Poll: How do you use your Hydraulic Log Splitter (H or V)?

It does look like the hay is on the deck.!!

 

Lotsa cash fur sure!

 

Actually workin on a project now that will turn that hay into firewood. Just think, fresh energy every year. And no chainsawin them 100 year old trees. Cheers.

 

I like it horizontal....wish the huskee 22 had sharper points on the end to keep the irregular shaped pieces held firmly....

 

Done already, no?

 

So the results are in, and as suspected;

70% of us use The splitter Horizontal only or mostly horizontal.

 

Don't tell Dennis

 

Well, there you have it. I always knew I was a little odd...

 

I like to do it horizontal

 

I've never used a splitter vertically. Why do some of you despise it so bad? Just the tires of the unit in the way?

I've used 3point splitters low to the ground, which takes a toll on your back after hours of splitting being bent over. Same thing with home built low horizontal units.

I'm working on converting a 3 point horizontal to a h/v but I'll have it perpendicular to the tractor instead of parrall. My thought was to minimize overall length of the splitter and just using verticle for the big rounds. Now y'all have me wondering if I should do something different.

 

For me, it's only about having the work deck at waist height to reduce bending/lifting. A horizontal splitter, with the beam at waist height, engine/tires/hoses out of the way, trays to catch and work the splits, and a log lift... would be fine. I found a used H/V Troybilt a couple years ago. I learned it was better designed to be used in vert mode (tires/engine/hoses under heavy rounds in H mode), so I figured out a way, using a trailer I had, to lift the splitter in vert mode to my waist level working height. I really like having the round right in front of me and easy to skid splits around. I use a lift to get the rounds up on the splitter.

In the end, it's more of a user preference and/or second hand buyer's luck... for sure. Both modes can work just fine... or sumthin in between. It's all good...

 

I've used a horizontal splitter with a hydraulic log lift extensively, and like that just fine. But without the lift, half the rounds I've split would be impossible to get onto the beam. That's where a vertical splitter is nice

My one complaint about that splitter and really most horizontal splitters is that they're too low. The slight hunch you have to do to work with them really takes a toll after a while. My knees can't take more than a few hours on a horizontal splitter, so when I buy my own it'll be an h/v so I can use it in vertical mode with big rounds and to save my knees. Sitting and working is nice

 

For me sitting and splitting is a real pain...literally. Trying to roll/lift something around you take your legs out of the equation and rely on your back and arms. 38 inches works best for me and that is what I made mine at. HUGE difference in how I feel after a day of working. Like Stinny said, whatever works best for you is the best setup.

I my mind you would be using more leg muscles by getting up and down from splitting all the pieces than if you just kept standing. I understand you say you have knee problems so that is a different issue. Before my current setup, i always found it a royal pain to put a large round(30 inches or bigger) on it's end. Much easier to roll it.

 

I see what you're saying. If I could make a horizontal splitter that was a little higher, and had a log lift, that would be my ideal set up. As it is, I lack the cash and fab skills to build a splitter, so store bought it is . And most off the shelf splitters are a little low for my liking it seems like

 

Try an experiment and see what difference it does for you. Put your current splitter up on blocks if you have rounds that you can lift easily or just split them up off the truck or trailer. You'll be surprised what a nice change it is. extension on the lever will help too.

 

I primarily split horizontally on my Huskee. I tend to noodle the larger rounds then lift them up to the splitter. Kneeling down wrestling big rounds around on their cut side flat wears me out. Seems I always have to push the round for it to stay vertically, otherwise it sets off kilter due to the thickness of the splitter foot. Plus if it's wet or a bunch of snow on the ground, that makes it even worse. And don't get me started on the poison ivy ground cover.

In a perfect world, I would have a vertical wedge on ram with a large table about waist height and a log lift. I've seen a couple online that are like this and I think it'd be the ticket.

Like this one; It looks a little too fancy for my operation, but shows the design I'm talking about.

 

Here we have the Willy G inspired log splitting machine. Perfect for the occasional burner who likes to spend more time polishing than splitting, but you friends will be impressed, and woman will crawl all over you. Wait I did not mean to make it a Harley add. Nice design though.

 

I use mine in vertical mostly

 

I was using mine vertically 10 years ago.