out. ( not to mention blowing circuit breakers after a bit, melting wires and connections) there is a reason why most kitchen outlets are 20amp.

 

[esshup]

I picked up a 9 ton unit at Princess Auto (Canadian equiv to HF) really cheap that someone had 'rented' for the weekend, got their job done, and returned for refund as not working...must have fixed itself on the ride home in the back of my truck. It was the type that one had to push and hold the pushbutton to run the electric pump and operate the hydraulic control lever with the other hand (or whatever)...kept one's hands away from the splitting action but frustrating being unable to stabilize any pieces of wood determined not to stay put. I modded the control setup by extending the control handle and adding an industrial roller type limit switch actuated off of the handle. This switch controlled a solid state relay (that I managed to squeeze into the control box) that runs the motor...has worked great. One other suggestion would be to space out the wheels on a longer axle as the unit is top heavy and tends to want to roll over if one tries to move it over uneven ground.

That control layout sounds exactly like the one I have. I've used wedges of wood to hold a piece where I wanted it and I put return stroke limiting spacers on it to help speed it up.

 

[SweetMK]

I do not understand these GIANT wedges,, on low powered electric splitters,,

A tiny wedge will greatly improve the success rate of splitting.
My first tractor was a 404 IH,, with a loader,, and the loader pressure was only 1,600 PSI.
I had an extra 2" bore cylinder, and wanted to make a splitter out of it, powered by the tractor loader hydraulics.

Rather than that big 'ole wedge like the electrics use,, I used an old single blade axe head.
That axe would go through most anything,, I kept the blade REALLY sharp
I think I remember the head was only 4" high,,

The great thing was I had $00 invested,, just scraps I found at work, etc,,
The beam was made out of two pieces of angle iron,, something I had seen in Mother Earth News,,
Back to back, the angles created a "V" to hold the log.

A friend at work, back around 1983 built a splitter,, 4" cylinder,, that run off the tractor hydraulics of an old John Deere.
He asked me to look at it because it would hardly split anything.
Well, he had a 12" tall wedge,, with a sharp "V" shape.
I talked him into notching 5 inches of the top of the splitting wedge back about 3 inches.
He was VERY hesitant,, as he did not believe that could help.
After the first three logs that we split,, he was all smiles. The splitter was now splitting exactly as he thought it should split.
The shortened wedge made the splitter MUCH more successful.

I thought we would have to sharpen the front of the notch,, but, that never stopped it,
After the log had gone three inches on the wedge,, it was usually split, and ready to come off the splitter.

It is like shoveling heavy snow with a 40" wide shovel, or a 12" wide shovel.
The 40" wide shovel is impossible to push, the 12" wide shovel is almost effortless.

 

[Marine5068]

I can build a stand to put it at the right height for comfortable use.I don't plan on using it anywhere but the shop. I have 2 40 ton gas powered splitters that I use in the wood lot.
I did find a full sized electric log splitter from Swisher but they are very pricy for what I am looking for.

I have one and instead of building a separate stand for it, I just use my Black and Decker Workmate stand.
Works awesome, perfect height, and foldable.

 

[Billhook]

I needed to split some smaller pieces for our Danish Aduro 9 stove, which we have in one room as a room heater only
I hate bending and picking up so I built a frame for the Portek Kinetic splitter to split straight from a forklift bucket intp a one ton wooden box. It works well on Ash and did split a horrible piece of Sycamore at the end.
It has an electrically driven double flywheel to give the kinetic energy
Somehow the sound on the video had become totally out of sync!
With this machine it is important yo have both hands occupied holding a lever each and no foot pedal!
But it is quick and easy to use indoors especially good for small kindling where a small axe can catch your fingers

 

[OM617YOTA]

I have a 5 ton Homelite branded 120v splitter. Surprisingly capable, split 7+ cords last year, and only failed to split four or five pieces of wood. Very nice to be splitting wood inside the shop, stereo on, while it's pouring rain outside. Very glad I didn't go with a gas splitter, don't regret this choice at all.

I do have access to a buddy's 35 ton gasser, if I need it. I quite frankly don't want to get into wood big enough to require that beast.