NEED FEEDBACK ON WOOD SPLITTERS!

If you can build a machine similar to this Rugged Split with an adjustable 4 way wedge better ergonomics in the 4-5K price range I'll buy one. Yes I am serious. I'll even buy the prototype & be the crash test dummy.

 

1) What are the things that you really like about a wood splitter? Good handle placment? Lift Gate? hydraulic vs kinetic? etc... This can be from something you've seen, or experienced yourself


I like the quick cycle time of a kinetic. I’m not at a place I can afford one with a log lift, but that should be an option. And some sort of collapsible table for bigger chunks that need split many times.


2) What are things you HATE about a wood splitter? Literally anything you can think of that is inefficient or unsafe.

Dislike the loud gas engine but require one over electric. And while I don’t hate it, pull start gets old so a way to start like a snow blower, where you run an extension cord to it for push button cranking would be nice.


3) What is the biggest determining factor on buying a wood splitter? Price, speed, manufacturing lead times, etc... ?


Biggest factor is price.

 

I don’t think another homeowner type splitter would do well. You’re then competing with the $899 Black Friday specials at places like TSC. No way your workplace will build it as cheap as they do overseas. Unless you guys make $3/hr. The missing market is in between homeowner models and real high end commercial splitters. Like I said 3-4 grand. Maybe up to 5. People want log lifts, multi way wedges, and heavy duty construction. What they don’t want is to spend 10 grand. There’s no hydraulic I can think of in the same production of wood category (1-1.5 cords/hr) AND a similar price range that the 2-3 grand kinetics offer. That’s why kinetics sell so well, despite having a single wedge and most have no log lift other than maybe an add on hand operated lift.

 

Country Boy Chronicles

IMHO, the wood splitters available on the market are missing a niche that I think many of the members here would fall into. Not that I'm trying to oversimplify the market, but 3 major types of wood burners / firewooders seem to buy hydraulic splitters. Kinetic units fall into a different category and there are knock offs galore, but these are very different machines.

#1 Would be the entry level splitter market. These are currently filled by the horiz. / vert. splitters that saturate this market from any number of manufacturers / and mostly box stores. The overwhelming majority of this segment is filled by units in the $899 - $1300 price point. Granted you can get horizontal / vertical machines that approach the $3k-$4k range, but then you are talking big tonnage, fast cycle time, auto return valves, etc.

#2 Would be the high end production market where folks are using these machines to produce revenue. $5k and up to processor level expense $$$$$ could all fall into this category. Check out the websites for Wolfe Ridge, Eastonmade, Powersplit, or Timberwolf. These are all very nice units. They just end up outside of the price range that most end users who are not selling firewood would be able to justify.

#3 That brings me to the niche that I see a void in the hydraulic splitter market. This is where you would be able to differentiate yourself. This is what you could consider a high end user, but not on the level of a firewood seller. These folks are splitting and burning for heat in the 4-10 cord a year range. But, it isn't a profession or even a side-hustle, so to speak. Your market would be the firewood hoarder, not the casual fire pit wood burner. If you could do a push through unit, with a hydraulic log lift, slip on (4-way) wedge, and keep it in the $2-$3k range . At this price point you would surely not be able to provide all of the bells and whistles of the above mentioned high end brands. But, perhaps take some lessons from some of the big wins that those $8k units provide over the horiz. / vert. units out there and find your niche in the marketplace. Really the only offering that I know of in that price range would be a Rugged Made unit.

There would also be some potential learnings from some of the offerings from Powersplit, those units are vertical, but not down on the ground. What I mean is that they provide a working table at waist height and a hydraulic log lift. Again, those likely fall into the category of #2 above, but there may also be lessons to be learned from those units as well.

I hope that helps and is not just me rambling. Basically, I see a huge gap between segment #1 and #2 that could be filled by #3. If I could find something in that #3 market segment range, I'd be a customer. The Rugged-Made one just, honestly, has me a little leery.

Best of luck and I hope to see your progress!

 

You are spot on. There's a big gap between the $10k and the 1500 dollar units. Homeowner that burn a couple of cords a year would be better served by a unit that can process better and faster in the 3-5k range.

I also think that firewood hoarders like us, would really be the target on this.

That 1500 and under market would be tough to penetrate with US labor.

 

#3 of your points hits exactly what I'd want. You're right, only rugged made has this type now. 3k push through with log lift and a bit of a table on it you'd sell many to those on FHC alone.

 

My ex BIL had a friend who climbed trees for a living. He scored a nice American log splitter in exchange for tree work. (The brand is American, made in NY state). That splitter was really nice. High work height, big 11 or 13 hp Honda (I forget) a slip on 4 way wedge and 6 second cycle time. I don’t think his had a log lift, but it was an option on this model. A guy named Curtis Outdoor Power in Brooklyn CT sold and I believe sells the American line. He had this higher end model for $3,995 for the longest time. I almost bought one before getting my SuperSplit. It was very fast with one guy getting rounds ready, one at the controls, and one taking the split wood away in a loader bucket. Only thing I didn’t like was it made a lot of splinters. I think now this model is more like 5G.

 

Oh.... and a drink holder too!!

 

120v electric starter...like a snow blower...excellent idea!

 

There could be some out there that would spend 3 to 5 thousand for a hydraulic splitter but to be honest I spent around 900 for the one I have and if I had to spend 3 to 5 thousand I would not own one. I would go back to my 5 ton electric splitter for 250 dollars, and I split a lot of wood with it before getting a gas powered splitter.

 

Northern Tool has 2 North Star models, push through. $4500 and $8000. Looks like both could use some improvement.
We did some upgrades to our 30 ton County line splitter I think could be added to a small horizontal splitter.
We added steel blocks on the foot, so the blade can go all the way through the wood. It could easily be made with a horizontal space if you were using a 4-way wedge.
We also added support legs under the table and ramp. It will hold a lot of wood.


It has a 10 sec cycle time but that could be faster.
Welcome to the club too. Lots of great folks here.

 

What if you have it out in the woods? Gonna bring the genny too?

 

Well, it obviously wouldn't be ideal for every situation, but chances are that you'd be within extension cord distance at some point before going to split...just plug it in and warm the hyd. oil a bit...then leave it run while towing to the site, or even if shutting off again, it would restart much easier than if oil was stone cold...I've been bit by that one before, oil so cold I couldn't pull it over fast enough to get it to fire. Better than dealing with dead battery...or replacing bad battery every 3-5 years etc...

 

Like snow blowers, the pull start is still there.

 

All GREAT points. Yes I hope to be able to make one that is the perfect fit for that mid range market!

 

Yeah, why don't they do that? For all small engines?

 

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I haven't tried it to start the snowblower, but my truck has 120v outlets in it. I use it to plug the crock pot in to keep food hot when we bring over food to friends houses. I think it maxes out at 400 watts, so I'm not sure if it would work for starting the blower.

 

Oh, ok, it's an oil heater. I understand now.

 

I modified my splitter to hold a full size car battery, it started this morning at about 12 degrees. The little motorcycle type batteries are pretty much worthless imo. I will spend the $ on good batteries in my equipment. The old M fired up after sitting for a month in the cold as well. Downtime costs more than a good battery every few years.

 

Splitters in the #2 category can be built at a reasonable price. As a hobby, being retired, I have built 7 splitters of this style over the last 20 years. Average cost $1200.00. The cost of steel was minimal, recycled metal. Cylinders were generally surplus priced. Some engines were used from riding lawn mowers others were new. All equipped with log lift, full suspension, lights, Interstate towable. The last one built was a Dirty hands H/V the owner wanted converted to table style that could also run on duel fuel gas and propane.