Why are used and homemade log splitters more expensive than new ones?

I bought one of those 22 ton Huskee splitters about 5 years ago. It's been trouble free for the most part. It ain't fast.....but it is stronger than I figured it would be.

So far I've changed the return line, and fixed it when the carb and intake vibrated loose. I have to say......it's some of the best money I've ever spent.

 

I got one of the old Lickety Splitters off CL. It included a 13hp Honda engine that runs great. This was a good deal for $550. Its slow but nothing will stop it. I kept running into the $1200 used Speecos when new ones went on sale for $899.00. Keep looking, good luck.

 

If you are looking for a basic horizontal/vertical splitter, I agree you can not buy the parts to build one for the around $1,000 you can catch them on sale for. However, if you want something else, building can definitely be cheaper.

My splitter:
- 4" x 24" cylinder
- 16 gpm 2 stage Haldex pump
- 13 hp electric start engine
- 22" x 22" oil cooler with 1" ports
- log lift/staging table
- out feed tables
- 4 way wedge which is 20" high & 16" wide
- hydraulic jack/leveling leg with twin no flat wheel barrow wheels operated by the splitter's hydraulic system.
- A pair of aux hydraulic ports which allow it to be used to power other hydraulic devices.
(A total of 4 valves: Splitting cylinder, log lift, hydraulic jack, aux ports)
- wide wheel base, 14 ply tires, able to pull a trailer behind it
- removable/interchangable hitch allowing it to be hooked to a 2" ball or a pintle hitch. If removed & put away, decreases risk of theft.
- Nylon storage trunk approximately 36" x 20" x 20" for accessories, fuel for splitter & saws, bar oil, gloves, ....
- 24" x 60" work surface across the back for servicing saws.

What would it cost to buy one similar to it? There in no one close who makes dedicated horizontal splitters so there would also be a hefty shipping charge added.

Yep, sometimes it is worth it to build.

 

I built my own and the reason being no one was making one with what I wanted. Everyone's operation is a little different so one splitter does not fit all I guess. I wanted to be able to split by myself if need be and not noodle anything. Not having to try to roll around 30 inch and up rounds was another reason. I split where the trees falls/lays and back down the trunk, dragging them in if need be. Best splitter I have ever used but probably wouldn't be another guys best option. Most splitters have pluses and minuses and you have to decide on what best suits you.

 

This one may still be available for around $650 or $700 . Central Ohio

 

I sold my old horizontal with log lift for more that I had into it.

The commercial grade splitters equivalent to what I'm building for ~3k are over 10 grand. There was a used builtrite for sale locally that the guy claimed to have paid $15k for. I could have had it for $6k but couldn't justify spending that much.

 

That's why I'm building mine...not really concerned with resale since I'm not selling. If I did I think I could get my money back again. But I'm also not pulling old parts out of the junkyard and sticking them together expecting to sell it for big $$$

I have a good situation with a tree service dropping off cut to lengthen rounds. They even noodle anything too big for two people to lift.

I have a gasification boiler that takes sticks of wood up to 32" long. The boiler gassifies best with a good mix of small and bigger stuff; so a multi head wedge that leaves a lot of "trash" is actually an advantage for me.

So I'm building what I think will save me a lot of time. Since it will never leave my property unless I move or decide to sell it I'm not putting the money into better tires like oliver1655 did. I went with the cheapest I could find.

 

Mike, I used a mobile home axle - $50 & get the tires on wheels for $35 each. 14 ply, 14.5 - 8 tires are the standard ones used now a days. Very affordable.

 

Yeah, I spent years using other splitters deciding what I wanted and how to do it. Knew I wanted a high working surface as I'm tall and didn't wanted to get rid of as Much leaning over as possible. Swing away tables was another thing that is really, REALLY nice. I didn't want any wood to hit the ground once you start splitting till it was top size. I now can do this.

Yes, I have a good bit more in it than an average splitter but I don't consider it and average splitter. It's not a resale thing as to me it is the last splitter I'll ever need. Ease is a big thing to me and being able to work up most anything by myself was the goal. Goes like gravy with 2 and I can get volunteers pretty eays as it is just fun anymore.











25 HP
30 gal tank
28 gpm pump
cordless remote winch with 360 degree swing boom
stabilizer feet for leveling and dragging the big stuff
full autocycle valve
adjustable cylinder stops up to 30 inch long
5 inch Prince Gladiator cylinder
work light
box slide
quick change wedge
Changeable hitch system

Overkill for sure but it sure is nice to have

 

You sir, win.

 

Kevin, what winch are you using? Any issues with the duty cycle? Some of the cheap winches have a duty rating of 45 seconds every 15 minutes... Not sure if this is enough.

 

The winch might be the weak link on mine but I couldn't find a Good brand name with a cordless remote so I ended up with a HF one. I bought 2 at that time for fear it would fail fast till I found a good one. I've run over 75 cord through it so far and it has done fine. Only thing I've had to do was replace the remotes battery. Winch says it will pull 3000 lbs, lifting???? I did put heavier wiring to it as the factory leads look plenty light.

