Splitter Recommendation

I offered to go halves on a splitter with my friend where i store wood thinking i may eventually start using one. He had been using one a relative loaned him thats been given back. He text me earlier asking about doing such. Not knowing much about them what would you suggest FHC for an "average" splitter? I think the one he borrowed was 22 ton. Then again going halves maybe a higher quality, higher tonnage one? My concern is long term quality and dependability. It would be stored at his place under a tarp.

 

What kind of wood do you split the most?
Whatever you get I would suggest a push block design. And something the doesn't have those goofy channels on the top beam that stuff can get caught up in.

 

Can you post pics to educate me Diesel 4 life? Ive spent very little time around a hydro.
I will keep scrounging easy to split hardwoods with minimal knots as ill keep hand splitting. Sometimes i get rounds a bit to gnarly and ill give them to him.

 

Determine what y’all’s budget is, than look at what models you can buy. Big tonnage isn’t as important as cycle times. You shouldn’t be able to eat a sammich and have a smoke while the push plate/wedge goes down and back.

 

I no you didnt ask but are you sure you want to go in on one instead of getting one 4 yourself.. Just asking because sometimes it may not work out.

 

best bang for buck imnsho is the countyline 25 ton from tractor supply if there is a local one.
pretty quick cycle times, good engine, will crush it, if it can't split it.
Unfortunately the bang happens in the fall. When the sales really kick in.
Going halves on one of those wouldn't be a huge loss if something happens. you're out 400~ (depending on the price in your region obviously)
You won't find a box store splitter without that goofy trapped beam design either so might as well live with it. It isn't that bad honestly.

 

What??? Say it ain't so Brad

 

Brad, looking at your enthusiasm for firewoodun I'd say something from Cord King is in order.
Just saying....

 

If i used if for all my wood it would be a 90% my usage. He does let me store 30+ cords of wood in his yard and i can come and go as i please. He only asks for a cod of unsplit rounds in return which i gladly oblige. I help him out in other ways too.

 

I honestly wont stop hand splitting, and would only help him process his wood when need be. I do have a cord of mostly pin oak with some hickory rounds id like to run through it.

 

Brad, for your heavy use, I would do like I did and go American made. All the big box store is Chinese made and may last a lifetime for the casual homeowner but you might not be happy long run. Especially with not only your heavy use but sharing it with another owner who also may put a lot of hours on it.

It's personal preference but I would go with a vertical horizontal unit. I do most of my splitting in vertical but can go the other direction if so desired. Pusher style can't go vertical on huge rounds that are too heavy to lift.

All this said, I just went through the same dilemma. Check out my DHT 35 ton value thread. I ended up with a Swisher 34 ton commercial rated unit but it was close between that unit and the Iron and Oak 37 ton. Both are very HD and American made. The I&O is built to take the abuse of a rental fleet, has a Honda motor, and torsion axles to smooth out road towing. I went with the Swisher as it had a better price, bigger hydro tank, electric start Kawasaki twin engine, and faster cycle time.

If either of those are just too far outside your budget, the County Line 40 ton sold at Tractor Supply is a very nice imported unit with great reviews. It has a 9.5 second cycle time and a commercial rated Kohler engine. It's 2k retail but they do put them on sale from time to time...

 

Oh boy , goin to trade in the club for a hydro hatchet ?
Lets see where this goes.

OK Brad , what's next ?? Husky saws ????

 

Brad, check out the Eastonmade Ultra. Joe at Joes premium firewood (you tube channel) and Chris from In the wood yard (you tube channel) use it.
And check out the Rugged made, Outside with Schieb (you tube channel) uses this one.

 

Yup

 

This is a push block. The flat is on the ram and pushes off the end of the beam instead of rolling toward you or wedging around the knife. No you can’t go vertical with them but that’s never really been a problem for me. And from what I’ve seen you hand load your truck so if you can get it in the bed you should have no problem getting it on the beam. In my experience you can split stringier gnarlier stuff because it won’t get caught up. I bought this used. It’s home made and I have no idea how many ton it is. It’s not crazy tonnage but it has never had a problem running through Osage or stingy elm
Wallenstein WX515 20-Ton Horizontal Gas Log Splitter, Honda GC Engine
This looks nice!
If most what you split is straight grain you won’t need that much tonnage. The bad azz vertical eastonmade axis is only 14 ton and it seems to be the one everyone wants. Cycle time won’t be too big of a deal if the stuff you split is straight grain it probably won’t take a full cycle anyway.

 

I feel like the dual direction splitter makes the most sense. No idea who makes one. Anyone have any experience with one? Cycle time would be next to zero, I think. Ive seen swisher makes a pretty heavy duty electric one too, makes sense if its staying in a location relatively close to power.

 

Iron & Oak, Brave make them. PowerHorse used to make a 20 ton but they don’t make them anymore. My friend has one that I used & it worked well on everything I split, the only drawback was it’s height, I always set it up on railroad ties to get a better working height.

 

Brad there are a lot of choices american log splitters in New York makes some nice splitters in all sizes just remember you do not need 30 tons to split firewood any 20 ton splitter will do the job and usually the more tonnage the slower the cycle and also there is the choice of kinetic which has its advantages, a lot of members here use the farm store splitters EG; countyline,DHT etc and they are happy with them, from working on customers splitters I have found that the vertical shaft engine models are cheaper engines but most of them use the same pumps cylinders and valves I have run a Iron and oak commercial for a lot of years 13 hp Robin engine 20 ton and have had no real problems I have just upgraded to a Wolfe ridge ( due in april) but we split 40 plus cord a year of wood I also wanted a splitter with auto cycle I am so used to that feature . good luck with your search and I know you like "Armstrong Splitting" but even the baddest woodcutter cannot out split a splitter for long JB

 

He’s coming around slowly