Completely Off Topic - Log Splitters

SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
Who here heats with wood? Or at least uses it to subsidize your main heat source? We have installed a free standing wood stove and I'm now on the hunt for a log splitter. Thanks to our recent ice storms I have an abundance of wood to work with. I'm currently using a friends Troy Built 27 ton hydraulic but I'm growing old waiting on the splitter to travel back and forth. That's a "tongue in cheek" comment because I'm grateful to use it as I'm not swinging a sledge or maul to split it.

What are y'all using?
 

Maxx2893

Full Access Member
This

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Mounted on this

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SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
I own a Bobcat 843 and that is a consideration. I was looking at the inverted one so you can pick up logs and split them right from the seat. I have a 3-point hitch adapter for it and have looked at units that go on tractors. Something like this which is a dual direction splitter.

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But I may want to use the skid steer to lift my wood and use the bucket as a staging table so I'm also looking at stand alone splitters. I'm really intrigued by the kinetic log splitters like this one. No hydraulics to mess with. They use spinning flywheels to drive a ram into the log. They're simple and quick.

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Maxx2893

Full Access Member
I've seen the inverted splitters and seem like a good idea. I usually have all my logs in one spot though, and that CID splitter is operated externally. So you just set it there, set the throttle on the skid steer, hop out and throw your log on. Split and throw another on. It makes it nice because you don't have to keep getting in and out to operate the hydraulics.

I've never seen the kinetic ones before. I'm gonna have to do some research in to them because you've peaked my interest.
 

SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
I've seen the inverted splitters and seem like a good idea. I usually have all my logs in one spot though, and that CID splitter is operated externally. So you just set it there, set the throttle on the skid steer, hop out and throw your log on. Split and throw another on. It makes it nice because you don't have to keep getting in and out to operate the hydraulics.

I've never seen the kinetic ones before. I'm gonna have to do some research in to them because you've peaked my interest.

The top two kinetic splitters are #1 The Super Splitter and #2 The DR Rapidfire. I've got the Rapidfire in my sights. Even though everyone raves about their Super Splitters it is a little more expensive than the Rapidfire and the Rapidfire comes with a 2 year warranty extendable to 5 years for an additional $200. Plus the Rapidfire is set up to be towable and the SS isn't.

The kinetic splitters being a simple as they are aren't cheap. You're looking at about $3K delivered. At least the way I want it set up with the electric start and optional work table. But they are very quick at turning logs into firewood and sip fuel compared to the hydraulic machines. Plus there's no pump, fluid or filters to mess with.

That being said, I just bought a Harbor Freight 20 Ton Dual Cut hydro unit. For the price, I couldn't pass it up. $824 to my door. It will make a great interim unit until I can get the Rapidfire. And even if I have to upgrade the pump I'll still have less than $1K in it.

Item number 61594. On sale for $899 (use code 23829734 for 25% off). This brings it down to $675. Then ya add back in the tax and delivery. If you can find one at your local HF then you can save on the delivery. None of them in my area had one in stock.

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kwo51

Full Access Member
Still need the teenage boy to lift log onto ram. Does any body make one you place over the log?
 

SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
Still need the teenage boy to lift log onto ram. Does any body make one you place over the log?

Some makers and ingenuitive individuals have devised a log lift on their splitters. Roll the log onto the lift and pull a lever to raise it to splitter height. Something I may look into. Most of my logs aren't that big. They've been cut to approx. 18-20" and only about 12" across. Pretty easy to handle.

Here's a video of a guy who has a splitter very similar to the one I just got who has made a 4-way splitter head and log lift for his.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0QH323qUUc]Powerhorse log splitter with custom made dual 4-way wedge - YouTube[/ame]
 

SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
Got my splitter delivered today. The orange one pictured above. I scheduled my day and the delivery (freight truck) to be here between 2 and 4pm. Well that came and went. Called carrier to find out it was 30 miles North of me in South Boston, VA. He attempted to deliver just after 1pm. I WASN"T HERE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE TIME WE SET UP!!! So they call the driver and have him deliver on the way back. I'm sitting at the end of my driveway in my Bobcat (skid steer) waiting for him to show up.

Finally he appears on the horizon. There's no way he can get up my driveway so he has to stop in the road. He opens the rear door and positions the pallet so that I could get the forks into it and lift it out of the truck. Signed papers and he was on his way. Delivery took all of two minutes. But now it's too late to assemble it. Maybe tomorrow. I did open the box and from what I saw so far I'm pretty impressed with the construction. Those logs won't stand a chance with me now. Hahahaha (evil laugh).
 

SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
There won't be a standing tree within 3 miles

That's not true. I like my trees. My whole yard (3.5 acres) is trees except for a small back yard and septic field and driveway. We did just have a bad ice storm that took down a bunch of them. They will become fuel. Gotta split them and season them (a little salt & pepper??). I've probably got enough for at least two winters. My poor parents (live next door) had a whole grove of pine trees come down. I need to start hauling that stuff over here and process it. They probably had close to 40 pine trees snap or fall. When the ice storm was doing it's damage, the air smelled like a pine air freshener.

I'm not planning on cutting anything that is alive. Unless it's a nuisance tree. There is a sycamore that keeps dropping those little spiked balls on the driveway. I've got my eye on that one. It might have an "accident".
 
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SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
Got it assembled and all the fluids in it. Got it started and got to split some logs. I'm impressed. For Harbor Freight equipment it's as good a log splitter that I've seen. It powers through the same logs as easily as my friends 27 ton splitter did. I can't see any reason that it won't hold up. It has a Honda clone engine that has good ratings. I like that it splits in both directions. Don't have to wait for the ram to return to the start position. Helps speed things up a little. I'll put it through it's paces this weekend.

It didn't come stock with a hydraulic filter on it but I figured out a way to install one. Help keep the fluid cleaner longer.

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SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
How many horses are in the engine? Looks little for heavy work.

For some stupid reason they stopped rating them in HP. Now they're rated in displacement or cc's. This one is 212cc's which works out to be about 6.5 to 7 hp. The splitter is rated at 20 ton. My friends Troybuilt splitter is a 160cc or about 4.5 to 5 hp. But his splitter is rated at 27 ton. I'm not a hydraulic engineer so I'm not about to try and figure that out.

I threw a pretty good size piece of poplar on it yesterday. It was probably about 12" across. My splitter went through it without hesitation. So far all I've done is poplar and pine. Both pretty soft woods. I need to get some oak and try that. I'm confident the splitter will handle it though.

This is a residential type splitter. Not really built for commercial work. I'm still thinking about getting one of those kinetic splitter down the road. Unless I hit the lottery then I'm getting this.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdXzaGFkWfU[/ame]
 
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SilvrSRT10

Super Moderator
That would be cool. If I hit the lottery I will buy you one to do my fire wood.

I already own a Bobcat. Got a great deal from a guy who needed money and I gave him what he was asking for it. Has auxiliary hydraulics and all. I can't imagine what that log processor attachment cost. Probably more than I paid for my Bobcat. Whoever designed that and put it together is a genius.
 

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