Looking to get a new splitter

[Iowawoodguy]

Hey all. Its been a couple of months since I posted last. I've been saving up to replace our old tractor splitter because its so slow. There is an Iron and Oak 22 ton splitter in my area for sale. The owners are asking $1450. It looks like its an older model because it doesn't have a log dislodger. There are also some splitters closer to home for sale. One brand is yardmax and the other is country pro. They are both new at the store. The country pro is $800 and I think the yardmax is $1000. Im hoping to do about 10+ cord next year and I read a post that said the big box store splitters (country pro) are more suited for 5 or less cord a year. I'd like to know what you guys think of the yardmax. Its a new 25 ton splitter with a 9.7 second cycle time. The engine is Briggs and Stratton.
Is there anything I would lose going with the yardmax over the iron and oak?
I sell most of the firewood so a fast cycle time is important. Thanks and merry Christmas!

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Depending on the type and size of wood a SuperSplit HD is the long term ticket for 10-100 cord per year.
And you will be smiling the whole time!
There are lots of YouTube videos of happy owners...

 

[wrx-snowdrift]

If cycle time is important have you looked at SuperSplit? I know they are not cheap but they are well built and fast.

 

[wrx-snowdrift]

Depending on the type and size of wood a SuperSplit HD is the long term ticket for 10-100 cord per year.
And you will be smiling the whole time!
There are lots of YouTube videos of happy owners...

Ha, you beat me to it!

 

[Ol' Brian]

If you have the money, and can talk them down a bit, the Iron and Oak is all USA built, even the pump. The Box store splitters are Chinese built machines.

 

[unclemoustache]

Another recommendation for the SuperSplit. You won’t regret it.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Op: I’d like opinions on a $8-1000 splitter .

everyone here: Look at this $3000 one.

This place cracks me up at time!

Anyway, I have a 30t tsc splitter but they make a 25t closer to your price range. I too was looking for a used splitter but people here want so much for them I just bought new. I did look online at the yardmax, kinda neat with the spinning base plate if memory serves me correct. I didn’t find one locally so I went to tractor supply and bought mine. Depending on your area and wood you may not want a kinetic one anyway. I had zero interest in one myself.

 

[Marine5068]

Op: I’d like opinions on a $8-1000 splitter .

everyone here: Look at this $3000 one.

This place cracks me up at time!

Anyway, I have a 30t tsc splitter but they make a 25t closer to your price range. I too was looking for a used splitter but people here want so much for them I just bought new. I did look online at the yardmax, kinda neat with the spinning base plate if memory serves me correct. I didn’t find one locally so I went to tractor supply and bought mine. Depending on your area and wood you may not want a kinetic one anyway. I had zero interest in one myself.

I had no interest in a kinetic splitter either (aka-Supersplit).
No good for my hard, heavy, twisted Red Elm, Sugar Maples and Red Oaks that I burn here and are the hardest North American woods to split. I also split rounds to lengths of 20" for my extra large wood stove.
Plus they are almost double the cost of a new, large entry level hydraulic machine like my Forest King 30 ton from TSC for $1300 CAD (retail was $2200 CAD).
It's really what you have a need for and how much 'free' cash you are willing to spend.
If I split more than 10-20 cords and year, I may take out a loan to finance a more expensive machine with a lift and dual split etc.
Buy what works for you, but I'd buy it new as I did.

 

[farmer steve]

Hey all. Its been a couple of months since I posted last. I've been saving up to replace our old tractor splitter because its so slow. There is an Iron and Oak 22 ton splitter in my area for sale. The owners are asking $1450. It looks like its an older model because it doesn't have a log dislodger. There are also some splitters closer to home for sale. One brand is yardmax and the other is country pro. They are both new at the store. The country pro is $800 and I think the yardmax is $1000. Im hoping to do about 10+ cord next year and I read a post that said the big box store splitters (country pro) are more suited for 5 or less cord a year. I'd like to know what you guys think of the yardmax. Its a new 25 ton splitter with a 9.7 second cycle time. The engine is Briggs and Stratton.
Is there anything I would lose going with the yardmax over the iron and oak?
I sell most of the firewood so a fast cycle time is important. Thanks and merry Christmas!

Not familiar with any of the mentioned splitters. I like my TSC 25 ton. Prolly 25 cords a year with no problems. Cycle time is just a selling point and doesn't mean crap for the average guy splitting a few cords a year. Good luck.

