I recently purchased a home that I'll be heating with wood, and in the interest of cutting down on my heating costs, I am looking to buy an electric log splitter. I'll be splitting mostly lodgepole pine, quaking aspen and doug fir with the occasional bit of fruitwood from the orchard country over the pass, so mostly stuff on the easier splitting/smaller diameter end of the spectrum. I know they cost a bit more initially relative to gas ones of the same tonnage, but the idea of quieter operation, no exhaust fumes to inhale, and less maintenance makes one seem worthwhile to me. It helps that I have a nice shop with both a 120V 20A outlet and a 220v 20A outlet, each on their own breaker already installed, and it's located about 10 yards from the woodshed. Has anyone used the Swisher 22T electric splitter? It's a bit more expensive than the RamSplitters, but seems to have a bit higher quality fit/finish. I was also disappointed with how loud the RamSplitter electric splitters seemed to be from YouTube reviews. I was also looking at electric kinetic log splitters from Super Split, and while they are super appealing, they're a bit more than I want to spend to process ~6 cords per year. Thanks everyone!
I’ve used a homemade electric splitter that was awesome. A lot less noise and it was fast. It was similar to the Eastonmade Axis design. If I was going to always be splitting near a power source I’d consider having one.
I have a Dr power 5 ton electric that I picked up on a whim. I’ve been pleasantly surprised on how well it works. Originally it was for sitting in the shop splitting kindling and drinking beer on cold winter days and being productive but it actually has turned out to split most normal stuff I’ve stuck on it when I wanted to bust an “all nighter” down to burn right then. I have most of the pieces gathered up to make a 22 ton with 3 hp electric but sold the project splitter for a base before I even began. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
While I can't speak to the Swisher unit you're considering, I can say that I am a fan of their products. I bought one of their gas splitters earlier this year and have been very impressed with it so far. Aside from the product itself, I also like how accessible the folks are at Swisher. I talked with them a few times before ordering and they were very down to earth and easy to deal with. Talking with other manufacturers that were in the running was a much less satisfying experience.
I have a SuperSplit HD 110 V model and could not be happier with it. You may not need the power for pine, but one thing that you need to consider is its 2 second cycle time. When your are processing a cord or more, it is a real advantage not having to wait for the splitter on every piece. It really does split fast. From the time I pull the handle to the time it is ready for another log is 1.5 to 2 seconds. Being kinetic, there are no hydraulics to maintain. If you ever need to, with a few bolts, you can convert it to gas temporarily to do a job in the woods.
