Northern tool northstar 30t splitter

[Iowawoodguy]

I just found this splitter on Facebook marketplace. The owner is asking $1000. They also said it has only been used 1 or 2 days a season for six years, stored in a garage. I looked it up online and it says its a 200cc Honda gx200 engine. New they are going for around $1650.
I'm not really needing a splitter at the moment, but wouldn't mind getting a good deal on a splitter with a quicker split speed. My current splitter is a homemade tractor hookup and it is slow. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with one? Thanks

 

[deadtrees]

I just found this splitter on Facebook marketplace. The owner is asking $1000. They also said it has only been used 1 or 2 days a season for six years, stored in a garage. I looked it up online and it says its a 200cc Honda gx200 engine. New they are going for around $1650.
I'm not really needing a splitter at the moment, but wouldn't mind getting a good deal on a splitter with a quicker split speed. My current splitter is a homemade tractor hookup and it is slow. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with one? Thanks

Look up the splitter specs. They are not fast.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

14 second cycle is slow for a splitter.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

I really wanted that splitter, I thought it cost a little more than $1650. I bought the TSC 30T country line on sale for around $1300. I love it, 14 seconds isn’t slow and it’s gotta be way faster than the tractor one you’re using now. My only question is why they’re selling it. I’m not a big fan of buying used, You never know what’s wrong. If they have switched to pellets or gas you’re probably ok but I would be worried if they’re still wood burners.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I really wanted that splitter, I thought it cost a little more than $1650. I bought the TSC 30T country line on sale for around $1300. I love it, 14 seconds isn’t slow and it’s gotta be way faster than the tractor one you’re using now. My only question is why they’re selling it. I’m not a big fan of buying used, You never know what’s wrong. If they have switched to pellets or gas you’re probably ok but I would be worried if they’re still wood burners.

If two guys are working for production, it would be slow. One person using it for personnel firewood, I agree they are not slow, my speedco 22T same as country line is all I need. Good friend purchased that 37T Northstar and likes it.

 

[Iowawoodguy]

I really wanted that splitter, I thought it cost a little more than $1650. I bought the TSC 30T country line on sale for around $1300. I love it, 14 seconds isn’t slow and it’s gotta be way faster than the tractor one you’re using now. My only question is why they’re selling it. I’m not a big fan of buying used, You never know what’s wrong. If they have switched to pellets or gas you’re probably ok but I would be worried if they’re still wood burners.

They converted their wood fireplace to gas.

If two guys are working for production, it would be slow. One person using it for personnel firewood, I agree they are not slow, my speedco 22T same as country line is all I need. Good friend purchased that 37T Northstar and likes it.

Most of what I split I sell.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I love it, 14 seconds isn’t slow and it’s gotta be way faster than the tractor one you’re using now.

It's quite slow. Something about twice that speed would be acceptable.

Look at a Super Split, that's about a 2-3 second cycle.

 

[saxman]

I have a 37 ton Northstar and it’s fast enough for me. Love the Honda engine and the auto idle linkage, more splitters should have it

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[cmsmoke]

I have the last generation of the one that Saxman has...37 ton. It works well for me. Ditto his comments.

 

[saxman]

I have the last generation of the one that Saxman has...37 ton. It works well for me. Ditto his comments.

I guess the first generation of the 37 ton had issues. I’m basing this on YouTube videos. That guy wasn’t a happy camper!


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[ElevatorGuy]

It's quite slow. Something about twice that speed would be acceptable.

Look at a Super Split, that's about a 2-3 second cycle.

I figured you were talking kinetic with those cycle times. Some of the wood I split would laugh at a kinetic. What good are those quick cycles if it takes multiple hits if it can even bust it. My tsc 30 ton is 10.5 seconds, plenty fast for me and nothing has stopped it yet.

 

[cmsmoke]

I guess the first generation of the 37 ton had issues. I’m basing this on YouTube videos. That guy wasn’t a happy camper!


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I don't think mine is first gen...I know the guy you are talking about. Don't judge by him.

 

[panolo]

I figured you were talking kinetic with those cycle times. Some of the wood I split would laugh at a kinetic. What good are those quick cycles if it takes multiple hits if it can even bust it. My tsc 30 ton is 10.5 seconds, plenty fast for me and nothing has stopped it yet.

I split a fair amount of elm and if I run my super split at half throttle I have to hit some of it twice. Rarely more than that unless it's an ugly. At full throttle it's almost always a one hit. I'm not arguing, just stating how well a good kinetic does with difficult wood. A good one is not cheap though.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

I split a fair amount of elm and if I run my super split at half throttle I have to hit some of it twice. Rarely more than that unless it's an ugly. At full throttle it's almost always a one hit. I'm not arguing, just stating how well a good kinetic does with difficult wood. A good one is not cheap though.

I’m glad it works for you. I saw too many videos of them struggling unless it was knot free softwood. Money wasn’t the issue, I wasn’t and am still not sold on that tech. Being an elevator man, I’m fully aware of the hydraulic strength. Zero elevators run on a flywheel, I’ll stick with what I know works every time.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I figured you were talking kinetic with those cycle times. Some of the wood I split would laugh at a kinetic. What good are those quick cycles if it takes multiple hits if it can even bust it. My tsc 30 ton is 10.5 seconds, plenty fast for me and nothing has stopped it yet.

10.5 secs is substantially quicker than 14 seconds.

If you had no pauses, in an hour that's 340 cycles vs 260.

Now a better 5 second cycle has 720.

 

[saxman]

I’m sure kinetic splitters have their place and work fine. I use my splitter vertically 99% of the time so they won’t work for me


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[panolo]

I’m glad it works for you. I saw too many videos of them struggling unless it was knot free softwood. Money wasn’t the issue, I wasn’t and am still not sold on that tech. Being an elevator man, I’m fully aware of the hydraulic strength. Zero elevators run on a flywheel, I’ll stick with what I know works every time.

I don't know about other brands but my S.S. will out split my 25T hydraulic. It's not a perfect splitter by any means. At some point I will probably upgrade to a nice hydraulic with a lift and either a multi knife wedge. I'd entertain a power split but I would want to test one.

I don't split softwood. All hardwoods. Although most oak around here could be split with a hammer. I don't let anything lay in the woods so I split uglies and twisted. Being an old wrench myself, I'm fully aware of kinetic power. Lot's of stuff uses a flywheel to run. I'll stick with what I know works every time. HAHA, to each his own, but if you ever get a chance to try a super split... try it. Never had anybody who wasn't impressed.

 

[panolo]

I’m sure kinetic splitters have their place and work fine. I use my splitter vertically 99% of the time so they won’t work for me


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One of the drawbacks of a kinetic. I cut and take everything so if a log is too big I bust it with a skid steer splitter and finish with my hydraulic or SS. I quit using the vertical after doing a bunch of oak with it and wrestling them dang rounds! At some point I would like to upgrade splitters to a multi knife wedge with a lift, auto cycle, etc. But she ain't in the cards this year. Upgraded the skid steer and pickup last year. Added a new dump trailer this year so I better let the reserves refill.

 

[saxman]

I noodle big rounds with my chainsaw into quarters or eights if it’s really big. I get me a round to sit on and move unsplit wood from the left and throw the splits into wire baskets I move with my pallet forks on my Kubota. Works well for me, not picking up rounds off the ground, none falling in my toes. It works for me, your mileage may vary.

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[panolo]

Looks good!