Recommended brand of logsplitter?

[jtheise4]

I'm in the market for a stand alone, gas/diesel powered logsplitter. I split 5 cords or less a year. I really like the Timberwolf or Wallenstein splitters, but they maybe overkill for my purpose. Whatever I get, I want it to last 15 years minimum. I take great care of my equipment, so I expect it to last. I'm not opposed to paying extra for quality. I'm looking for specific brands and models along with personal experience with the equipment. Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[Ford850]

I went through similar research a few years ago. I decided to save money and go with a TSC branded splitter, and in a much smaller than originally planned size. I bought the 22 ton unit with curled (rolled) rail and a briggs engine. I'm on my third year with it I think, and it is like new. Seriously it looks like it did after the first day I used it. I run the engin dry after each use, and it still starts on the first pull even after months of no use. I split between 5 to 10 cords a year with it. I doubt I will ever need a replacement. Oh, and by getting the smaller cylinder model it has a faster cycle time than most. I have yet to have a chunk of knarled crotch wood that if couldn't split. The main beam is higher than many splitters out there, and it REALLY helps when splitting for hours... no sore back at all. I'd say the work height of it is it's best feature for me. The rest of it works flawlessly and better than any other splitter I have used. I think I bought mine for $899 when using a 10% discount card from TSC.
Having said all that, there are fancier and heavier built splitters out there. I looked at some of them and they are slick. But as fast as you can split 5 cords of wood, I decided it wasn't worth the couple thousand dollars more for the one or two days of use per year. In the end mine will split just as fast, and have the same pile of wood done at the end of the day. I used my extra money for another implement.

 

[LD1]

Another vote for the TSC branded Huskee's. They are atually made by speeco which makes good splitters, allthough not quite in the range of timberwolfs.

We have had out 27 ton unit for about 10-11 years now and to the tune of about 20-25 cord per year, we have had no trouble out of it at all.

For only 5 cord, I'd look at either their 22 or 27 ton units.

I think you can even get them with the honda engines as well allthough out B&S has held up just fine.

Yep, just checked, TSC has a huskee with a honda motor and 28 ton for $1500. SPEECO also uses barns pumps.

Considering a comparabe timberwolf unit would run you upwards of 3500 for just a basic vertical/horizontal unit with a honda motor and barns pump as well, I dont see what makes them worth 2k more

 

[Brad_Blazer]

If I was in the market I would have to go with the dual split style.
Powerhorse Dual Split Log Splitter — 20-Ton, 3000 PSI, Model# 11571 | Log Splitters | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[LD1]

If I was in the market I would have to go with the dual split style.
Powerhorse Dual Split Log Splitter 20-Ton, 3000 PSI, Model# 11571 | Log Splitters | Northern Tool + Equipment

I thought those splitters were a great Idea when I first saw them, but the more and more I split with our conventional style, the less I think that style would actually be practical.

First, we cut a lot of large diameter stuff, and a splitter capable of vertical is a MUST for me.

Second, a lot of the easier splitting stuff like red oak, ash, cherry, etc, the wedge only needs to go 6" into a 20 " peice of wood to split it. Thus with one of those you would be either reversing it like a conventional splitter, or waiting on it to complete the other 14" of its stroke before splitting again.

I have also not seen or know of a good way to put a 4 or 6 way wedge on one of these. So that would also reduce productivity vs having a slip in 4 way you could drop on in 2 seconds when you get a peice the right size.

Lastly, if you are splitting by yourself with a conventional splitter, 99.99% of the time the splitter will have already completed its return stroke before you are even ready with your next peice.

The only time I could see one of these being advantagous in MY situation would be when splitting tough stuff like american elm. Where you have to run the wedge all the way through most of the time anyway and is just too tough to use a 4 way with good results.

But to each his own. This is just my:2cents:

 

[EddieWalker]

I can't speak for anything other then the Troy Bilt sold at Lowes. My brother bought the 27 ton model last year and has split a few cords with it. It has the Honda engine, which I like better then the B&S engines.

For $1,400 it seems like a heck of a deal. I did some searches online and it was well reviewed. I'm going to borrow his this year, but plan on buying one of my own next year.

Eddie

 

[955er]

The Huskee ones are the best stand alones for the price. I have a 3 pt, but IMO I would buy the 28 ton Huskee. It comes standard with the Honda motor. The 35 ton I used the last 3 years has the briggs, and it was getting quirky with the amount of choke needed to start.

 

[Ford850]

I forgot one other thing. When I first started shopping, I went to my Stihl chainsaw dealer to see shat kind he sold. He gave me several choices of splitters he could get but didn't stock any like he used to. He told me to go to TSC and buy a Huskee, and then bring the money I saved back there and buy a couple new chain saws and a new lawn mower. Once I checked out the splitters at TSC it made sense.

 

[groundcover]

Check out supersplit logsplitters on utube. I love mine, did 45 pallets full last year, wouldn't want to go back to a ram unit .

 

[crazyal]

I have the Troy Built (MTD) 27 ton with the Honda 5.5 hp. It does between 8 to 10 cords a year now for 6 or 7 years now and still runs like the day I bought it. I didn't know a lot when i bouth it and I really lucked out. For me I want a splitter that moves the wedge over the kind that pushes the log into the wedge. Picking up logs is the hardest part of the job so why would you want to have the splitter pushing them onto the ground after it's split them. Either you'll have to pick them up again to do a second slit or you'll need to pick them up to move them away from the splitter.

Secondly having a splitter that can split in both positions (horz and vert) is also nice (would be a must if I didn't have a tractor with an FEL). This all goes back to lifting logs, the big ones are just heavy and awkward.