It has an override where it will stop for a second if it gets to hot but it keeps going. My normal if 2 guys are present is to start getting another round while the other guy is finishing up the smaller chunks on the tables. It keeps a constant flow that way and winch did fine.



I've thrown some 4ft plus diameter 24 inch long hardwood rounds at it and it did fine. Long term? we'll see but so far so good.

Maybe someday I'll get a saw done by you. Your work is VERY impressive sir.

 

Very impressive, beautiful work Kevin
I was drooling all over my keyboard looking through those build pics, man what a great job you did. Really helps to have a nice big shop to work in along with the right tools. Is that a syncrowave 350 tig machine I see in the background?

 

Scott, an old grain truck. Have one I will be doing later this winter/spring.

Change out the axles, cut & bend the front part of the frame for the hitch.

I will have less than $1,000 in it when done:
- $500 for truck
- $240 for 2 mobile home axles w/brakes & 4 - 14 ply tires
- $ 40 for "A" style 2-5/26 coupler
- $ 35 for spring hangers
- $ 25 welding supplies
- $ 20 lighting kit
- $ 40 paint
~ $ 60 Title/license

 

Syncrowave 250 and a 250x Mig. Go Blue! Took about 3 months of spare time to get it done but I work loads of overtime so that is pretty quick for me. Thanks for the words, appreciate that.

For most people you can not beat the new Speeco, Dht type splitters. If you are doing less than 8 cord a year it would be VERY hard to justify. If you want it that is fine, but to justify it it moneywise would be a hard sell when you get to the bigger splitters. I like building things and suiting things to my needs. I bought all of my steel at scrap price and that alone has gone WAY up there anymore. NO way you could build a new one, from new parts, for what you can buy the complete, finished unit for.

If you think you can, build a bunch and undercut the other makers.

 

I love that thing Kevin! I don't really have a "practical" use for anything like that, although it would be cool to have, and build. I have the hydraulic and fab skills to do it, but no real practical use for something as awesome as that. realistically, I only need 4-6 cord a year, but am always helping buddies out. my midget splitter is at a buddies right now so he can split up stuff we dropped for next years burn.

I spend all night googling log splitters, but home made and manufactured units seeing what I liked and what I didn't.

I think I'm going to get a 21gpm PTO pump and run it off of the tractor. I have a 16hp kubota 3cyl that I could use for a separate stand alone unit, but here is my thinking for running it off the the tractor... Anywhere I cut, if its a big enough area, I'll have the tractor there to move/drag stuff. by making it mount perpendicular to the tractor, it wont take up much space on the tractor when its titled. I think I want to make a table or wings for it so when it is horizontal, there isn't much bending down, but the unit could still be tilted for the large rounds. when horizontal, it could be set to whatever height I wanted. I like the idea of the diesel motor idling away running it, vs a gas screamer. I don't buy gasoline, except for the saws... or diesel... I have access to offroad diesel and I normally don't go through more than 20 gallons of diesel between the two small tractors (diesel mower and mini tractor) all year. running that mini splitter burns about 5 gallons for 3-3.5 cord. and if I just bring back a load of logs or rounds, I'll have the tractor at home with the splitter on it. Normally I have the work truck or drag a trailer behind my truck, so towing a splitter isn't really feasible anyway. This makes the PTO splitter ideal in my head...

now, I'm trying to figure a hyd tank capacity... the pump puts out 21gpm at 540 pro rpm speed. that is accomplished at 3K rpm on the tractor, if it is proportional, (idle is 1100-1200, running it at 15-1700 rpm) would hopefully yield 11gpm, should be decent speed, and should I need more umph, I could bump up the tractor a few rpm.... thoughts, comments?

This will be a side project, as my winter project was going to be a dump trailer. I got a 14'x6' 12Klb gvw trailer frame from work with axles and tires (old generator trailer) that was going to be my project... would be super cool to have the splitter be able to be mounted to the trailer and ran off that separate kubota motor I have..... too many thoughts and ideas without the time...

 

We Have a 3 point homemade that Dad picked up for the big ones. It runs off tractors hydraulics and is plenty slow but gets the job done. It just killed me to run it as it had a non detent valve and leaning got to e point where I'd cramp up after a couple hours of use. It doesn't bother some but I'm not that lucky!

Your plan sounds like a good one. The only thing I'd add is to make up a fold down foot pad for the end of the splitter so it sits solid at you best working measurement. Hinged so you can fold up when going to the ground. We found that unsupported at the end it bounced too much when putting logs on an increases the likelyhood of problems with roll offs and toes. easier than always trying to find a log to sit it on and doesn't get in the way as much. We also made a little ramp to get it up on the beam. WE had a box beam slide but it's amazing how the bigger ones want to spin on the ground, especially when snow is involved.

Safe rule of thumb is one gallon for every GPM. I know some get by with nothing near that but it depends on your layout/fittings etc. I have close to o on mine and run a bypass valve as well. I dealt with James at Splitez and he does them for a living. Check out his site as he has a LOT of good stuff there.

 

Me too, slow you say, a lot faster then a 63 year old fart with a maul.