Need splitter for aching back etc.

[RCR 3 EVER]

Health problems have stopped us from supplying our Fall/Winter hunting cabin with heat-approx 6 face cords. We have been splitting all logs by hand with sledge and wedge. We also were also selling about 5-6 face cords per year.

Our logs are all hardwood and some can be quite knarly and branch stubbly. We NEED vertical capability to eliminate lifting logs.

Do any splitters have electric start for easier start in winter or is using lighter weight oil etc enough? We can not keep yanking on it.
Are the normal Honda 5.5 HP engines more reliable and start easier than the Briggs engine? Tractor supply does order Honda engines for this spliiter as Special order. Basically is Honda worth the extra $200 over Briggs engine.
Or should we looking at another splitter in that price range of $1200.

 

[triptester]

The splitters in the under $2000 range will not have electric start available. The only option would be to swap out the original engine for a electric star replacement $200 for a 5.5hp Honda China clone to $800 for a Honda 13hp..

Everyone has their own opinions on engines . I have found the Hondas GX series and Robin Subaru EX series to be at the top while the Briggs and Tecumseh at the lower end.

Honda and Robin Subaru have compression release which greatly reduces effort to pull start.

 

[crowbait]

If Honda is an option...do it.
I've always had the best reliability, with Hondas, and they are the easiest to start.

For my aching back, I'm custom building my log spltter, as we speak, with a hydraulic lifter.

 

[Husky137]

I have never had to "keep yanking" on any of my B & S engines. An engine is only as good as the service you give it.

I wouldn't look at a vertical splitter option as a back saver. Sure it avoids the necessity to lift the round but staying hunched over all day has got to be more tiring and stressing in my opinion.

All this talk of wood, I guess we started the new 361?:biggrinbounce2:

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

The 361 is up and running whenever I have tried to start it since I fixed the flood!
My Dad got a deal to buy the Huskee 27 ton with Honda engine for same price as the 22 ton.
Now I have to tow it up North to cabin for 260 miles, planning to put it on a trailer though.
We needed a vertical option since I am unable to lift heavy or even medium to heavy logs. Needless to say I will not be switching back and forth between horizontal and vert. modes very often as that beam pivoting weight is about the limit I can handle.
We will be rying out the saw and splitter out in earnest in a couple of weeks.