To Rent or To Buy a Splitter

[Constrictor]

I bought a used 27 ton splitter for $600 and went in halves with a buddy so $300 each and we own it. thats the best way to go in my opinion. never regretted it.

 

[Billy_Bob]

In my case I don't get all my wood at once. And I don't like to "have" to be out there all day/night splitting with a rented splitter...

I prefer owning my splitter, then I can split wood a couple of hours a day or when I have a bit of spare time.

It is a good thing to rent one for the first time. See if it will have enough power to split the wood you have. Then if you decide to buy, get one with similar power.

Otherwise if I am not going to use something except maybe once every 3 years. Or I don't have room to store it. Or it costs a young fortune to buy and I can't buy one, then I rent.

If I use something frequently and have the room to store it, then I buy.

 

[Dinger154]

electric splitter

This one is rated at 7 tons. The log on it in the pic is newly felled leylandii pine, full of sap and very heavy, no problem, good machine, cost me £260 ($390). Seasoned wood splits really easy.

 

[mesupra]

Bought fixer upper 2 years ago, have around $450 into it and do not regret it one bit. If you are mechanical or not I would recommend searching Craigslist hi and low for a decent used splitter. I will actually be selling my hydro sometime in the next month once I receive my SuperSplit that I also found on CL in VT. Buy a good used splitter and it will always be worth what you paid for it come time to sell, without taking into consideration the leisure of splitting when you want.

 

[TMFARM 2009]

fordss, sounds like you got a good deal so that was a good buy for you. I agree, don't pay $800 for a used one when a new one is around $1,200. I was lucky to get mine for $400. It smokes a little but runs great. So I will watch the oil level closely and even if the engine dies, it's still well worth $400. I can repower it myself for under $200. I like to buy old equipment but I have some mechanical ability and I like tinkering so I'm not afraid to risk buying old stuff as long as it's not total junk.

I do agree it's better to have your own equipment, renting is a PITA but if all you are doing is splitting 2-3 cords a year for personal use, it's hard to justify the expense of spending $1,200 or more when you can rent one for a day at $50 or so and easily split 2-3 cords. That said, there is a lot to be said for being able to pick away at a wood pile when you have a spare hour here or there instead of taking away from family time or other projects by devoting a Saturday to splitting when renting and being forced to do it anyway whether you feel like it or not, rain or shine. So I guess you have to do what works best for you.

well for two or three cords i would just buy it split and stacked where ya want it...saves time and employ's other members here...lol

 

[stihl in ky]

Don't be surprised when you decide to upgrade to a larger splitter. If your like me more power equals more fun.:biggrin:

 

[Carl Anderson]

well for two or three cords i would just buy it split and stacked where ya want it...saves time and employ's other members here...lol

I used to do this but with wood at $200 a cord I just got sick of shelling out $600 a year for something I can get for free if I make some time to cut and split. They don't stack it for you around here, they dump it in a big pile in your driveway, maybe on your lawn if it's not too hard for them to turn the truck that way. So now I bring it home in my truck and split it and stack it off to the side of my yard, out of the way. It helps to have a tractor/loader to get it with later. Besides, it justifies my purchase of a new 346xp and gives me an excuse to go cutting and splitting (more fun than working on my stupid house)!

 

[artbaldoni]

If some rounds are too large, just noodle them down or hand split to a size the little electric can handle.

Confused :msp_confused: Split by hand so you can split with a splitter? Isn't that backwards?:msp_confused:

 

[D&B Mack]

If some rounds are too large, just noodle them down or hand split to a size the little electric can handle.

Confused :msp_confused: Split by hand so you can split with a splitter? Isn't that backwards?:msp_confused:

Guess it could be. I am speaking hypothetical here, but say you only have one of the little electric splitters. You are only supposed to be splitting up to say a 9-10" round. So if you have a 24" round, noodle or hand split it down to a comparable 10" round, then throw it on the electric splitter. Save the energy of all those additional hand splits. Typically, someone with just a little electric splitter isn't doing that many cords, and therefore, will most likely not have that many rounds too large for the splitter. Instead of investing in a large splitter for those couple of rounds, downsize them, then run all your wood through the electric splitter to the desired size.

 

[TN_WOOD]

I think you made a wise decision. This fits your budget, especially with the gift card you already had, it won't irriatate the neighbors and it's easy to move around, store, etc.

I agree. Those electric models seem like they'd be handy for light duty usage.

You'll probably still do a fair amount by hand (faster), but the electric can help you tackle the bigger pieces.

For real speed splitting, get a bungee and rope/chain several rounds together (can also shove a few inside a tire) and whack at em with your maul/splitting axe.

