Rugged Made products feedback?

[woodrat]

OK, been through a few weeks of research and planning around starting a small firewood side gig. Gave up on the idea of a processor for now, I won't be running that much wood anytime soon. Looking for small dump trailers now, too, after getting great feedback on that topic here.

Was wondering what kind of feedback and experience people have with the Rugged Made splitters.

None of the US or Canada made heavy duty splitters seem to be available anytime soon, looong wait times, and most of them aren't even answering emails or requests for quotes. But there are some of the Rugged Made models in stock, with free shipping. So that's pretty tempting. I'm not even seeing much in the way of used stuff near me right now.

My other option is to just pick up one of those Tractor Supply ones and get working. However, I don't like the lack of outfeed table/grate for the wood, and I don't like the wedge on the cylinder, would rather have a fixed wedge and a flat pusher on the cylinder.

Also, the Rugged Made ones have the hydraulic lift, which would also be nice.  

thanks!

[woodrat]

So, just now I found an editorial statement on Rugged Made that is linked into a post from 2017... https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position

Here's the issue I'm having: the US made companies I have tried to shop from either have 6-9 month wait times listed on their sites, wanting a big deposit tied up for that entire time, or they simply won't reply to emails, chats or requests for quotes at all. 

At this point, I have to assume that if a company can't supply their main product lines within 6-9 months (and we can imagine that will actually be even longer than that), it's hard to feel like that's a good place to shop. 

I would rather support north American made, but not like this. I could plunk down a grand or more as a deposit with a company that maybe doesn't reply to emails, and then not see a product until next year sometime. In the meantime, I got nothin'. 

For whatever Rugged Made's faults might be, they responded instantly to my questions. 

[stavebuyer]

With the wood you described in your other thread; get a Supersplit Kinetic. In small straight-grained woods it will outdo any of the hydraulics 2-1 and run all day on less than a gallon of fuel.

[sprucebunny]

I've had one for several years with the lift and a Honda engine. It's fine. Tiny bit slower than the Iron & Oak one I had.

Since you assemble it yourself, there is an opportunity to make it more ergonomic for yourself. You can choose which side for the lift though I thought the hose routing was a little off for one side.

[beenthere]

woodrat
Get the Ruggedmade and then you can get to splitting wood.

Search the forum as there have been several threads about the Ruggedmade splitters. 

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, so I've heard.

These days of short supply and short on help, our immediate attention when we leave emails and voice mails can go un-noticed easily. Likely they are busy and not needing to "make a sale" or make quotes that they cannot back up in the future. It is what it is, and we are spoiled with things as they were two years ago.

There are three "similar topics" listed at the bottom of these posts.

[Old Greenhorn]

So, just now I found an editorial statement on Rugged Made that is linked into a post from 2017... Knock off product position
......

Just to be clear. That reference you found and linked was referring to northern tool Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company (and will likely be linked here also). It does not refer to rugged made. NT used to sell RM, but it appears they no longer do. NT has always had a business policy of finding good stuff designed and made in North America and then finding a cheaper design and having it made offshore. Often those design compromises made the life of the product less effective. In some case, their copies were near identical and therefore direct rip-offs, right down to the paint color. When those companies being ripped off are forum sponsors it can be a lot to take. Hence the statement.
 If you have a good response from Rugged Made, why not just ask them where their stuff is made? I have knowingly bought stuff from China, but my expectations were low and I was not disappointed. If you are trying to make an income with this machine just consider the cost of ownership.

[woodrat]

So, just now I found an editorial statement on Rugged Made that is linked into a post from 2017... Knock off product position
......

Just to be clear. That reference you found and linked was referring to northern tool Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company<a href="Knock off product position Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company[/url] (and will likely be linked here also). It does not refer to rugged made.

Oh, it came across to me like the link was about RM, since that's what the post was about. The link itself wasn't specific, either. 
Thanks!

[woodrat]

In the world of these log splitters, Briggs or Honda? 

[trapper]

ordered my wolf ridge feb 2021 and got it june 2021. How much interest are you going to get on that thousand in 6 months?   It was worth the wait for me but I had a farm store splitter that I used and then sold while I was waiting.  They added people and new equipment since I got mine.

[woodrat]

ordered my wolf ridge feb 2021 and got it june 2021. How much interest are you going to get on that thousand in 6 months?   It was worth the wait for me but I had a farm store splitter that I used and then sold while I was waiting.  They added people and new equipment since I got mine.

Wolfe ridge is currently saying 24 week lead time. So, would be in December. Pouring rain season here...  ... I get your point about the money tied up, but also I would basically lose a season of getting started on this, unless I went and spent $1500 on a Tractor Supply one or split everything by hand. 

[barbender]

Myself, I'd find a used splitter on CL or FB marketplace. It will get you splitting and you can get a quality machine on order if you are that serious about things. I bought an MTD that I used for at least 3 years, split a lot of wood with it, and sold it for $550. It was a good quality machine, honestly I probably wouldn't have even sold it if it was configured with the pusher on the ram. But, it was the horizontal/vertical setup that seems to dominate the consumer market. Really, if MTD or one of the other big manufacturers made a machine similar to Wolfe Ridge, Eastonmade etc. they might not be built quite as heavy, but they would be hard to beat in price. You actually get another of machine for the money with many of the consumer models- they're just not laid out for production, as far as I'm concerned. 

