Kept seeing the references to the Isocore . For $65 I figure why not. Played with some beech. Good workout, nice maul, but will likely stick to my American Hydraulic unit..... great hour in the woods though
I've heard good things about that Isocore. I've split by hand all my burning life and love it. I have near about 18 cord split and stacked now. However, I just got gifted a lot of big wood by a tree service now I'm on the hunt for affordable hydraulics. Tractor supply has a 25 ton on sale but none of the several in my area have them on stock. I did get a raincheck though. I just got home from looking at a 4 to 5 year old Husky 35 ton for $ 1100. It ran and split a small piece of white oak but is took a lot to start it and its been outside patrly under a tarp for most of its life. I thought the price was a bit much.
$1100 sounds way too high. Menards and similar stores like Harbor Freight put 20 ton hydraulics on sale new for less than that all the time.
I got to use one of those last weekend. It just seemed heavy to me. I didn't really find much splitting advantage over the x27. It still took a couple whacks to get thru a tough round. I still like the x27.
Keep an eye on CL you shoul be able to find a used Husky for around $700, that's what I did. The TSC is a good deal too. Good Luck!
I used to split everything with my x27, it was quite the workout. Now it's mostly done with the splitter.
Went out to split a few yesterday evening with the 2-fer, Isocore and x27. I am still new at the Isocore, but I find that I can do in one whack what took 2-3 with the x27. That is on Douglas Fir. But when I put down the Isocore for the smaller rounds, the x27 feels like swinging a stick. I like them both.
Thats probably a good price as the 35 tonners about $1800 new, but if its been outside maybe let it go. You can get a new Huskee/County line/TSC 22 tonner for that price every day. ($850 if you can wait till Black Friday) And that 22 will split anything you can carry/roll up to it. IIRC the cycle times are slower on the bigger splitters too?
Still will stick with my hydraulics. I spent a lot, but I plan on keeping it for life. Never used an x 27. This sounds like CAD but with axes to me
Yeah when I started heating with wood I bought the Fiskars first cause it was cheaper. Just haven't seen the need for hydraulics since then...
Used to do all the splitting by hand (for decades). Now the only time I use a maul for splitting is when I'm in the woods and the pieces are too large for this guy....which is getting a bit more common each year!
I like tools even if I only use them occasionally, I was looking to get a heavier Sledge because all I had was a six pound, I figured why not get all in one, I have heavier Sledge and heavier maul, I really like that wide face on there for smacking in wedges. Also Sometimes I go out on a scrounge and I have to split it there so I could lift it
