Speeco vs. Forest King Log Splitter

[wsp617]

I'm in the market for a new log splitter. I had my eyes on a Forest King 22 ton splitter from Menards. It's a Chinese made unit but it has 9 reviews on the website. All 9 people gave it 5/5 stars. Right now they have their 11% off. Reg price is $999 so I can get it for $889. Then my wife gets an email from Farm/Fleet saying they have 12 months no interest on purchases over $299. We stopped there tonight and they have the Speeco 22 ton splitter on sale for $1,000 ($100 off). They look very similar.

Two things I noticed was the Speeco has an oil filter for the hydraulic fluid where the Menards unit does not. The Speeco unit has a Briggs/Stratton engine where the Menards is a Chinese built unit.

So I can get the Menards unit for $110 less but the SpeeCo unit has 12 months no interest. Both are rated at 22-ton and can be used in the horizontal or vertical position. i like the idea of have a filter in the fluid line.

Does anyone have experience with either unit? Any other thoughts?

 

[Code54]

Don't have any experience but I would feel a bit safer paying the extra few bucks and getting the filtered system and the briggs engine. At least with the Briggs you stand a good chance of getting parts it you ever need them.

 

[DennisArrow]

TSC sells the Speeco and rebrands it. I have the larger version; but it's basically the same unit.......Maybe 150 or so cords over the last 6 or 7 years with zero problems with the engine, the hydraulics or the framework.........For me.....BUY AMERICAN where one can and don't look back........God bless......Dennis

 

[wngsprd]

After hand splitting for decades, I broke down this winter and bought the 22 ton TSC Huskee-branded splitter made by Speeco when it was on sale. It has the Briggs engine and hydraulic filter you mentioned. I didn't buy it until February, so only split about 2 cords, but it works great...I split some oak, cherry, maple, and big sweet gum logs, some of them very knotty, from an area I cleared. It handled all of that with no problem. Easy starting with 2-3 pulls when cold, 1 pull when warm.

After using it a few times, I went back to TSC and bought the optional log catcher ($50) they had recommended. It really makes splitting big logs much easier.

Good luck on your decision.

 

[wsp617]

After thinking about it, I'm going with the Speeco unit. There's more reasons to buy it over the Forest King. I really want a filter for the hydraulic fluid and I'm thinking it'll be easier to get parts for the Speeco unit. Thanks for the replies.

 

[EddieWalker]

Last year I bought the Troy Bilt 27 ton log splitter from Lowes. The most important part of the log splitter is the engine, and having one that starts every time and starts easily. If it doesn't have a Honda engine on it, you are just buying something temporary that will be more headache then it's worth. Spend the extra money and get the good engine.

Shop Troy-Bilt 27-Ton Gas Log Splitter at Lowes.com

Eddie

 

[DennisArrow]

With all due respect to Eddie...........I have implements and equipment with both Briggs and Honda engines with even a Kohler or two thrown in...........For me, the Honda carbs are sensitive.....VERY sensitive to ethanol damage. Yes, even with care of running them dry and gas treatments, I have replaced bowls and jets. This is on a Honda 3K gen set and a pressure washer.

For me, ALL engines have their problems, it's just part of it. Not into this vs that thread but the money made by the Briggs corp possibly stays here not into off shore banks.............BOTH are made in America or assembled here so that is a plus on either.........BOTH manufacturers produce quality machines and with the splitter I mention above, a 30 ton, with perhaps 200 hours on the engine or more, B&S, it still fires up on the first or second pull at 10 degrees and above............

BY the way........why I returned my thoughts to this thread........The log catcher mentioned above is well worth the money as is a 4-way splitter head that Speeco offers.........they have a light duty and heavy duty..........I have the heavy duty with perhaps 20 cords on it now..........GOOD STUFF..........God bless.........Dennis

 

[adirondackmtnman]

After hand splitting for decades, I broke down this winter and bought the 22 ton TSC Huskee-branded splitter made by Speeco when it was on sale. It has the Briggs engine and hydraulic filter you mentioned. I didn't buy it until February, so only split about 2 cords, but it works great...I split some oak, cherry, maple, and big sweet gum logs, some of them very knotty, from an area I cleared. It handled all of that with no problem. Easy starting with 2-3 pulls when cold, 1 pull when warm.

