Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[keony]

I have a question for those with wood splitting experience:

I just had some acreage timbered and the loggers, at my instruction, left the tops and trunks that had no value, for me to cut and split. I can only work a few hours per day when weather permits. Do I rent a splitter or buy one with the idea of reselling after the project is finished?

It's hard to estimate the number of days the project will take, and the days I can work will often be non consecutive. That means making a 45 minute drive to the rental yard on those days I need the splitter. I'm looking for a 30 ton horizontal / vertical model and no one around here offers long term leases.

Rough cost estimates for renting vs buying are a wash if I can get 70% of the cost back on a resale. From what I've seen on C.L. and Facebook marketplace, this is not unreasonable around here for a lightly used almost new splitter.

I also looked into hiring a contractor but no one around here does that type of work.

So... Do I rent or buy? If I buy, what type splitter would work best? I have a 60HP tractor with rear remotes but the low CFM would make for a slow cycle time on a 30 ton splitter. Splitters with a separate PTO pump are an option but cost more. Both would require the tractor to be running while splitting and not available for moving rounds or split wood. They are also harder to sell.

Self powered splitters seem to be more cost effective and much easier to sell. Any ideas or options I've missed?

Buy a used or new self powered, easy to sell.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If you have read much of this thread then you already know that you will get a ton of different answers. They are based on preference and the methods used. For example someone says you need a log lift, I would say no - use your tractor bucket. It holds more wood and is faster. BUT, if I were splitting my wood in the woods where it lay rather in the open landing THEN I would say you need a log lift unless you have a strong back. In MY woods I could maneuver the tractor to act as a lift. You get the point. So make a plan and do your trade offs.

I will say to me it makes no sense to rent unless you are going to do a ton of work in one fell swoop and have the wood all lined up and all the help there to get-er-done.

gg

 

[Gordon Gould]

^^^ should have proof read. In my woods I could NOT use the tractor as a lift. To rough and too many trees.

 

[jkmfarmer]

 

[bdhsfz6]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I apologize if this has been discussed before. I did speed read a few pages of the thread but 24,664 posts is a lot to digest.

I suppose I should have given more information in my post. I had 6 acres logged and quite a few dead & dying Ash removed due to an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. All the Ash trunks are useable for cord wood though. Most of the timber was Cherry with a few Maple & Oak. I estimate I'll get 10 to 12 cords from the cuttings.

I'm 77, in fairly good shape, but I have my limits. I do cut & split manually from time to time but I'm not willing to do all this by hand.

I have looked at used splitters in the area but most are well used and might be difficult to resell. I have the space to store a splitter indoors so I could hold on to it for awhile if necessary. It will be some time before I have more logging done, so I doubt I'll have any further use for it.

I do see some owners on Facebook Marketplace that rent their splitters by the day. I don't know if I want to go down that road though since renters can be hard on the equipment.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[WinterDeere]

Do I rent a splitter or buy one with the idea of reselling after the project is finished?

I'd buy new, take good care of it, and then resell later if the need for it drops off. Used splitters aren't cheap enough to make it worth adopting someone else's poor maintenance and headaches, and your time is (presumably) somewhat limited.

 

[WinterDeere]

BTW... one of the things that kept me from buying a splitter early on, was storage space. I'd always kept all my equipment indoors, as anything left outside just takes such a beating from the sun and rain.

But a few others convinced the splitter would hold up just fine under a cover outdoors, and my shoulders were getting really torn up from all the maul splitting I was doing, so I eventually broke down and bought a splitter... and a soft cover.

I have to admit, after probably 10 - 12 years outdoors, the thing still looks like the day it was bought. I have to replace the cover about every 5th year, or a little sooner if I do something stupid and rip or burn it, but that's cheap enough.

The lower edge of these covers has a continuous elastic shock cord, and I install two pairs of grommets to add my own shock cord to affix the cover down tight over the tires. That keeps the sun off the tires and the cover from blowing off the splitter on our high-wind days in February and March. I also throw a PVC pipe fitting over the SCV handle, as I found that handle poking up is where the covers wore thru first.

So, don't worry about keeping your splitter outdoors. Just buy a decent cover for it, one that keeps rain off without trapping ground moisture in from below, and you'll be fine.

 

[wolc123]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I apologize if this has been discussed before. I did speed read a few pages of the thread but 24,664 posts is a lot to digest.

I suppose I should have given more information in my post. I had 6 acres logged and quite a few dead & dying Ash removed due to an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. All the Ash trunks are useable for cord wood though. Most of the timber was Cherry with a few Maple & Oak. I estimate I'll get 10 to 12 cords from the cuttings.

