Log Splitter Question???

[ritalinpb]

Hello All,
I dont know if this is the correct forum but im gonna ask anyway. I recently(just this year) started cutin wood. I only cut enough to have a couple fires in the summer and wood for the wood burning stove upnorth about a face cord a year. I got sick of payin 40 bucks for wood up at the corner store. so i got a saw. So my question is i need a wood splitter.

Has anyone used a 10 ton manual log splitter? are they any good. I am pretty handy and dont mind manual labor. but those that have used them are you sore afterword or do they split logs without much muscle. The logs i would split arent very big. I just dont want to spend alot of money on a splitter. but dont want to chop wood with a axe!

here is something that i was looking at. it is gonna do me any good?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39981

Thanks in advance
Matt

 

[kevlar]

to me that thing is a piece of [email protected] jack every piece apart.It seems way slow.An axe would be faster but you may have a reason for not using one.But I would keep looking.

 

[1953greg]

very very very very sloooooooooow

 

[turnkey4099]

You will do more work jacking to split with that thing than swinging a splitting maul. I like the size wood it takes _6 1/2"_!!! That should be a clue right there. I don't even split stuff that small usually.

Invest in a splitting maul and a wedge or two, You'll be money ahead, have equipement that actually works, and get some good excercise. For the amount you use, it should only be few hours work.

Harry K

 

[pgg]

Switch to electric or gas heating.

 

[SawTroll]

Buy a good splitting axe, like the Fiskars 2400, and have some fun - it really is!

Use the saw to split those pieces that make trouble - more fun! :biggrinbounce2:

This tread really belongs in the "firewood" forum, lots of good reading on the subject there ......

 

[computeruser]

Out of curiosity, where in MI are you? It's always good to see more MI members around here.

I'd skip the manual splitter. Its stroke is short, so you can't make a complete split on anything that doesn't pop cleanly apart after a couple inches of splitting, and it is slow. I haven't used one, but know folks who tried them; none of these folks ended up buying their own.

What you ought to do is buy yourself a couple different mauls. You might be surprised by just how easy splitting becomes with Iron & Oak's MegaMaul. I know I was when I bought one.

MegaMaul and 8lb maul made VERY easy work of this stuff one evening after work:

The ONLY logical step up from a properly-chosen set of mauls is a good gas-hydraulic or 220v-hydraulic splitter:

 

[sdt7618]

No splitter

No splitter here, only a 7lb maul and a sledge and some wedge's . Sawtroll hit it on the head, when the mual/wedge gets tough,, saw it!:chainsawguy:

Anyway more stress relief beating the hell out of the wood than pumping some handles!

 

[andrethegiant70]

I do about 5 cords a year here, and split it all with a maul.... a lot of it is pretty easy juniper, though, or doesn't require splitting. I have looked into a spiltter in the past, and because I'm cheap, I don't really have a place to store the thing, and I'm always trying to shake about 10 pounds off my lazy butt, I decided to stick with the maul.

Those Polaris things look fun too, but I'm one HELLUVA lot better off just walking.

 

[nikocker]

I'm a fan of rip-splitting blocks with my saws. Sharp chains and let the saw do the work. Seems like it's less handling of the pieces. You do get a massive pile of sawdust from a face cord though!

Al

 

[computeruser]

Gotta cast a vote against ripping blocks. It is a waste of time, of chains, of sharpening time, and of wood. I've done it before because I had to, but it never struck me as particularly efficient for any quantity of wood. I cannot imagine doing it with any saw smaller than 70cc, and even then it isn't terribly fast work. When I've done ripping, I have used the 066 or 075/076 with a 25+ inch bar for noodle clearance. Even then it was noisy, dirty work.

Here are a couple pics from our splitter test today. 30"+ catalpa with knots. This little splitter was able to split with the 4-way, even through the knots. Caseyforrest is at the controls.

A fairly straight-grained piece, with only minimal knots, falls victim to the 4-way:

Though not visible, this piece has a major branch coming out of one side and a knot and hollow on the other. It was more work, but was started with the standard wedge and the resulting pieces were finished with the 4-way:

And for those who like video, a video!

 

[Mold Mechanic]

I prefer the hydraulic splitter myself (mine runs off tractor hydraulics unfortunately). I do carry a couple of mauls with me when I go cutting to knock the bigger stuff down so as not to injure myself loading it. The triangular shaped mauls like is pictured above work quite well.

 

[goof008]

I'll rip the big stuff into a size I can carry and load with out blowing something out. I also cut the nasty stuff that I know my little splitter will just shred or the pieces will come out all different sizes, just for stacking purposes. If I had computerusers new splitter, I think everything would go thru it! But most only needs to be ripped once or twice, then the maul or splitter gets the job done.

 

[rreidnauer]

I just dont want to spend alot of money on a splitter. but dont want to chop wood with a axe!

Alright, now that everyone has suggested the two things you already said you don't want, I'll give you the answer you've been looking for.

The Stickler ( http://www.thestickler.com/ ) Low cost, not labor intensive, pretty high output, but perhaps a bit dangerous. (though, what form of splitting doesn't come with some risk?)

 

[sdt7618]

Alright, now that everyone has suggested the two things you already said you don't want, I'll give you the answer you've been looking for.

The Stickler ( http://www.thestickler.com/ ) Low cost, not labor intensive, pretty high output, but perhaps a bit dangerous. (though, what form of splitting doesn't come with some risk?)

You trying to kill somebody? there is a vid of that working on firewood thread. look mad!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlpcn...elated&search=

 

[rreidnauer]

Ummmm, No?

All it takes is a bit of brains to work it and not get yourself hurt in the process.









Just like chainsaws.

 

[bowtechmadman]

I picked up a "stickler" type that mounts to my 3-point hitch. Picked it up at a garage sale for 25 bucks. Requires 2 people to operate somewhat safely (1 on the wood, other running the PTO).
I like it well enough that I'm ready to part w/ my gas splitter.

 

[rreidnauer]

I picked up a "stickler" type that mounts to my 3-point hitch. Picked it up at a garage sale for 25 bucks. Requires 2 people to operate somewhat safely (1 on the wood, other running the PTO).
I like it well enough that I'm ready to part w/ my gas splitter.

Is it possible to fit a safety bar/cable to disable the PTO/engine if there'd be an emergency?

 

[bowtechmadman]

Yes I'm sure it would be possible not sure how...something like a tether I'm thinking such as on snowmobiles.
I just make sure it's someone I trust on the tractor (PTO), only thing somewhat unsafe is retrieving the split piece that is left under the "stickler" we always disengage PTO prior to pulling this out.
I was really shocked at how well this unit works. I couldn't resist spending the 25 bucks to just see if it would work...I like it better than the gas splitter since all I have to do is roll the large rounds to it, no more having to lift them up to the splitter...can vary the height of the "stickler" w/ the 3 point arms.
I'll try and get some pictures of it in operation this weekend. Have some large maple rounds to split saturday.

 

[sdt7618]

Brain's?

where do we find them!! I know we all try to work safe but accidents do and can happen... I mean imagine slipping and falling on that thing.. you would need a flack jacket to stop it from splitting you!!!