Splitter Opinions

So I have been borrowing my Dad's very old..but perfectly functioning Huskee (TSC) (Speeco)
Splitter. But we keep having to run it back and forth cuz we are all trying to get wood split and stacked. Been eyeing up a splitter of my own. I'd go to tsc in a heartbeat....but I see a Harbor Freight Predator dual action splitter that looks compact and interesting. I only split smaller..easier to split wood. ..not knotty or gnarly . I have a ton of smaller red maple..cherry and oak that split before the wedge is 6 inches into its job. So I'm thinking I can get away with a lighter duty...more compact unit. We split really small for our Maple evaporator..it burns faster and hotter that way !
What do you guys think ?

Also thinking of getting a three point quick ball hitch instead of going off the front.

 

This is what I was thinking. After main season...they always seem to go on sale too. Anyone use this type ever ?

 

I have a bunch of experience with a similar unit in brave dual split flavor.


I loved it for ash or other straight grain wood in the 4-12” range. With wood that size it could easily keep 2-3 people busy. I didn’t like it so much for wood bigger than around 12”. What would happen is it would knife through the bottom 3/4 of the round leaving the top virtually unsplit. This required flipping the round over to the other side of the wedge and running the cycle in the opposite direction to finish. I ran a buddy’s harbor freight dual split splitter and it was much the same. It didn’t seem as well built but he had had no problem with it.

If I were to get another dual split type splitter (and I’m seriously considering it in the future) I would save up until I had the extra to buy a split fire:

HYDRAULIC LOG SPLITTER with Hydraulic Log Lifter

To me it’s worth it to have all of the shortcomings of the brave/predator dual split units solved. Plus they are the originators of this type of log splitter so they have the most experience building them.

Having said all that you would probably get lots of great use out of the predator splitter as long as you weren’t splitting wood larger than 12-14”.

 

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you replying ! That is some real world advice ! I kind of wondered about bigger stuff....still sounds doable..but not as efficient at that point. I'll take a look at the splitters you talk about.
So do you feel like in the right size wood..it saves lots of time..over the traditional type that I'm using now ?
We are splitting so small..that it would be nice to hurry it up lol.
Thanks so much..seriously!

 

Even now...anything too big and knotty I send over for my Dad. He loves that stuff. The old splitter is a 2 stage...never saw anything stop it !

 

No problem bud! That’s what we are all here for to help each other out. There is a guy in Canada on Yoo-hoo toob with a couple videos about the brave dual split. It’s not exactly the same as the predator but will get you close enough. To decide. Unfortunately the brave units are no longer being made.

The dual split splitter are roughly twice as fast as the traditional splitter with wood in the right size range. You’ll have to decide for yourself weather or not the split fire is worth thousands more than the predator splitter or not. To me it is but I have to be able to process anything I haul home from my arborist business activities.

 

And that last sentence might be the deciding factor. I grapple 6ft logs out of our woods so we can process close to where we stack. Same way at my parents. My Dad likes the bigger stuff. As he splits bigger. So I usually take him the bigger sections of all the trees. I take the smaller stuff...as we split small. Then on my property..I have a ton of smaller multi-growth Red Maples that I use for our small splitting too.
It's nice that I can pick and chose. I guess I'm lucky and spoiled lol !

 

It’s not like the harbor freight unit is so expensive that you couldn’t easily move on from it if you decided you wanted to upgrade in the future.

 

Very true

 

If I were in the market for a splitter, I’d be taking a serious look at a super split. I think it would be especially nice with the size of splits you’re used to making.

 

Are those the kinetic energy flywheel ones ? I've always wanted to try one. They seem a little scary !

 

I have looked at online many times splitters like that one at Northern Tool and HF. Price keeps creeping up like everything. I do split larger stuff and I do keep more knotty stuff especially with hydros. I have thought that I could split what I could with one like this and toss the other to a pile and do what I have been for years and just borrow a buddies for those.

 

A guy here has one and loves it. He also has a YouTube channel....I can't think of his name or I would tag him. I'll think of it in a minute I bet.

Edit: Just remembered 94BULLITT

 

Yes they are, and they sure make some quick firewood! Never used one, but I’d for sure be checking them out.

 

I wouldn’t be able to get the money out of my pocket quick enough! I’ll give you 500 for it

 

I think that the HF does not go vertical. Am I correct about this?

 

I think your correct, but I think it only recommends it on wood to like 16" so if your useing it for wood like it's rated for it's not that big deal. Like said it's sweet spot is probably 12" and under anyway.

 

That's a great deal..dang!
I have what is probably a dumb question. Can you stop the ram once you let it take off into the wood ? Or does it stop on its own at the end of its travel ?

Been watching some vids. They are fast ! Just makes me nervous. No room for error if your having a lapse in judgement lol.