I'm 77, in fairly good shape, but I have my limits. I do cut & split manually from time to time but I'm not willing to do all this by hand.

I have looked at used splitters in the area but most are well used and might be difficult to resell. I have the space to store a splitter indoors so I could hold on to it for awhile if necessary. It will be some time before I have more logging done, so I doubt I'll have any further use for it.

I do see some owners on Facebook Marketplace that rent their splitters by the day. I don't know if I want to go down that road though since renters can be hard on the equipment.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

When I lived at home with my parents, I made all their firewood and I split it all by hand. No problem doing that in my teens and twenties. I’m thankful that my wife talked me into getting a splitter when I wax in my 30’s. I just turned 60 and my shoulders are still as good as they ever were.

The 22 ton vertical/horizontal with two speed pump and Honda engine, that I bought from Northern back then, has been great the last 20 years or so.

I really like the horizontal/vertical feature, and the two speed pump. I use it vertical on the big stuff, usually while seated on an upside down 5 gallon pail, as I work. It’s great not to have to lift those big chunks. I always have my tractor parked alongside so I can throw the splits into the bucket. Smaller stuff, I do horizontal while standing up, where it’s great to not have to bend over while working.

The two speed pump gears down and powers right thru knotty sections, but speeds up on retraction and thru lighter straight stuff, making for great cycle time.

I made a shed for mine, using an old garbage picked truck cap for a cover, placed on a 3 ft high, wood framed 3-sided wall. That saves me some barn space and keeps the splitter dry and always ready to go.

 

[dodge man]

I have a question for those with wood splitting experience:

I just had some acreage timbered and the loggers, at my instruction, left the tops and trunks that had no value, for me to cut and split. I can only work a few hours per day when weather permits. Do I rent a splitter or buy one with the idea of reselling after the project is finished?

It's hard to estimate the number of days the project will take, and the days I can work will often be non consecutive. That means making a 45 minute drive to the rental yard on those days I need the splitter. I'm looking for a 30 ton horizontal / vertical model and no one around here offers long term leases.

Rough cost estimates for renting vs buying are a wash if I can get 70% of the cost back on a resale. From what I've seen on C.L. and Facebook marketplace, this is not unreasonable around here for a lightly used almost new splitter.

I also looked into hiring a contractor but no one around here does that type of work.

So... Do I rent or buy? If I buy, what type splitter would work best? I have a 60HP tractor with rear remotes but the low CFM would make for a slow cycle time on a 30 ton splitter. Splitters with a separate PTO pump are an option but cost more. Both would require the tractor to be running while splitting and not available for moving rounds or split wood. They are also harder to sell.

Self powered splitters seem to be more cost effective and much easier to sell. Any ideas or options I've missed?

I’m 62 and my days of splitting by hand are done. I’d get a gas powered one if I were you. I lucked into a used one for $800 just a couple of miles from my house. It goes both vertical and horizontal. The nice part is you can split for just an hour or two and get a lot done. A new one isn’t cheap but $1300 to $1500 gets a good one.

 

[cmyoung2]

I use a Huskee splitter, could go either vertical or horizonal, but I never go vertical anymore, just not comfortable to me. I did get a GorillaBac lift/winch/crane for lifting the large chunks, mostly anything over about 15"diameter. I use hand tongs to pick up everything else. Generally split one tank of gas, then break time. I would recommend buying, I find when I rent a peice of equipment it works me too hard--have to get done so I don't pay extra. And that is when I break something or get hurt. You didn't say if you were using the wood or selling it, but either way, 10 cords at $250/cord will pay for a splitter, and you can still resell it. I was at the NC Southern Farm Show this week, got to drool over some interesting wood processors. At $20+k, drool was all I could do.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I apologize if this has been discussed before. I did speed read a few pages of the thread but 24,664 posts is a lot to digest.

I suppose I should have given more information in my post. I had 6 acres logged and quite a few dead & dying Ash removed due to an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. All the Ash trunks are useable for cord wood though. Most of the timber was Cherry with a few Maple & Oak. I estimate I'll get 10 to 12 cords from the cuttings.

I'm 77, in fairly good shape, but I have my limits. I do cut & split manually from time to time but I'm not willing to do all this by hand.

I have looked at used splitters in the area but most are well used and might be difficult to resell. I have the space to store a splitter indoors so I could hold on to it for awhile if necessary. It will be some time before I have more logging done, so I doubt I'll have any further use for it.

I do see some owners on Facebook Marketplace that rent their splitters by the day. I don't know if I want to go down that road though since renters can be hard on the equipment.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

Look around for a used splitter with a bad hydraulic unit and convert it to run of the rear hydraulics of your tractor.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Look around for a used splitter with a bad hydraulic unit and convert it to run of the rear hydraulics of your tractor.

