Splitter debate.....

Well I have a young guy that helps me out so if I let him do all the big stuff and then take my time with the smaller stuff on the DR splitter I think I can more then double what I am selling right now. Two years ago I sold 30 some cord, this past year only 23 but if I can do less work and sell more I am thinking about it as I am getting ready to sell my business and retire. Then I would be loving my job instead of liking my job like I do now.

 

Sold 30 cords!!!

That's like doing a cord every week n a half. I love wood but dang it man..I like to do other things too!

 

This, ^^but hay, try it out, bending over noodling hurts my back, getting a big round onto a vertical splitter with a cant hook, hookaroon and a pry bar not so much. Actually sledge n wedge is easier on my back than noodling

 

I've

I've been cutting and splitting wood since the early 70's and I never have figured out how to do it with our bending over.

 

Me either.

 

I have to bend over to buck wood to length, I have to bend over to noodle wood and I have to bend over to pick it up to throw it in the truck and then after I bring it home and throw it off the truck I have to bend over and pick it up to put it on the splitter.

 

You should have an 8 way with 40 tons of force.

 

If you have a chance to pick up a decent SS, do it! There is a reason you dont find them very often. I can't say enough about the SS! I love using it.
As to the DR.....I thought it was a good copy of the SS & I'd save a little coin by getting one. Probably one of the worst decisions I have made in getting equipment. I bought a brand new and it broke down 4 times within 2 months. I returned it & got the SS.
I havn't come across anything that I couldn't split with it yet.....I've run some big rounds through it ( 34"-36" ). My typical split size if 12" to 24" rounds.
Besides that, they at very cost effective to run. No hydro oil or filters to change. I can run the splitter all day on just 1 tank of gas ( 8 hours ). Havn't seen a hydro unit do that yet.

 

How the heck did you get a 36" round onto the deck? An oak round that size I think is like 300 -400 pounds !

 

I have a tractor. I load all the rounds in the bucket & park it next to the splitter.

 

For me, noodling large rounds does not make sense. It is rough on the saw to some degree and takes some time. There are two logical approaches in my mind. One is getting a horizontal/vertical splitter. I used one for years and moved it to the 36 inch plus rounds and then muscled it on and popped it in half. I sold that to another FHC member last year as I bought a(second option) American Splitter with a lift and catch pans. The lift has yet to hesitate, even on 22 inch long 30 inch rounds of hickory or oak. The catch pans make it nice as they keep the splits off of the ground and anyone with a little muscle can move the splits back to the lift or onto the beam. When splitting 24 inch or under rounds the splitter ideally needs three people to keep the thing fed. One bringing rounds, one running controls, and the second throwing and managing splits with the operator. Just my opinion...

 

Sorry for the delay on getting back on here, been super busy. I didn't get the SS I just couldn't justify the money for the 8-10 cords a year I do. Here is where its at on craigslist if anyone else is close by that wants it.


Super Split Wood Splitter

 

I've had a Super Split for 6 years now and love it! Will never own another hydro spliter.

 

Heck you could split another 2 cords a year and pay yourself off in 3 years or so by selling it.

 

No back problems here and don't noodle either......unless the round won't roll well, then I will. It's pretty quick, about 7.5 second cycle time. Will keep 3 people plenty busy with just the 4 way, more if I put the 6 way on. I thought about a SS, but not with the wood that I get. I'm not bending over to pick stuff up to split it in 5 seconds and have to get another.

 

I spend less time processing 30 plus cords then you do, doing 5 or so as I don't actually do much of the work. That's the reason I am looking into buying a DR splitter to add to my Timberwolf TW-P1. My 3 employees who work on days off from their regular jobs would love it as they could do more in less time as I give them a bonus for anything over 25 cord of $25.00 per cord that they split when it's sold. All wood is loaded in my dump trailer ( 6.5' x 10' x 3.5' high. = 227.5 c.f., a cord is 192 c.f. loosely stacked) with a front end loader and delivered the customer gets extra. One of the reasons I have never ran an ad for firewood for sale or even a sign in my business or outside all by word of mouth. That's why I want to speed up the process to be able to sell more.

 

I have a thumb on my back hoe pick the heavy ones up with it, best $800.00 I ever spent and it works well for all sorts of picking up other things as well. Large rocks for landscaping jobs etc...

 

Who's Tim Allen? Just kidding but I am always trying to make it easier and faster to do. There are times I fall asleep thinking of what to change and what to buy to make it less work. I guess it's the American way. Do it faster and cheaper.

 

I wouldn't be giving too much away unless your price account for it. I'd do enough to make sure they got a cord plus some extra but wouldn't give too much away.

But sound like you have it figured out and working for you