After using it a few times, I went back to TSC and bought the optional log catcher ($50) they had recommended. It really makes splitting big logs much easier.

Good luck on your decision.

+1. I have the 12.5 hp, 35 Ton Huskee with the optional log catcher. Been a great machine. It's on it's 8th season, 25 cords or so/year. Never done anything besides primary maintenance, a seal kit for the cylinder, and a repaint this winter. Buy the speeco IMO.

Sent from my LGL35G using TractorByNet

 

[Pilot]

Another vote for the Speeco.

One thing that's important to me, maybe to you, is to be able to operate if from either side. Most have the hydraulic handle on one side, which may not be where you want to stand.

And for DennisArrow and others, there are lots of places in many states where you can get real gasoline, not the crap with ethanol. Go to Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada and search for your state. Dennis, in Georgia, there are 359 stations listed with pure gasoline, my state of Oregon has 194 and if you are unfortunate enough to live in California, you get only 14 locations. But move to Freeze your tail Wisconsin and you can probably get the good stuff across the street as there are 699 locations listed. Sorry, Eddie, you only get 89 in Texas and there are none listed for Tyler.

 

[GregbkH]

I have the 25 ton speeco and love it. Got it from Farm & Fleet also. However, I researched their models and got one with greater pump flow and a shorter cycle time. It splits everything.

 

[Member]

I have the 28 ton Speeco purchased from Farm and Fleet in Madison. No problems.

Edit: Here it is about to split a pretty big round. My brother counted 140 rings. These were *very* hard to get to the splitter, without vertical operation it would have been impossible to deal with them.

 

[deerseeker001]

One Wisconsin Guy to another they are good Splitters.

I have the 28 ton Speeco purchased from Farm and Fleet in Madison. No problems.

Edit: Here it is about to split a pretty big round. My brother counted 140 rings. These were *very* hard to get to the splitter, without vertical operation it would have been impossible to deal with them.

View attachment 378882

 

[EddieWalker]

On a side note, I have a wood stove and one of the big lessons that I have learned with burning in the stove is that smaller is better!!! I like the length of my rounds to be about a 12 inches, and I like each piece to be no thicker then 6 inches at the bark. It burns so clean and efficiently that during the coldest nights when it gets into the teens, we can heat the house with one load of wood that one of us brings in.

I made the mistake of cutting my rounds to 18 inches when I first had it and that was just terrible. Harder to get the fire going and tougher to handle. I also found that my 27 ton log splitter cuts through anything that's 12 inches long without effort, but there are some 18 inch rounds that it would struggle with. Then there is the fact that they are just a lot heavier and more difficult to get onto the splitter. I absolutely hate splitting wood with the splitter in the up/down position, so keeping those rounds to 12 inches makes it easy to handle while splitting in a comfortable standing position.

For storing and stacking, they seem to stack tighter at 12 inches.

Eddie

 

[DennisArrow]

For me, I back up my RTV on the side that I stand and operate. I can then just toss, reach over and stack, or hand to a helper for loading. On the other side where the very handy Speeco option of the shelf gizmo is, I bring up the big rounds and hold them with my tractor bucket. Makes for a great system for productivity. For lengths my Harman, TLC 300 top or front load, it's easy to use pretty much any length below 27" but I tend to use around 16" or so. The 35 ton Speeco/TSC just crunches through hickory forks just like it does with pine...........However it is done, it's a joy not to have to beat myself silly with a maul, sledge, or wedge..........Yes, getting old does give one an excuse to use the easy, NOT workout way of doing things...........God bless........Dennis

 

[ruffdog]

Another WI guy with a Speeco here and it is a 25 ton with the 10.5hp Briggs (16gpm). It has been a great splitter.

 

[GregbkH]

Another WI guy with a Speeco here and it is a 25 ton with the 10.5hp Briggs (16gpm). It has been a great splitter.

That's the one I have. Works great.

 

[Manitobaken]

Suggest you check. Speedco is made in China