Log splitters

[Hodado]

You’d be further ahead to buy one and resell it afterwards

 

[Syaladnam]

I’m trying to decide whether I should buy or rent a log splitter. I’m concerned that I will wear out before the logs are all split. Renting a splitter for 10 days will cost me about $1700, so that number is my hope for a decent splitter. I need to have one that I can roll the logs onto. Any thoughts?

While I’m in NZ, (& prices may vary) every 2 years at New Year (our summer) we’ve felled eucalypts, acacias and pines, cut them into rounds, rented a vertical splitter, (with log lift) for 4 days (usually), and split furiously, dawn until dusk, producing a few piles of (usually 14” length) firewood for our Rayburn woodburner. However, after too many years of this, discovering “Outdoors with the Morgans” on YT, & Mike’s unceasing expanding operations, wanting to “branch out” with a new venture, we researched widely to see what was available & recently purchased a new Split-Fire 1165V from the NZ importer (1165V Vertical Log Splitter - Split-Fire). A word of caution though; as the main column is the hydraulic oil reservoir, raising the centre of gravity, after collecting it from the local freight yard on a tipping trailer, I can advise that it does fall easily. Also, the drawbar is rather short if you don’t have a fixed height towball (I use a MF TEA with TPL), so it can seem unstable when being moved, unless held level.
I’ve yet to cut some rounds again to test it, so may report when I have. If you can get something that you can use easily and whenever you have time/energy, go for it!

I’m trying to decide whether I should buy or rent a log splitter. I’m concerned that I will wear out before the logs are all split. Renting a splitter for 10 days will cost me about $1700, so that number is my hope for a decent splitter. I need to have one that I can roll the logs onto. Any thoughts?

 

[John_Mc]

Do the math. Purchase for $2000. Sell after splitting for half of that ($1000) :
$2000 minus $1000 = $1000 paid to split.
$1700 rent vs. $1000 to split = $700 saved.
Better off renting.

Until you consider next year, and the year after.

Plus, If I had used a splitter for only one season, there is no way I'd sell it for half price.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I think the economy of renting vs buying varies with need, circumstance and location.

Around here, "like new" barely used splitters are going for 75 to 80% of the purchase price on Facebook Marketplace. This varies with the time of year, as do rental costs. Right now, if I rented a splitter for 10 days, I would break even if I bought new.

Buying new also allows me to split when I feel like it over an extended period of time. No letting the rental sit unused or hauling it back and forth to the rental yard. The splitter would also be available if needed while it's listed for sale. Tough to put a $$ figure on that.

YMMV.

 

[gsganzer]

I ended up buying the Champion 27T. I've usually rented a splitter each year, but my last two rentals were a mess. I ended up having (7) 75- 80' pines come down on my back property, so I'll put it to use there first. The bark beetles killed them last year, so they've been standing-dry. When I head to deer camp for turkey season during the next month, I'll cut dead, dry-standing oak and haul back some loads.

I agree with Eddie Walker, that I usually search out equipment with Honda engines. The reviews of the Champion all mentioned how easy staring it is. I also noticed Champion uses the exact same engine on almost all their equipment, including tiller, pressure washer and chipper. I assume that they have a mature product and parts readily available. I guess time will tell.

Even though we're in TX, we still burn a fair amount of wood in the patio fireplace and the living room. I expect we'll put a wood stove in our retirement home. I've always enjoyed a wood fire throughout my years.

 

[bearthebruce]

Right now, if I rented a splitter for 10 days, I would break even if I bought new.

I ended up buying the Champion 27T.

I ended up in the same place... I now have a Champion 27T wood splitter. I have 2 trees to split... but rental fees would have been $900 for 2 weeks... may as well buy it, use it for 2 weeks, and then sell it. (Some assembly required! ) I'm impressed with the build - not so much with the delivery and the packaging... They sent unit on a lift gate truck with no pallet jack. The driver crew had a fun time getting that into my garage. The 69 year old bear helped!

 

[gsganzer]

I ended up in the same place... I now have a Champion 27T wood splitter. I have 2 trees to split... but rental fees would have been $900 for 2 weeks... may as well buy it, use it for 2 weeks, and then sell it. (Some assembly required! ) I'm impressed with the build - not so much with the delivery and the packaging... They sent unit on a lift gate truck with no pallet jack. The driver crew had a fun time getting that into my garage. The 69 year old bear helped!

We'll have to compare notes on the Champion. I bought mine at Home Depot and it was already assembled. Although, I'll probably go through it myself. I'm a stickler when it comes to assembling things using locktite for parts that need to stay together and never-sieze on parts that need to come apart.

The first thing I'll do is add some lifting eyes, so I can easily lift it with a chain to put it in/out of my truck bed/trailer.

 

[JeepHead]

I have been using my champion 27 ton for about 17 months now having split a couple hundred cords. It still functions perfectly, still starts the first or second pull, and has never once not split something I put on it no matter how big the rounds are. And I split mostly Hickory, Oak, Ash, and Cherry. Would buy it again in a heartbeat.

 

[gsganzer]

Some of our standing-dry Texas oak should be a good test. TX oak is pretty dense with tight rings (less growth per year). It burns great though with great coals.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I ended up in the same place... I now have a Champion 27T wood splitter. I have 2 trees to split... but rental fees would have been $900 for 2 weeks... may as well buy it, use it for 2 weeks, and then sell it. (Some assembly required! ) I'm impressed with the build - not so much with the delivery and the packaging... They sent unit on a lift gate truck with no pallet jack. The driver crew had a fun time getting that into my garage. The 69 year old bear helped!

I'll likely go for the Champion 34 or 37 ton splitter. Don't really need the extra splitting force and the 27 ton would be fine but they seem to be in bigger demand on Facebook Marketplace around here. Both are in stock locally and just $300 more. Might be money well spent for a quicker resale.

Right now, I'm still cutting rounds and moving them to a staging area. I plan to buy and split at my leisure over the summer and resell the splitter in the fall.