 

[homemade]

Red oak around here splits like a dream. Very straight grained. I bust most of them down to size with my fiskars and have to stop or there would be nothing left for the hydro splitter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lionsfan]

Not familiar with any of the mentioned splitters. I like my TSC 25 ton. Prolly 25 cords a year with no problems. Cycle time is just a selling point and doesn't mean crap for the average guy splitting a few cords a year. Good luck.

Agreed. I have the same one, and put up the same amount per year. I usually have my father-in-law with me to run the lever, so the cycle time is governed by how fast I'm moving on a given day.

 

[capetrees]

https://www.troybilt.com/en_US/log-splitters/tb-27-ls-troy-bilt-log-splitter/24BG57M1766.html
Only problem I've had is needing to replace the log catcher,/protectors on the sides. Bolts snapped from log weight. Other than that, 8-12 cords a years for the past 6 years or so. Full tank runs about 1 1/2 hours.

 

[Iowawoodguy]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Im not sure the SuperSplit is for me but its definitely cool. I think I'm leaning towards the Yardmax. Now when you guys say tsc splitter, are you referring to the CountryLine brand on their website? Unfortunately the nearest Tractor Supply Co. is an hour away.

 

[farmer steve]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Im not sure the SuperSplit is for me but its definitely cool. I think I'm leaning towards the Yardmax. Now when you guys say tsc splitter, are you referring to the CountryLine brand on their website? Unfortunately the nearest Tractor Supply Co. is an hour away.

Yes the countyline splitter. I like the kohler engine. Started on 2 pulls the other day at 18*. I thought an hour away in Iowa was "just down the road".

 

[Ol' Brian]

I know it's your money, but I'd still steer you toward the Iron and Oak... work on those sellers to get the price down. Merry Christmas!!

 

[rancher2]

I sell most of the firewood so a fast cycle time is important. Thanks and merry Christmas!

Your budget and this statement don't go together. Unless you need a splitter right now I would just wait. Summer is the time to buy splitters and snowblowers this time of the year is time to sell them. Usually you can pickup splitters in the summer at garage moving estate sales very heavy discounted. Always watch facebook market place and Craig's list if your handy there's some bargains out there. Merry Christmas.

 

[Iowawoodguy]

Your budget and this statement don't go together. Unless you need a splitter right now I would just wait. Summer is the time to buy splitters and snowblowers this time of the year is time to sell them. Usually you can pickup splitters in the summer at garage moving estate sales very heavy discounted. Always watch facebook market place and Craig's list if your handy there's some bargains out there. Merry Christmas.

Thanks for the pointers. I think what I thought of as a fast cycle time is a little different than others. Our old tractor splitter is extremely slow and doesn't retract on its own so it really is holding my splitting speed back.

 

[sean donato]

Thanks for the pointers. I think what I thought of as a fast cycle time is a little different than others. Our old tractor splitter is extremely slow and doesn't retract on its own so it really is holding my splitting speed back.

A cheap e bay auto return valve is all that's needed if you intend to stop using it and will be a selling point, when you go to sell it.
I'm not a fan of the kinetic sitters either. I demoed one locally, and it hard a rough time with 24" long oak. And really didnt like locust. I get a lot of wood that other pass by, so big rounds (last average was 31" rounds) and knotted twisted up stuff. I ended up building my own splitter as I couldn't afford a big, pre made splitter.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

https://www.troybilt.com/en_US/log-splitters/tb-27-ls-troy-bilt-log-splitter/24BG57M1766.html
Only problem I've had is needing to replace the log catcher,/protectors on the sides. Bolts snapped from log weight. Other than that, 8-12 cords a years for the past 6 years or so. Full tank runs about 1 1/2 hours.

My buddy has that unit, his is 8 or 9 years old. It also has a Honda engine on it. He had to replace the pump last year but that’s it. It’s terribly slow compared to my tsc 30 ton though.

 

[REJ2]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Im not sure the SuperSplit is for me but its definitely cool. I think I'm leaning towards the Yardmax. Now when you guys say tsc splitter, are you referring to the CountryLine brand on their website? Unfortunately the nearest Tractor Supply Co. is an hour away.

I ordered the 35 ton YardMax full beam splitter about a month ago. It was on back order at that time and won’t ship till Jan. 5 at the earliest. Everyone was out of them along with many of the other models from logsplitterdirect. I looked at a lot of reviews before choosing this one. I fell into a windfall of wood this year, local state park a mile from home had a major flood kill a year and a half ago. Nothing like sawing 30 -34 inch oak and ash next to paved roads, park personnel dropped them, said I could have all I wanted. Got plenty to split, just waiting for my splitter. Couldn’t justify a $3500 plus USA splitter. YardMax appears as good or better than the rest of the Chinese made splitters, I’ll find out!