22 Ton, 25 Ton or 37 Ton....is there really a difference??

22 ton will do the job for the average homeowner. Whatever won’t go through easy ,,, noodle it or throw it out.
I bought a 22 ton Brave when I started my firewood business. Had it a few years and put 500+ cord through it just changing oil and sharpening wedge. Sold it to a buddy of mine and he still has it.
The last few years I’ve seen some manufacturers using a tapered beam. I’d probably shy away from these models just due to potential beam fatigue in the long run.
Watch the sales and you may be able to get a larger model for a few bucks more than a 22 T

 

At the risk of a three hijack -

How difficult is it to move a splitter around any given property, without using an atv or some other vehicle?

 

I have a 25 ton MTD. It has split everything that I put across it.

 

I would think 22T on up would be fine for just about any homeowner firewood cutter. I have a 35T which I'm sure is overkill. It rarely ever drops to the second stage of the pump. One thing for certain. Whether you get a 22T or bigger, once you have used it a bit you will kick yourself for not getting it sooner!

 

That was my experience with it. I split some smaller diameter sycamore and elm w

A trailer dolly! (courtesy of Mwalsh9152 )

 

If your place is as flat as a pancake and you are in really great shape, moving a splitter around shouldn't be a problem. If you have any kind of hilly ground you need your splitter to be at, you will need some kind of garden tractor, atv to move it.
I have a 25 ton Speeco and I use my John Deere garden tractor to move it where I need it.

 

I've wondered how much of a factor this is. The cycle time isn't the fastest on my 27T splitter, but it also rarely drops to the second stage. Surely the smaller (faster) splitters use the second stage more often, slowing them down. And the second stage is slow.

I use my splitter just above an idle. I'm not really in a hurry and would rather enjoy the lesser noise while splitting.

 

I think that, except in extreme cases, cycle time is an overused criteria for splitters. I think you are probably right that a larger splitter with a "slower" cycle time may well be faster, over all, than a smaller unit with a "faster" cycle time. This would be due the smaller pump being in the much slower second stage more often. This would assume wood that is tough to split. On easier wood the lighter machine would probably be faster. My 9.8 HP has an admirable muffler, but I wear ear plugs anyway. I usually run it at 2/3 to full throttle depending on my attitude that particular day.

 

My splitter is 35ton. It’s a pia to move around. If I could do it over I would go with a 22 ton

 

Thanks, Molly.

 

I'd definitely go with something like that. It's a PITA to move the splitter around by its self..

 

More often...probably...but often, no, not really. I get a shift to low about 10% of the time on my 23T (depending on what I'm splitting)
Having used both low 20's ton splitters, and upper 20's/30 tonners, the smaller ones are indeed faster (as a general rule of thumb...this obviously depends on the specs of the individual unit(s) that are being compared)
Now, you still have to keep in mind the working speed of the operator...if you sip coffee in between splits, then cycle time of the splitter is probably irrelevant.

 

Most everything I own with a motor in it gets run at WOT when I don't have the brake on or it's in cruise control... I just can't help myself...

oh yeh, and

 

I used to drag mine around by hand. PITA. My buddy got me this for dragging logs out of the woods but it works slick for moving the splitter.

 

I have a 37 ton with a log lift. Yes, it's heavy to move in the field and on anything other than a cement pad. However, the log lift compensates for the moving issue. I split many large rounds and hate noodling. The 37 ton capacity, with the log lift is a great combo. Plus, the log lift is rated for 350 lbs. It's great for stacking a bunch of smaller rounds on it and lifting them to a workable level. One other thing that comes in handy is using a pair of log tongs to fill the lift. One in each hand for balance and minimal bending is a bonus for me.

 

Yup! No need to noodle. Tried it a few different times and wrote it off as just a waste of time and effort!

 

I was just getting ready to mention this. I have a 35t DHT splitter. I've added a wheeled boat-style jack to the front. It is ONE HEAVY MOFO. I can roll it around on a smooth concrete floor without issues, but once it hits the dirt...it's attached to my ATV if it's being moved...and you can tell it's on the ATV.

 

I hear ya motoguy. The first time I pulled the splitter over to my neighbors house behind my UTV, I actually stopped to inspect it for an obstruction. I was amazed at how heavy it felt. (1000 lbs/pre fluid) Like you, I also added a wheeled jack to the front. I then replaced it with a heavier, dual wheeled unit. I made the mistake of going cheap on the first one and it just didn't feel solid enough. One other thing I did is move the wheel set more forward to offset some of the tongue weight. It helped a little.

 

Look at the bite of the cylinder, and the structural steel and Welds. The ratings are generally negligible unless you run it wide open. I split a lot of 24 inch plus rounds that are 18-22 inches long so I went big for the lift and for quality of build. I went with American CLS, pricey but great quality and will last me forever! How much do you split each year?