I've split all my firewood with a 3PH splitter for more than 25 years. It works, BUT I'm 86 years young, and lately, it's been getting more challenging.
This year I've made some changes that are keeping me in the game. The key for me is to never (well, hardly ever) have to stoop or bend to the ground. Also, to minimize muscle work. Here's what I've done:
Spend some money: I already had a tractor with forks. I added (1)
Full Boar 35 ton stand-alone splitter ($3.2K) with 600-pound log lifter, outfeed table, and 4- and 6-way blades, (2)
Chinese mini-excavator ($18K) to service the log pile (among other things), and (3) 29 IBC totes ($15-$30 each) to hold the splits. It works like this:
The tractor pulls the splitter to the log pile and positions it about 30 feet behind one end. It gets an empty IBC tote and places it next to the splitter outfeed table. I then position my mini excavator halfway between the log pile and the splitter. This is the process:
The mini excavator picks a log from the pile and rotates it 180 degrees to the splitter. While it holds the log at a convenient height, I (or a helper) cut the rounds, which drop to the ground near the log lift. Cut rounds are rolled to the log lift; they are moved with a
hookaroon, so there is no bending or stooping. The log lift loads the rounds to the splitter. The splitter pushes the splits to the outfeed table. They are easily tossed (not stacked!) from the table to the nearby IBC tote. (No bending or stooping, and individual sticks are very light.) When the tote becomes full, the tractor moves the tote to covered storage and brings an empty. Rinse and repeat.
The process easily accommodates 1-3 workers.
When I need a new load of firewood, the tractor (forks) replaces an empty tote with a full one under covered entrance to the house.
This setup won't fly for a lot of folks on a budget, but it's easy, safe, and fast, and in winter it reduces my electric bill by several hundred dollars per month.