That works but be prepared for a really slooow splitter unless you are willing to spend a fair amount of money to speed it up.

SR

 

[wolc123]

The biggest problem with a tractor operated splitter is the loss of your tractor bucket for hauling away the splits. It’s so handy to leave it parked next to the splitter to fill as you go.

The little Honda engine on my 22 ton vertical/horizontal 22 ton 2-stage pump Northern splitter hasn’t missed a beat in the 20 some years that I’ve had it.

 

[Jstpssng]

The biggest problem with a tractor operated splitter is the loss of your tractor bucket for hauling away the splits

The easiest solution to that is to go buy another tractor!!!

For big pieces I like to fill the grapple, and roll them into the splitter. Then toss the finished pieces into my dump trailer.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

The easiest solution to that is to go buy another tractor!!!

For big pieces I like to fill the grapple, and roll them into the splitter. Then toss the finished pieces into my dump trailer.

.

 

[WinterDeere]

The biggest problem with a tractor operated splitter is the loss of your tractor bucket for hauling away the splits. It’s so handy to leave it parked next to the splitter to fill as you go.

Even more than that, my tractor is my log lift! I buck the rounds, roll them into the bucket, lift and park it right next to the infeed side of my splitter. This way, I can keep the splitter horizontal and move faster than I ever could with heavy rounds in vertical mode.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

The biggest problem with a tractor operated splitter is the loss of your tractor bucket for hauling away the splits. It’s so handy to leave it parked next to the splitter to fill as you go.
View attachment 2660535The little Honda engine on my 22 ton vertical/horizontal 22 ton 2-stage pump Northern splitter hasn’t missed a beat in the 20 some years that I’ve had it.

I didn't say to convert it into a 3-point attachment. You can easily buy long hoses, and quick connects. Tow it where you want it and when you want to leave on the tractor, disconnect it.

As to the comment about it being slow, it would be dependent on how many gpm the tractor hydraulics move versus the power unit on the splitter. Small splitters have pumps rated at 2 to 3-gpm. Splitters with larger rams, typically have 11-gpm. Big splitters have 16 to 20-gpm. If your tractor is a 23 to 25-hp CUT, you probably have 3 to 5-gpm. A 35-horse tractor will be around 11 to 15-gpm.

And, in the case of the larger splitters, if you need higher flow or pressure, you may be able to convert the pump to a PTO pump.

Lastly, unless you're in a commercial environment, do you really need to go fast?

It is all a matter of economics. Folks don't maintain their splitters, and the engine dies. They buy another splitter, and the old one just sets there. They're sure they will fix it someday. Pretty soon they have a couple of dead splitters setting there. Which if you notice one while driving by and ask, they may just give you for hauling it away.

A friend who was in his eighties, made good off book pocket money, fixing the non-running stuff people gave him for hauling it off. And, after he got a local reputation, folks would call him about things they had or wanted.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I didn't say to convert it into a 3-point attachment. You can easily buy long hoses, and quick connects. Tow it where you want it and when you want to leave on the tractor, disconnect it.

As to the comment about it being slow, it would be dependent on how many gpm the tractor hydraulics move versus the power unit on the splitter. Small splitters have pumps rated at 2 to 3-gpm. Splitters with larger rams, typically have 11-gpm. Big splitters have 16 to 20-gpm. If your tractor is a 23 to 25-hp CUT, you probably have 3 to 5-gpm. A 35-horse tractor will be around 11 to 15-gpm.

And, in the case of the larger splitters, if you need higher flow or pressure, you may be able to convert the pump to a PTO pump.

Lastly, unless you're in a commercial environment, do you really need to go fast?

Not at the remotes they don't...

I have a pto splitter, my big tractor has 16 gal at the remotes and it's still a bit too slow.

SR

 

[bdhsfz6]

Anyone try one of these on a tractor FEL?

Skid Steer 6 Way Wedge Log Splitter Attachment

Split logs into 6 pieces with one stroke with our 6 Way Wedge Log Splitter Attachment. Made in the USA.

www.skidsteers.com

It has a 12 second cycle time at 13 GPM and my W&R Long 3rd function valve puts out 12. Should be close enough.

Looks like you could grab a round and split it while transporting to the wood pile.

 

[groundcover]

Mini Skid Steer Log Splitter | The Quick Split Mini

Our Inverted Skid Steer Log Splitter allows you to stay in the cab while you split logs on the ground. With up to 32 tons of splitting force and an average cycle time of just 7 seconds, this durable log splitter saves you time and money.

quickattach.com