ok I'm finally going to buy a wood splitter

[Wolfen]

Ladies and gentlemen after 10 years of using a wood stove, I am going to buy a splitter I have split 4 cords a season with a 8lb maul and a Greyhound 10 ton manual splitter, well this year my wife had back surgery so I was takeing care of her instead of splitting wood, so I had to rent a splitter from Sunbelt. well THAT splitter made my mind up, I split 5 cords of wood in two days! Not bad for an old man huh ( still only 50)
so......here's my question, since funds are VERY limited, and I am limited to a 22 ton (if a ten tone does it I'm not worried), I have searched here locally and found three to choose from Harbor freight's Blue on that splits both ways out and in, Tractor Supply's Husky , and Northern tool has a NorthStar 22 tom with a Honda engine, I prefer the Honda engine cause of the reliability of them, but I want the best overall splitter form my $1600. only solid stipulation is it MUST be a minimum of 22 ton

which one in yalls professional opinion would be the best one for me to get?

 

[blades]

First off tonage ain't that big a deal, any unit 15-22 Ton class will get er done . Speed is another misnomer as if working alone they are all fast enough. Vertical/ horizontal the debate rages on just like a ford chevy dodge one. The bulk of the machine in your price range and less are v/h units. Speeco Husky bunch of others in the mix from about $900 up depending if on sale. Service after the fact something to look at. If you can do your own fine. splitters are fairly simple. a table or catch area for for splits is nice. This time of year there are sales floating around at the box stores and others. I would not bother with Harbor Freight they discontinued there whole line of gas splitters about a year back. Only have a electric 7 ton, I think, now. Speeco is very responsive to customers and a new company called Dirty Hand Tools (DHT) is getting good reviews as well.

 

[griffonks]

I have an ancient homemade splitter, mostly because I was splitting Cottonwood and Elm for my landlord, a 95 year old lady who owns the farm. All she would burn was Cottonwood.

Anyway, my suggestion would be to rent or borrow some different splitters before you buy. Find out what works best for you, then shell out the greenbacks.

 

[Raintree]

Can't speak for the 3 you listed. Have an American that I can vouch for, 5-6 cords/yr for over 20yrs with no problems.

http://www.americancls.com/Products/HighBoyLogSplitters/HighBoyAM24HH.aspx

 

[sgreanbeans]

Speedco 25ton, have had it for like 15 years, still going strong, and we have split a hell of a lot of wood. Think about 1600 new

 

[Swamp Yankee]

"Honda Engine Blinders"

There are two Honda engine series, the GX that is a tried and true, run forever in a commercial application engine, and the lesser quality GC series. I would not discount a piece of equipment because it had a Briggs, or Kohler over the Honda GC engine.

A lot of small engine mechanics and OPE dealers I know swear by the Honda GX series and swear at the GC line.

Take Care

 

[Wolfen]

Thanks for all the input guys, I'm leaning towards the Northern tool 22 ton because it looks to be better built than the Husky and when I was chating online with a rep he said they have a whole dept dedicated to only log splitters.
Yes I can do 99% of my own maintenance on a splitter as long as I can get parts, in fact if I had the money to get the parts I could build one myself from available parts and make a splitter that would probably open up concrete filled 55 gal drums, problem is money for one that big and room in the yard for it, As for the Briggs engine, I got turned off from Brigs engines last year when I figured out how many lawn mowers I had bought in my life with Briggs engines on them that die a year later. we went out o TSC today and I looked their splitter over real good, and the engine is the main turnoff to me, cause its a 6 hp lawnmower engine LOL with the pump hanging upside down under it, where the Northern has the Honda GC or GX engine whichever I want, I have never had any problems at all out of Honda GC's either my work Generator is a Honda 2000 and its ran 6 hours a day every day for the past 13 years, and all its ever needed was a oil change.
now the Speedco I gotta check into more, that might be a option too

Thanks again guys, keep the advice coming I NEVER turn down good free advice.
One thing I have learned in 50 years, if you know more than I do, I need to listen and learn

 

[zogger]

I haven't ever used one, but there is a new guy on the block who has been posting in the firewood forum, dirty hand tools. They have been very receptive to input on design, etc from the members here.

dirtyhandtools.com

 

[D&B Mack]

I have the huskee 27tn. But if the price difference doesn't matter much to you, I would no with the NS.

