Got a text from a customer who wanted me to split the wood i had cut for him after tropical storm Isiais (last August) took down a couple big ash in his yard. He had some other sugar maples felled and bucked in the yard from a tree service as they were too risky for me to take down. I checked the job out and he offered up his hydro splitter. He had started but i guess he realized even with a hydro its still hard work. I quoted for all the rounds and he countered for just some as money was tight. So guess what i used today? And no, Hell isnt freezing over! Piles before There were several huge rounds in the back of this stack. After. I got pretty good with the thing and felt like jrider making firewood. I swung the Isocore several times to half the big ash rounds and shouldve gone vertical with it to do so as it went vertical too. My apologies Backwoods Savage. Im sold. I want one. Still hard work and i feel it tonight. The maple was cut to 16-18" and he had me cut the ash to 14" at the time. I think i did good for roughly six hours work. Two cords between both. Went through four tanks of gas. I put it through its paces and showed no mercy while using it. I like this model and has the features my friend and i want. Good deal on an Isocore maul and X27 if anyone interested.
I had that model and it worked. If you run a bigger commercial splitter, you will cry from happiness.
Yep, had the same machine, it worked fine, but slow. Got the rugged split & sold the other one for $100.00 less than I paid. Now I'm looking for an even faster machine yet.
When you texted me this afternoon about you running a splitter I thought for sure you were yanking my chain... But yeah, Sugar Maple. Stuff is a bear to hand split sometimes. Like you said, a splitter doesn't take all the work out of it, but I see it as taking the struggle out of the job. Once you get a good rhythm going, seeing the splits pile up is pure joy. No wailing on crotch sections, desperately hoping they pop before your back does. Good tool to have in your arsenal.
That's a similar model to the mtd we have. I really am not a fan of the H/V splitters like this. Try running a horizontal only with a log lift. Anyone near you have one of those rugged made horizontal ones? The 22 ton one with a log lift is About 1k more than that troy bolt. That's not much compared to insurance / medical bills. Honestly, I would rather roll the big boys up like I've been doing on the old didier, the splittier, than rub a H/V for anything that is more than about 40 lbs.
Oh Brad. Your in serious trouble now. You thought CAD was bad? Try LSAD I will do my best to help you along the way. Go straight for a commercial box splitter and save yourself the long expensive journey LOL Seriously tho, good luck with the acquisition. I havent had the best of luck buying splitters so if there’s any commiserating to do I’m your guy
Hey BRAD , The X27 and the Isocore will make great wheel chocks for the splitter so it doesn't roll away while you are splitting.
That is one nice pile you made. Lots of hand splitter members here, and hats off to them. You have to look at how long and how much you would have beaten yourself up to get a pile that size I had to go hydraulic with with tendonitis in the elbows. It makes the job easier and much faster. No regrets. I'm looking to make a counter weight to hang near the foot plate when moving it around the yard. Mine is tongue heavy and I either need to get a trailer dolly, quad or counter weight to balance it out. Also need a shelf for it.
Another helpful tool in the arsenal is how I look at it. I'm sure there is some benefit to bigger or commercial but my 22 ton Huskee does everything needed for me and the speed is just perfect for me splitting alone.
Brad, if you do things right you will find splitting vertically will definitely make splitting easier and I think faster. Two big keys are how the wood is by the splitter (that second picture of yours is great) and finding the right height for you. Another big help is to make a good platform like T.Jeff Veal made. One time I was asked to split wood for a fellow and when I got there the wood was just thrown into a pile. I can do it that way and a pickeroon helps a lot with this but fortunately his young son really wanted to help and I always had a round ready for me when it was needed. The splitting really went fast that day.
I probably would rarely go vertical with it. Since i already have to section big rounds to get them on the truck anyhow. My friend likes to split his logs using it vertical. I liked the "outfeed arms" that catch the splits, but i would enlarge them with plywood or metal.
I hear you. I feel it this morning. I had thought about that when he texted and i didnt realize he had a splitter. Wood that sits and the ends check are a lot harder to hand split IME. Ideally i like to split very soon after the wood is cut. Got about three cord of rounds waiting to be split and some is shagbark hickory.
Yup, i understand the staging factor. He couldnt understand why i moved the splitter right next to where he was stacking the maple. Ive helped someone using a hydro and i was the gofer which i didnt mind. It went faster.
Anyone. - What is better, hydro that pushes a wedge into the wood, or one that pushes the wood against the wedge? Any differences?
