I been handsplitting happily for past couple years but this year ive just had it im sick of it especially after a load of hickory and tulip poplar…too much effort and i dont have the time now that i have a baby….been looking on Facebook marketplace for splitters but nothing has caught my eye…im thinking i should try to get a cheap used one that works and then begin saving for a kinetic one!
Been there, done that. Eventually you reach a point where enough is enough. You have more important battles to fight without needing to wage war on firewood. Get a decent used one, and you won't regret it!
Once i went hydro i never looked back. If i just cut wood for myself id still hand split but at 55 and selling wood its a simple hydro for me. Also depends on what type of rounds one gets too.
Splitting Hickory with hydraulics can make you cuss and Poplar is no walk in the park. I would look for a cheap homemade machine that could be modified. Faster cycle time is better.
I grew up watching dad hand split everything. Then many many years later, struggle with back issues. When I decided to burn wood, a hydraulic splitter was mandatory. The only thing I hand split is smoker wood. Kenetics are not cheap but buy once cry once. Wish I had one. The slower hydro will get the job done. Before buying, I borrowed a 22 ton unit a couple times and it did everything I asked if it. I went with a 34t because I found one for a deal.
If you can hold out for a couple months, there’s usually pretty good deals on splitters on Black Friday
Kids happen and time disappears! We had two boys 18mos apart and I got a splitter in between the first and the second. My time was needed with my family. Sounds like you are going through the same thing. Let the splitter research begin!
When I got into wood burner that was one of the first purchases... The only time I hand split is when I want smaller pieces before they go in the house...
I had a local power equipment salesman tell me his machine was the most awesome thing in the world and the one at the local farm store was junk. They were both 25-ton machines. “but why?” Never could get an accurate answer from him so I went looking for his machine online to compare it. Briggs & Stratton Recalls YTL, Longli and TIYA Log Splitters with Briggs & Stratton® Engines Due to Injury Hazard that’s when I learned all the box store splitters are pretty much made by one of three companies. The market majority being YTL International. the farm supply store was $999. The local power equipment store was $1450 Didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which one to get. I want to make lots of wood, not spend my time exercising . while a splitter is nice, you can save a ton more time with a better and bigger saw to get through cutting faster, a conveyor to dump into a trailer or at least just toss into a trailer. And piling your wood instead of stacking. Jeez is stacking a waste of time. More so than the splitter alone. I found you can save more time on the splitter by swapping the pressure hose from the pump to the control valve. My machine seems to get out of the high pressure side faster and go back to low pressure and high volume. My two-stage pump is rated 14.1 and 1.7 gpm. Staying in 14.1 side cycles much faster. I struggle with deciding if I’m going to drill out the working ports to get rid of the restrictive orifices there. No concern if you are running in high pressure. But low pressure high volume….
I used to hand split everything.......EVERYTHING! One year, during a splitting session, both neighbors came over an told me to take a break. My breathing sounded like a steam locomotive! That year, I had bought a load of "cull wood" from a lumber yard. Most ugly, twisted, gnarly, knotty, huge, man killing wood they could find that even the mills wouldn't accept! I bought a splitter that next fall. Rickyblazin the first step on the road to recovery is admitting there is a problem.....get out and buy yourself a splitter!
I used to split everything by hand and enjoyed it. It was my favorite part of the process and made the beer taste even better. Then last fall 2 neighbors turned me loose on the dead elm on their properties. There was a lot and more to come. Quite a few large rounds. I had split elm by hand before but not to this extent. And I'm not getting younger. I decided to bite the bullet and bought a County Line 25 ton. I should have bought it a long time ago.
I don't own a splitter and hand split everything. If my health holds up I don't see myself buying a splitter anytime soon. But as of now I have a few things working in my favor to let me continue to handsplit: I'm almost 5 years ahead with my stacks so I can work slow and steady. Also being so far ahead allows me to be very selective with the species of wood I process. I'm sitting on about 10 cords of 4' long splits of mostly white and red oak, which all I have to do is cut to the length I want. So the splitting has already been done for me. My sons aren't little anymore and are spendung more time with their friends, and girlfriends. I don't sell firewood, so just need to process qnd replace what I use. I do enjoy hand splitting. I get a stockpile of rounds and at some point a feeling comes over me to get to it. Usually in very late fall - late winter. Sometimes I wear ear buds and crank some tunes. Other times work in silence. When Im done for the day I sit on a round and enjoy the smells and sounds of the woods and count my blessings. I know the day will come when I'll swing the maul and say to myself, "forget this." For now I'll continue hand splitting and be thankful I still can.
I had an MTD 27 ton for years and no issues. Not sure it ever had a round it didn't split. I sold it for $50 less than what I paid for it new and used it for probably 15 years minimum. Upgraded to Rugged Split 37 ton with log lift and it is so much nicer ; no bending , log-lift , outfeed table and sits nice and high without having to block up wheels for a comfortable working height. I do still hand split on occasion and like doing it, but a splitter is a game changer no matter what you get.
I purchased up my splitter online from a box store (Rural King) on Black Friday 2020. They ordered it so I had to wait a few weeks before I could pick it up (this was during COVID). It was an excellent purchase. Even though I sell firewood, I only go through 10-15 cords/year and it easily does everything I need. If I was hand splitting I'd be lucky to do 2 cords/year!
You won’t regret it. My splitter purchase came about almost in the exact same way yours is going to. Just had first boy, was short on time and sick of hand splitting big gnarly rounds. Went to Lowes one day for something unrelated to the splitter and there it was, brand new splitter sitting off to the side where they put the returned power equipment. Not really sure why it was returned but I tired right up and cycled fine. Was marked down quite a bit, asked manager for some more off and he did it, signed up for lowes CC and saved another 10%. Walked out with new dirty hand tools splitter for a song. They seem to hold their value well so finding a good shape used one for much less than new may prove tough. Good luck on your search.
Everything everyone said and then some... I was spending all my time splitting by hand, bending over constantly, and losing quality time with my 3 young boys... So I bought a Champion 27 ton Hydraulic splitter... I thought about the Yardmax 25 ton and really liked everything about it---except the wide wedge... in the end the YardMax might have been just as good as the Champion, but I have no complaints with my 27ton Champion... about a 10 second cycle time, plenty of splitting power (seriously, I put some HUGE rounds in this thing and it goes right through them), easy to use, well made in my opinion... overall a great tool for the firewood hoarder. And if I'm every in the mood to split by hand, I can and still do from time to time, ususally if I only have a few moments to spare I just trudge down to the wood pile and grab one of my Fiskars and go at it for as long as I want... BUT THE MACHINE IS THE TICKET! You won't regret it!
I second this, go new! Oh and for what it's worth... I don't think I would have any use for a kinetic splitter... granted I don't have one, but my 10 second cycle time is plenty fast for me, heck any faster I'd not be able to keep up...
It's sad that logsplitter prices have increased so much over the years. I bought a few years ago and it's over twice that now. Yikes. You can find used splitters, you just have to give yourself several months to luck up on a decent deal. You can also wait until black friday and save if buying new. I will also add that I hope you are reasonably mechanically inclined. My Countyline 25-ton has not been without issue; I have had to fix a few things and some fixes were frustrating. If I were younger, knowing I could use a machine for decades, I'd spend and buy a real one with some 'improved' features, it would be worth it.