 

[SliverPicker]

Im prepared to be blasted for this, but here goes.

The nursery in my town sells firewood as a side business. A few years ago (3 years?) they bought a wood splitter. I have friends who work there and I laughed at them when they took delivery of the splitter. It was a Powerhorse from Northern Tool. I told them they probably just threw $1000 out the window. The thing is made in China and has a reverse-engineered (Honda copy) engine. Well, suffice it to say that I have been served a large plate of raw crow! They have split well over 200 cords with the thing as of this fall. No problems. No repairs. It has never failed to start. I have run it on a few (2) occasions in fact for a full 8 hours and I am impressed. It splits in both directions and is super fast. It has enough power to shear logs across the grain without stalling. The twin tables save on your back, it splits in both directions, and the machine is a bit taller than the average which also saves on the back. Now that I know it is also durable I am sold. In my opinion in the bang for the buck category you can't beat this splitter. I've been burning wood for over 30 years and this is the best splitter I have used. I will be purchasing one for myself within the next week or two. If mine lasts for 200 cords I will be pushing up daisies long before the splitter will.

That's my 2/100ths of a dollar!

 

[Wolfen]

I won;t blast you for it, if it works for you then I congratulate you on a good buy.
the powerhorse to me looks like its just too weak for me though. And I'd rather have an engine built in Japan than china, I have no luck with tires drywall or tools made in China so I'm not trying a engine

Oh an By the way your 2/100's of a dollar is appreciated

 

[SliverPicker]

I won;t blast you for it, if it works for you then I congratulate you on a good buy.
the powerhorse to me looks like its just too weak for me though. And I'd rather have an engine built in Japan than china, I have no luck with tires drywall or tools made in China so I'm not trying a engine

Oh an By the way your 2/100's of a dollar is appreciated

You'll get no argument from me. Your logic is sound. I've had no luck in the above departments either (other than drywall, where I have no experience with Chinese products.) Best of luck with your splitter. Keep us posted as to what you end up buying and the pros and cons. Have a great night.:msp_biggrin:

 

[Wolfen]

You know I will
The more information that is posted on here, the more it might help somebody else

 

[ReggieT]

I have an ancient homemade splitter, mostly because I was splitting Cottonwood and Elm for my landlord, a 95 year old lady who owns the farm. All she would burn was Cottonwood.

Anyway, my suggestion would be to rent or borrow some different splitters before you buy. Find out what works best for you, then shell out the greenbacks.

Hmm...BTW...what was her obsession with cottonwood only? Just curious...I can't give it away around here!

 

[griffonks]

She was afraid of creosote in her chimney. The farm is on a creek, huge cottonwoods, her dad burned it. I know not to argue with a 95 yr old lady...

 

[ReggieT]

She was afraid of creosote in her chimney. The farm is on a creek, huge cottonwoods, her dad burned it. I know not to argue with a 95 yr old lady...

:msp_thumbsup:

 

[mikeboggess]

OK wood splitter

Bought a 22t from Tractor Supply. use it every year, Honda eng., no problems. This was a returned unit and got it for 800.00. Has split anything I have put under it.

 

[capetrees]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_116418-270-...s-_-1005417&CAWELAID=1220891104&kpid=1005417&"cagpspn=pla"

Go to the nearby Lowes and get the Troybilt. Bought on elast year, Zero problems, runs great. splits everything I throw at it. Perfect for the homeowner or low quantity splitter. I sell a few cords a year and this thing is great. If I split for a larger portion of my ioncome, I'd ivest in somethng substantially more expensive.