[woodrat]

Myself, I'd find a used splitter on CL or FB marketplace. It will get you splitting and you can get a quality machine on order if you are that serious about things. I bought an MTD that I used for at least 3 years, split a lot of wood with it, and sold it for $550. It was a good quality machine, honestly I probably wouldn't have even sold it if it was configured with the pusher on the ram. But, it was the horizontal/vertical setup that seems to dominate the consumer market. Really, if MTD or one of the other big manufacturers made a machine similar to Wolfe Ridge, Eastonmade etc. they might not be built quite as heavy, but they would be hard to beat in price. You actually get another of machine for the money with many of the consumer models- they're just not laid out for production, as far as I'm concerned.

I'm still scanning for used ones, but so far I'm not seeing very much, and people are not very responsive to inquiries. I think a lot of the ads that are up are already sold and no one bothers to delete the ad...and like you say, the common consumer machines are not really laid out for good efficiency. 
Still looking, though. Rugged made has a $250 off sale until the 24th, so I've got a little bit of time still if I decide to go with ordering a new one. 

[hedgerow]

Woodrat  I myself have always used homemade splitters for my 15-20 cord a year I burn in my Garn. Its built to the height I like, has a lift, has infeed and outfeed tables. I have bought and sold and repaired a lot of farm store splitters over the years. Most will hold up to some hard use but they are slow. I like to buy splitters and snow blowers in the summer and sell in the winter. These newer china made splitters are a little to be desired. I would forget the Rugged made if it were me. Start looking way out of your area on Face Book and Craigslist for a commercial grade splitter. Used ones are out there just not in your area. You can easily get a hot shot trucker to bring it to you if you don't want to make a road trip. 

[woodrat]

Well, I finally gave up on ever getting any ETA or shipping quotes on the NA made ones. Only blacks creek ever even answered my email.

Almost went ahead and bought a new Rugged Made, they look pretty good and are on sale for another week, but in the end, decided to save the hit to my credit card and the freight drop off hassles, and just try to find a regular used splitter locally and get on with it. If I want something fancier later I can deal with that then. 

Took a while to find anything suitable that any sellers would email me back about, but I finally found one. 

Went and bought a barely used Dirty Hands 35 ton splitter today with a Kohler 9.5 hp that started up instantly from cold. Everything works, has the standard and the extended log shelfs, plus the 4 way wedge and a bunch of odd hardware and a few gallons of extra hydraulic fluid. $1200, 3 hour round trip drive, and no credit card damage... 

[sawguy21]

That looks like a good choice. Domestically built Kohler engine so should be reliable and parts readily available. Standard SAE hydraulic fittings are a bonus.

[woodrat]

It's in the Command Pro series of engines, and I've had good reliability out of the CH 25 hp engine on the sawmill. 

And this splitter has a bit more oomph in the engine hp and pump volume department than most of the hardware store style of splitters that I was seeing in the used market, too. 

[hedgerow]

woodrat Glad you found a splitter. Those Kohler's seemed to be pretty good engines. The only issues I have seen with them were caused from folks not keeping them inside or covered up. Water in the gas tank or rust on the magnet on the flywheel. I have read some folks had leaking hyd cylinders on those dirty hands splitters but a trip to a cylinder rebuilder will fix that if it becomes a issue. Enjoy the new tool. 

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Went and bought a barely used Dirty Hands 35 ton splitter today with a Kohler 9.5 hp that started up instantly from cold. Everything works, has the standard and the extended log shelfs, plus the 4 way wedge and a bunch of odd hardware and a few gallons of extra hydraulic fluid. $1200, 3 hour round trip drive, and no credit card damage...

I have that same command pro Kohler motor on my splitter and I'm a fan.   $1200 bucks huh?  You made a good buy.   Now, get busy cause the splitter is only one part.   Wood supply, saws, delivery equipment and of course the curse or the firewood business, dealing with the customers.  There is more to it than most guys think when they start out. .  

[woodrat]

"There is more to it than most guys think when they start out. "


No doubt. Fortunately I have 25+ years sawmilling under my belt, so I have a little insight into some of it. I have learned that every time I handle wood I'm losing...  ... So, I'm working on ways to limit the number of times I have to handle any piece of firewood, but also, I'm not rolling in cash to spend on equipment. Dump trailer will be the next purchase, I think.

For now, starting small. Getting all my own wood done, have one small order for fall, and shopping for someone who can bring me dump truck loads of short leftovers from the logging ops. I also have a lot of trees, so...

I used to do just my own, from my own trees, and hand split all of it, and stack it to dry out in the pasture, and then move it AGAIN onto a trailer and then restack it in the shed. Less than ideal...

I got lucky on this purchase. I wasn't seeing much of anything for sale anywhere, except pretty light duty stuff and far away. I looked at one that was only 22 tons with a HF engine on it, and that guy wanted $1250, so finding the heavier cylinder, better flow and a 9.5 Kohler was a bit of good luck. This one even came with the heavy extended log shelf, which will protect the engine nicely, but is also going to make fueling a bit of a pain. Gonna need a funnel for that.

[woodrat]

Shoulda bought one of these years ago... ...