In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

The quietest log splitter

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by TurboDiesel, Apr 4, 2015.

Page 1 of 4
  1. TurboDiesel

    TurboDiesel

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2013
    Messages:
    16,146
    Likes Received:
    96,676
    Location:
    Hollidaysburg Pa
    (gas powered)
    Ok. I already know I'm getting old...but

    If I buy a log splitter I want the quietest one I can get.
    So, who's engine is the quietest?
     
    TurboDiesel, Apr 4, 2015
    #1 Top
    Barcroftb, Stinny and Pallet Pete like this.
  2. cnice_37

    cnice_37

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,205
    Likes Received:
    14,196
    Location:
    SE Mass
    Fiskars? :picard:

    Is electric an option?
     
    cnice_37, Apr 4, 2015
    #2 Top
    Barcroftb, bert the turtle, M2theB and 5 others like this.
  3. TurboDiesel

    TurboDiesel

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2013
    Messages:
    16,146
    Likes Received:
    96,676
    Location:
    Hollidaysburg Pa
    I'd like to do all my splitting in the woods and leave the mess behind. The rounds that I need to split are 30-40" oak.
    I think gas is the only option for my needs.
    I would consider an add on muffler mod to keep the noise level down. I have enough ringing in my ears from years of construction
     
    TurboDiesel, Apr 4, 2015
    #3 Top
    Deadwood, Horkn and Stinny like this.
  4. bogydave

    bogydave

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2013
    Messages:
    10,313
    Likes Received:
    37,217
    Location:
    Alaska, North of Anchorage & South of Fairbanks
    The honda engines are pretty quiet,
    Much of the noise is the hyd pump, & the noise from high pressure fluid flowing thru the valve.
    I wear muffs, but I'm sitting right down near all the noise.
    100_0804.JPG
     
    bogydave, Apr 4, 2015
    #4 Top
    Doug, M2theB, Ralphie Boy and 6 others like this.
  5. TurboDiesel

    TurboDiesel

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2013
    Messages:
    16,146
    Likes Received:
    96,676
    Location:
    Hollidaysburg Pa
    What brand is your splitter Dave?
    Like your shirt. :yes:
     
    TurboDiesel, Apr 4, 2015
    #5 Top
  6. bogydave

    bogydave

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2013
    Messages:
    10,313
    Likes Received:
    37,217
    Location:
    Alaska, North of Anchorage & South of Fairbanks
    22 T Speeco with a honda
    100_4416.JPG 100_6006.JPG
     
    bogydave, Apr 4, 2015
    #6 Top
    Doug and Deacon like this.
  7. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    13,473
    Likes Received:
    54,052
    Location:
    Ovid
    The speeco issue is the blasted rattling from the cylinder it will deafen an astronaut on the moon… Dang good splitters but very noisy parts. I have borrowed, rented and owned them you can't go wrong for the price but they are not quiet.

    The Dirty hand is in the same boat very very nice but that kohler is very loud its a trade off between the two…

    I can't really say much about the rest I have rented so many I have lost track of names and I have bought an electric 5 ton electric, bought an old huskee 22 ton and built one and now own a new DHT 22 ton. You may find this funny but my favorite out of all of them was the 5 ton electric it was very quiet and had enough power to split all but the knottiest of rounds. I could split "18 to 20" with it except red elm that stuff is awful!!:picard: Problem is you need electricity for it to work so unless your right near the house or garage your out of luck.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
    Pallet Pete, Apr 4, 2015
    #7 Top
    Horkn, Ralphie Boy, Hammy and 2 others like this.
  8. Stinny

    Stinny

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2013
    Messages:
    14,066
    Likes Received:
    60,249
    Location:
    western Maine
    Plywood shields can be whipped up large enough with most splitters, to not only protect the engine/hyd oil filter/lines but, also will deflect a lot of the engine's sound away from you. Pair of ear cups too... gooder to go.
     
    Stinny, Apr 4, 2015
    #8 Top
    Hammy, Deadwood, Chvymn99 and 2 others like this.
  9. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,648
    Likes Received:
    26,011
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    When it comes to engine noise, the only way to really make a difference is to reduce RPMs. I haven't seen any new splitters that have exceptionally loud engines. If running at reduced RPMS sounds like a plan for you, I'd buy something with at least a 16gpm pump (usually has a 8-9HP engine) so it isn't as slow as the 10-11 gpm (5-6hp) units.

    As to the other rattles most H/V splitters have....

    My Iron and Oak tends to rattle at the hinge when it's in vertical mode. Nothing a ratchet strap doesn't cure real quick.
     