 

[CJ1]

Rent. Then when you hear, "can I borrow your splitter" you can say yup here is where I rent it from. I do hydraulics for a living so I could easily build anotherone like I sold with spare parts but it is not worth all the hasel for myself. No storage, no oil changes, no dead battery. CJ

 

[borat]

Rent. Then when you hear, "can I borrow your splitter" you can say yup here is where I rent it from. I do hydraulics for a living so I could easily build anotherone like I sold with spare parts but it is not worth all the hasel for myself. No storage, no oil changes, no dead battery. CJ

I think it's a bit unfair for people to expect to outright "borrow" something like a log splitter. I mean it's not like borrowing a hammer or a screw driver for a few minutes. They're borrowing a machine that costs a fair amount to buy, requires a certain degree of maintenance and is subject to wear and tear. The more intense the work, the more wear and tear and maintenance. You can also rest assured that the borrower will be flogging the machine mercilessly to get as much wood split as possible while they have it in their possession.

Accordingly, if a person has purchased a log splitter and suddenly has friends who want to use it, they should work out a deal where everyone comes out ahead. For instance, if it costs $70.00/day to rent a splitter, offer it to the the friend for $50.00/day or whatever you're both comfortable with. That's a considerable savings for the borrower vs. a rental charge. Another option is to spend some time with the friend, charge the same amount and do the work with him/her. That way, they/you get the work done quicker, you know the machine isn't being mistreated and you spend some quality time together. If the friend doesn't like the idea, they're not much of a friend. After all, friends are supposed to do things for "each other". The door just doesn't swing one way.

However, the above suggestion may be waived if the "borrower" has something of similar value for you to borrow from him/her, a trade of use of equipment may be preferred. Either way, people need to ensure that both sides of the deal get fair treatment.

I recently bought a log splitter and brought it to camp to split some large diameter wood. I ended up doing all of mine then proceeded to assist my two of my neighbors with their tree cutting/splitting needs. We all worked together doing the cutting and splitting and it was only a couple hours of work. In a situation like that, I wouldn't consider charging for the use of the machine for a couple of reasons. First of all, it was more of a neighborhood work party and secondly, neither of them are in financial condition to afford to pay for it. They appreciated what I did for them and I enjoyed doing it. Win-win.

 

[CJ1]

I think it's a bit unfair for people to expect to outright "borrow" something like a log splitter. I mean it's not like borrowing a hammer or a screw driver for a few minutes. They're borrowing a machine that costs a fair amount to buy, requires a certain degree of maintenance and is subject to wear and tear. The more intense the work, the more wear and tear and maintenance. You can also rest assured that the borrower will be flogging the machine mercilessly to get as much wood split as possible while they have it in their possession.

Accordingly, if a person has purchased a log splitter and suddenly has friends who want to use it, they should work out a deal where everyone comes out ahead. For instance, if it costs $70.00/day to rent a splitter, offer it to the the friend for $50.00/day or whatever you're both comfortable with. That's a considerable savings for the borrower vs. a rental charge. Another option is to spend some time with the friend, charge the same amount and do the work with him/her. That way, they/you get the work done quicker, you know the machine isn't being mistreated and you spend some quality time together. If the friend doesn't like the idea, they're not much of a friend. After all, friends are supposed to do things for "each other". The door just doesn't swing one way.

However, the above suggestion may be waived if the "borrower" has something of similar value for you to borrow from him/her, a trade of use of equipment may be preferred. Either way, people need to ensure that both sides of the deal get fair treatment.

I recently bought a log splitter and brought it to camp to split some large diameter wood. I ended up doing all of mine then proceeded to assist my two of my neighbors with their tree cutting/splitting needs. We all worked together doing the cutting and splitting and it was only a couple hours of work. In a situation like that, I wouldn't consider charging for the use of the machine for a couple of reasons. First of all, it was more of a neighborhood work party and secondly, neither of them are in financial condition to afford to pay for it. They appreciated what I did for them and I enjoyed doing it. Win-win.

I agree with you on the borrowing but it
Works that way about 1/2 the time. When I had heavy equipment you would be surprised how many people would want to "borrow" my dozer/loader and other items. I had people balk at paying to have the dozer hauled let alone paying to use it. Now I rent all the heavy equipment I need. What really irritated me was when something was returned broken with no explanation. When I went to use it I had to fix it before using my own stuff. I switched to gooseneck trailers and that eliminated the borrow a trailer program. I will still run any equipment for anybody but it is now their responsibility to get it on site. You would be amazed at the looks on peoples faces when they have to fuel a large dozer or loader for a day. That was the stuff people never saw that I would just pay for. Snow plowing is the same way, I quit this year after 23 years and am looking forward to winter this year. I wish I had a dollar everytime someone said " it will only take you a couple of seconds to make 1 pass". YEA RIGHT!! I have alot of people that I do help out but as far as equipment goes that is one less headache that I now have and it feels good!!
CJ

 

[gwiley]

I agree with you on the borrowing but it
Works that way about 1/2 the time. When I had heavy equipment you would be surprised how many people would want to "borrow" my dozer/loader and other items. I had people balk at paying to have the dozer hauled let alone paying to use it. Now I rent all the heavy equipment I need. What really irritated me was when something was returned broken with no explanation. When I went to use it I had to fix it before using my own stuff. I switched to gooseneck trailers and that eliminated the borrow a trailer program. I will still run any equipment for anybody but it is now their responsibility to get it on site. You would be amazed at the looks on peoples faces when they have to fuel a large dozer or loader for a day. That was the stuff people never saw that I would just pay for. Snow plowing is the same way, I quit this year after 23 years and am looking forward to winter this year. I wish I had a dollar everytime someone said " it will only take you a couple of seconds to make 1 pass". YEA RIGHT!! I have alot of people that I do help out but as far as equipment goes that is one less headache that I now have and it feels good!!
CJ

This really cracked me up on time....

