To splitter or not

Been thinking about getting a small splitter to ease my load, now that I'm getting on in years. So many choices.
Gas or electric? Horizontal and/or vertical? Who's is best? And if I'm bending and hoisting rounds to load a splitter, is that really easier on my back. I'll be processing 3-4 cords a year. I've always hand split and am pretty good at it but I'm well over 60 now. I'd really appreciate all your advice/input.

 

If you have something to haul it around with like a lawn tractor then go gas and with the vertical option.
I split by hand for thirty odd years and went splitter a couple of years ago and will never look back. I'll be 62 this summer.

 

That's a loaded question for sure.
How much of your money are you wanting us to spend for you?

 

Less $ is better. My wife and my father were cut from the same bolt of cloth.......long pockets and short arms. I'm 62 as well. I get the vertical splitter advantage. The stuff you actually have to lift up is already split. As far as I can tell, there are no vertical splitters less than $1000 new. I've no intension of dealing with hardwood larger than 18" round. How many tons do figure I'll need.

 

the fuse do you own a truck? How do you gather wood? IME 20 ton will spilt just about anything as long as you are smart about it!

 

We're still living in a basement apt. in Putnam county NY where I'm still teaching science to 9th graders. We'll be heading north in the summer of '22. Then comes the pick-m-up and the garden tractor. I'll be scrounging, culling trees off our property, and buying logs when all else fails. BTW Chris, 1959 was a very good year. Karen and I were both born in '59. She in England and me in New England.

 

I ask because easiest way for me and my hips and knees are bad. Rounds in truck, is horizontal splitter peavey to pull rounds out truck. Nice end table split and stack

 

That does sound like a good strategy. Thanks.

 

BTW Does anyone have a good experience with them kinetic flywheel splitters. They do look fast but are they durable?

 

This....

Only lift the full rounds once. Much easier that way. If you search, you can buy a good used horizontal only splitter for under 500, sometimes half that. We got our old didier splitter for 250. The old Briggs on it lasted about 10 years after we got the splitter before I blew it up. Then put a $99 predator engine on it. It's under 15 tons pressure and splits everything, even elm.

 

A few here have them. I've never used one but those that do, like them.

They are pricey though. Doubt you'd find one for what you're looking to spend.

Those small Electric splitters work pretty well. If you're not processing huge rounds you could make a stand to go at the end of the tailgate, then no lifting slide into the splitter then into the stacks.

 

You can get new ones for under $1,000, especially on sale.
My wife is also 62. Must've been a lot of bunga-bunga going on nine months before that.

 

I bought a 35t husky splitter in '99. Used it pretty hard the first year, then occasionally after that. It's one of those that prepares you for winter, 'cause it only wants to start in the summer. I mostly split manually and I just turned 65.
I see people doing crossfit, beating on a tractor tire with a sledge hammer. I'll just split wood. I get the splitter warmed up when I need wood quick.

 

I used to split over 6 cords a year with an axe, and while I love the physical activity, my elbows started to ache constantly.
So last Fall I bought the electric 5 ton splitter from Harbor Freight and it has worked very well. It's easy to move around and store in my basement and is quiet when operating. Best of all, it's basically maintenance free.
Sure, I can't split every log with huge knots in it, but if I'm strategic with how I split the logs, like you have to do when using an axe, I'm finding I can split darned near anything.

 

Pretty slick Dennis! That is a pretty big round there Smaug. Is that ash? Bunga-bunga indeed Chris. Had to get it in before the end of the baby boom.

 

I have no elm that splits that clean!

 

I hear you Horkn. The gas powered kinetics are $1500 or better. I've been eyeing The DR Pilot K10. Electric, supposedly 10 ton, kinetic and @ $500 it's in my budget. Still not sure about how reliable the kinetic design is compared to hydraulic.

 

It was poplar.
I may be strong like bull, but I'm also smart, like tractor.