    MasterMech, Apr 4, 2015
    #9 Top
    Fanatical1 and Stinny like this.
  10. Horkn

    Horkn

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2014
    Messages:
    27,786
    Likes Received:
    156,156
    Location:
    SE Wisconsin
    You can always add on a different muffler to make them quieter. It's easier on some motors than others.


    I can tell you the old splitter that I borrow from my buddy ( that used to borrow it from another buddy, but he bought it from that guy now) is LOUD. That old Briggs 5hp has the threads broken off on the exhaust port, so only some exhaust goes through the muffler, the rest bypasses the muffler.

    We'll fix that before fall.
     
    Horkn, Apr 4, 2015
    #10 Top
  11. haveissues

    haveissues

    Joined:
    May 31, 2014
    Messages:
    641
    Likes Received:
    2,060
    Location:
    Hudson Valley
    I think you will find that adding a quieter muffler to these types of engines won't quiet things down all that much. A lot of the noise comes from the engine itself. I like to split with a pair of earmuffs with a radio built in.
     
    haveissues, Apr 4, 2015
    #11 Top
    isaaccarlson, Chvymn99, Tiewire and 3 others like this.
  12. Evanrude

    Evanrude

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2014
    Messages:
    267
    Likes Received:
    752
    Location:
    Byron, MI
    Mine isn't too bad. I have a 28 ton Huskee (Speeco) with the Honda GC 190cc engine. It's the newer version with the engine low on the opposite side of the operator. My buddy has an older 22 ton (like bogydave posted above) with the engine on the operators side, it's definitely less comfortable to use.

    Some day I'm going to make a shroud to protect the engine from falling splits. I haven't had anything hit it yet, but it does worry me from time to time.

    Here's a pic of mine.
    [​IMG]
     
    Evanrude, Apr 4, 2015
    #12 Top
    Chvymn99 and Deacon like this.
  13. Elderthewelder

    Elderthewelder

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2014
    Messages:
    1,306
    Likes Received:
    3,841
    Location:
    Washington State
    I think the Honda GX series engines are pretty quite, we have 2 compressors at work, a small one with the GX160 and a larger one with a gx390 and people comment on how quite they are. I have the Honda GX160 on my I&O 22 ton splitter, I dont think it is noisy at all IMO
    [​IMG]
     
    Elderthewelder, Apr 4, 2015
    #13 Top
    M2theB, lknchoppers and Chvymn99 like this.
  14. CTYank

    CTYank

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2014
    Messages:
    360
    Likes Received:
    850
    Location:
    CT Panhandle
    There's a big spread of noise levels among basic one-lungers. The LCTs I've encountered are much quieter than "comparable" flatheads from Briggs & Tecumseh from back when. The OHV engines are noticeably better at power output, and power/pound. Not to mention thermal efficiency.
     
    CTYank, Apr 5, 2015
    #14 Top
    Horkn likes this.
  15. Woodrat1276

    Woodrat1276

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2015
    Messages:
    655
    Likes Received:
    2,326
    Location:
    Ky

    I have the same splitter it's a noisy cuss in vertical operation
     
    Woodrat1276, Apr 5, 2015
    #15 Top
  16. Evanrude

    Evanrude

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2014
    Messages:
    267
    Likes Received:
    752
    Location:
    Byron, MI
    It may be, I don't use vert mode. I know the muffler points straight back over the axle/tank so it probably is. Plus as mentioned above, you probably get a lot of rattle from the wedge in the beam as it isn't a tight fit.
     
    Evanrude, Apr 5, 2015
    #16 Top
    Ashwatcher likes this.
  17. Gasifier

    Gasifier

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    20,279
    Likes Received:
    102,028
    Location:
    St. Lawrence River Valley, NY
    I wear muffs whenever running the splitter as well. None of them are very quiet.
    upload_2015-4-5_11-21-57.jpeg
     
    Gasifier, Apr 5, 2015
    #17 Top
    shaggy wood dump hoarder and Chvymn99 like this.
  18. Sunfish

    Sunfish

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2014
    Messages:
    389
    Likes Received:
    833
    Location:
    Success Mo
    Ear Muffs!
     
    Sunfish, Apr 5, 2015
    #18 Top
    shaggy wood dump hoarder and Chvymn99 like this.
  19. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,648
    Likes Received:
    26,011
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    I kinda like noisy equipment. I hear less of what's hollered at me from the house that way. :zip: :whistle:
     
    MasterMech, Apr 5, 2015
    #19 Top
    Earl764, Canadian border VT, reprod and 8 others like this.
  20. riks

    riks

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    43
    Location:
    Conneautville, PA
    split second log splitter, has a subaru motor,which is the quietest I have ever used.
     
    riks, Apr 5, 2015
    #20 Top
    ID1, Horkn and fox9988 like this.
Page 1 of 4