Equipment trailer up on blocks (replacing axles) and a buddy asks to borrow my skid steer. I told him I had no way to haul it to his place, he says "What about my trailer?" All I could do is stare and blink at his 1200lb lawn trailer. Ummm, uhhhh, what?

I tried to explain that the Bobcat would just crush it flat if I tried to roll up onto it - I am convinced that he just thought I was dodging the help (and that might also be right).

I tell folks that I need $50/hour to turn the key on the Bobcat to cover capital costs and maintenance - amazing how few people really need the machine once they hear that. The thing is, I think they are getting away with a sweet deal considering I would be operating for free.

It hurts me that I want to help and do a favor but people get mad when all I ask for is to not break the bank doing them a favor.

 

[genesis5521]

I split a few cords a year by hand because a) im new to this and haven't seen the need for a power splitter and b) I'm in a suburban neighborhood so I try to keep things quiet. I usually chip away at it throughout the year, but after splitting twisted cherry and sugar maple and other very hard to split by hand woods, I think I'd rather just buck all the logs into length, pile them up, and then split them all at once with a power splitter. My question is, is it better for a guy in my situation to rent one or buy one? I don't know anything about splitters, how much they cost, which one to get, etc. Thanks

In 2005, I bought a brand new Ryobi electric splitter for $299. I've split a full 50 cords (that's 150 face cords) with it. It says it will split up to 12 inch logs, but I've split some huge 24 inch rounds with it. I routinely split 16 and 18 inch rounds. Once in a great while, I'll hit a real gnarly piece that it can't handle, but that's the exception. It has split almost everything I have thrown at it. Cycle time is 10 seconds. Ryobi products are only sold at home depot. I've told quite a few of my friends about this splitter. They came over and tried mine, and bought one. With my girl friend working the splitter, and me feeding it, we can easily split a face cord (1/3 cord) in 45 minutes. I'm 65 and my girl friend is 66 ! The nice thing about buying from home depot is if you don't like it, you can take it back. But you won't. It's a "keeper". Check it out.

Hope this helps,

Don <><

45 minutes = 2700 seconds / divided by 10 second cycle time = 270 splits = about 1 face cord
I have to hump pretty hard to keep up with her as I'm putting the rounds on the splitter and throwing the splits in to the trailer.
She just "sits" there and operates the splitter. She never has to move.

I was gonna get a big hydraulic splitter as I thought I could go faster.
She said, before you do let me help you with the one you have. She had never helped me before.
As I can barely keep up with her on my little Ryobi, a faster splitter wouldn't get the job done any quicker as I couldn't keep up with it.

For some unknown reason, she now enjoys making firewood as much as I do !
I think I created a "wood monster". But I love her.
(Now I gotta show her how to work the chain saw:msp_smile

She wanted to come in to the woods with me as I cut trees.
I thought it would be nice to have a little company.
I thought she would just sit in the truck and read or listen to the radio while I was cutting.
But no. She came in to the woods with me and get this, she "rolled" each round out to the road.
They were way to heavy for her to lift. (Great bod but no strength.)
The woman's a little firecracker when it comes to work.
She grew up on a farm.
She's a cancer survivor and blind in one eye.
This woman's got "grit".

Sorry for rambling, but one thing just led to another.

 

[CJ1]

This really cracked me up on time....

Equipment trailer up on blocks (replacing axles) and a buddy asks to borrow my skid steer. I told him I had no way to haul it to his place, he says "What about my trailer?" All I could do is stare and blink at his 1200lb lawn trailer. Ummm, uhhhh, what?

I tried to explain that the Bobcat would just crush it flat if I tried to roll up onto it - I am convinced that he just thought I was dodging the help (and that might also be right).

I tell folks that I need $50/hour to turn the key on the Bobcat to cover capital costs and maintenance - amazing how few people really need the machine once they hear that. The thing is, I think they are getting away with a sweet deal considering I would be operating for free.

It hurts me that I want to help and do a favor but people get mad when all I ask for is to not break the bank doing them a favor.

I had somebody that was going to haul my little dozer with a double axle when I sold it. Told them to bring a triple axle single or a dandem dual. Guess what he showed up with, yep double axle. I was a gooseneck and that was the only thing that saved him. I made it a dovetail when I loaded it in my yard. I bent and broke his ramps going on the trailer but the back of the trailer was touching the ground as the dozer went over it, he said he did not need to block it up!! He now has a custom dove tail!! 16k of dozer will do that to a 12k trailer. He made it out of my driveway and that was all I cared about. Most just don't understand how much equipment weighs. CJ

 

[mama]

I found out how many more friends I had when I got my spliter, I lend it to my kids and thats it. I use to rent on occasion but used a maul for most of it. I like to split when I want to.