I got mine for about $1000. I bought one of those 20% Home Depot coupon off of eBay and went to Lowes and they took it. It's currently $1299. The differnces between the it and the TSC one is the way the motor is mounted, ergonomics between the two (looking at the picture of the TSC one it looks like the lever is on the same side as the engine vs on the opposite side for the TB), I know the Lowes one has a Halex 2 stage pump, don't know about the TSC.

Mine has a 3/4" think or more plate on the bottom of the i-beam. Looking at the pic of it that end plate doesn't look as stout. I would go down to each store and pretend to put logs on each and pull the lever to see which feels more natural to you. If nothing else you can easily sign up for Lowes moving program and get a 10% off coupon in your e-mail in a couple of days. How can you go wrong for $1170?

 

[dstig1]

Lots of folks on Arboristsite.com swear by the Speecos/TSC Huskees (made by Speeco). For your needs, you will probably get the best bang for your buck there, and if you have problmes, everyone seems very happy with the customer service. I got a Supersplit as I have more money than brains, and I like the faster cycle. My friend and I have some 30-40 cords to go through from our land clearing exercise, so the faster time is helpful, but the cost is roughly 2x the smallest Speecos. But the Supersplits are pretty darn awesome.

 

[LD1]

I would go down to each store and pretend to put logs on each and pull the lever to see which feels more natural to you.

I would love to see a video of that:laughing:

The OP will probabally end up on one of those TV shows that show craze things people do caught on the surveillance cameras



And yes the TSC splitters use a Haldex/Barns 2-stage as well, or at least they used to. So when comparing the lowes/troybuilt to the TSC huskee, they are basically the same motor (if you get the right huskee) and the same pump. Cylinder, and valves, who knows but I'd call it a wash. The determining factor between the two for be would be how well it looks built which is subject to opinion, how egronomic it is, and the price.

For me, I like the motor on the same side as me. I dont have to walk around the splitter (and the wood pile at the end) to start/stop the engine.

 

[crazyal]

I would love to see a video of that:laughing:

The OP will probabally end up on one of those TV shows that show craze things people do caught on the surveillance cameras

For me, I like the motor on the same side as me. I dont have to walk around the splitter (and the wood pile at the end) to start/stop the engine.

I never said I would do it in front of other people, lol.

Not having the motor on the same side I don't know if I would like it or not. Since I only start and stop the motor rarely and I can easily reach the switch by leaning over the cylinder I'm not sure how much that would matter much to me. But I think you just added one more test to be done while shopping.

 

[Erik Graham]

Greetings;

I've been using a SplitFire splitter for about 3 years now. I ended up buying a used and abused one from a local rental company so I'm not sure how old it is but I imagine it has been punished like no other. I really like two things about this splitter. One, it splits on the return stroke as well. The splitter head is much like a double headed axe and is operated by a double acting cylinder. Secondly, the splitter head is much narrower than the traditional large wedges found on many splitters. I'm not sure how many tons it is rated at but I have split many 24"-30" oak pieces with mine with no problem. Mine is powered with a Honda 5 hp GX series engine. In my view, the narrower wedge is also much safer, especially when splitting dry wood. The narrower wedge is pushed through the wood and does not have the sort of "ballistic" crack that wider wedges produce. Here's a link to their website. Not cheap, but well built and well thought out.

Manufacturers of high quality, custom engineered wood splitters, log splitters and wood chippers. | Split-Fire Sales Inc. Quality Built. High Performance. | Split-Fire - Your Best Choice

Cheers, Erik

 

[Don87]

I would tell you to look at one like I have, but I don't think it's made any more.
It's an MTD, 20 ton, that I purchased from Quality Farm and Fleet about 13 years ago.
I split about 10 cords per year, and my neighbor splits about the same amount with it.
I used to be a logger, and would load up my pickup with the knuckle boom loader. Boss said I couldn't split wood that size:laughing:
Never had a piece it wouldn't split.

 

[tommaple]

If I was in the market I would have to go with the dual split style.
Powerhorse Dual Split Log Splitter 20-Ton, 3000 PSI, Model# 11571 | Log Splitters | Northern Tool + Equipment
__________________


Another factor to consider with the dual-split machine is that you don't have as much power on the return stroke as you do on the push stroke. With a double-acting cylinder, on the return or pull stroke the effective piston diameter is reduced by the area of the piston rod. For example, if you have a 4" cylinder with a 1 1/2" diameter rod, operating at 2500 psi you will have 15.7 tons of force. However, on the return stroke you will only have 13.5 tons of force. If you are splitting some really tough wood, such as elm, you might have to reverse the ram anyway before splitting the next piece. This would let you use the ram on the push stroke so you're getting the full power of the hydraulics.

 

[crazyal]

Does anyone have the Northern tool brand splitter? There's none around me so buying one wasn't an option but it looks like they have a cable that idles the motor down when the ram retracts all the way. Not sure if it's more of a gimick or if it really works well and takes the abuse a splitter would see.

Normally when splitting I rarely let the ram return all the way before I get another log on it. But there are some times when I need to push a couple of pieces closer that it would be nice to have the splitter idle down.

 

[Deadman]

I have a Swisher brand splitter, and it seems really nice. I've split 100 face cord with it, and it works great. Has a 5.5 HP Honda engine, and 28 tons.
I split twisted Elm with it today, and it never once stalled.

 

[EddieWalker]

I looked at the 28 ton unit at TSC today with the Honda engine. It was $1,500 and seemed like a good splitter. Then I went to Lowes and looked at their 27 ton unit with what looks like the same Honda engine. Controls are the same, design is very similar. The Lowes machine has a metal coil wraped around the hoses that I felt was a nice extra. The splitter also seemed to be further out from the machine. Both of them wobbled around when shaking them, so I guess that's normal.

The Lowes machine is on sale for $1,300

Eddie