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New wood splitter

Started by jollyrogers100, December 05, 2016, 04:44:59 PM

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jollyrogers100

Hello, I'm in the market for a new woodsplitter.   My budget is around 2k.  I'm looking at ones at the local TSC and was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on those.  I would like one with a stationary wedge, but cant seem to find anything.  Any help would be appreciated. 
Energy King 480EK, 1967 Ford 4000, 12 Ft flat bed trailer, Husqvarna 455 Rancher And a Farm and Fleet 3pt splitter

gasman1075

I have been splitting wood for myself for almost 30 years and bought a Timberwolf TW-P1 about 10 years ago with a 5HP Honda. I have had zero issues with it and recommend it highly. I cut, skid, split and burn 5-7 cord per year in upstate NY. I added the table grate option and if I had it do do over again I would go up a size so I could add the hydraulic lift for the big stuff so I didn't have to use my tractor. I split mainly red oak, ash. I had less expensive models before and would not buy a mass merchant splitter again nor will I lend my splitter out to family or friend. I also recently purchased a Norwood hydraulic skid winch and that has been very useful.

Thanks

Jack
JD 2302R/Stihl MS461/Stihl MS261/ Timberwolf TW-P1/ new left hip /

gasman1075

JD 2302R/Stihl MS461/Stihl MS261/ Timberwolf TW-P1/ new left hip /

dave_dj1

I don't know how much wood you are going to spit each year but you would be hard pressed to beat the value of one of the TSC sub 1K splitters.
I agree with wanting the wedge stationary but for the money they are a great unit.

jollyrogers100

I'm going to split about 10 cord a year, elm, ash, red and white oak, hard and soft maple, a little of everything.  I have a splitter that runs off of the tractor hydro's, but it's seen better days and everything is starting to break down on it except the cylinder. 
Energy King 480EK, 1967 Ford 4000, 12 Ft flat bed trailer, Husqvarna 455 Rancher And a Farm and Fleet 3pt splitter

bmcdowell40

I have a 22 Ton Huskee from TSC and its been a great unit.  I split about 10 cords of mixed hardwoods and another 1-2 cords of softwoods every year and I've had this unit for 6 years now.  The only trouble its given me is a couple loose bolts.  I've only had a couple rounds that it wouldn't split. 

I too would love to have one with a fixed wedge and table grate but at the time I bought it, it was what I could afford.  I had looked around for a used one but couldn't find anything decent. 

If you decide to go this route, watch the sales at TSC.  I think they had it on sale for $899 at one point.  Also, if you have a Rural King in your area, check there.  They have an almost identical splitter at a better price. 

sawguy21

What is the attraction with the stationary wedge? It would not be practical on a unit that can split vertically if you want that feature.
There are a lot of brands on the market and quality of construction varies. Look for smooth clean welds without splatter under the paint. Larger tires will roll smoothly over rough ground and make sure they are sufficiently spaced to make the machine stable. Look for standard SAE hydraulic components and fittings, the off shore units have cheap non standard parts that are impossible to source.
The mechanical high inertia units such as Super Split are fast, a lot of people prefer them, but need two to use their full potential. In my experience they also require more maintenance unless improvements have been made in recent years.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

hedgerow

I process around 15 cord a year of locust or hedge. I had a splitter I built and used for 30 years that had a moving wedge. It had a boom to lift the heavy ones. I broke the wedge two years ago. I junked the splitter and used parts on another project. I also have a home built splitter that has a fixed wedge and a log lift. It runs a 28 GPM two stage pump with a four inch cylinder. It is a fast hard hitting splitter. I wouldn't every go back to a moving wedge. Yes a $1,000 dollar splitter from TSC will do the job but it will be slow. Buy one with a fixed wedge , log lift and the biggest motor, pump you can afford. If you make 10 cord a year you want a nice splitter. 

thecfarm

I myself like the vertical split. I have split some pieces 3 feet across. Not something that I want 2 feet up in the air and falling in 2 diffeant directions at once.But that is just me.  ;D  If I don't have to use it,don't matter to me what you use.  ;D  I have split some stumps that flared out about 3 feet across too. Those do not split well at all. I kinda wonder why I bother with them,but there is alot of wood there. When I first got my splitter,I never thought that I would use it in the vertical position. But than I got my OWB and started to split some big one pine. Glad I have it now.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

upnut

Spent the morning alone using my TSC 22 ton splitter, works fine for my situation. This afternoon spent some time helping my brother splitting with his Iron and Oak 30 ton horizontal only splitter. It is noticeably faster, stouter, and quieter, as well it should be for three times the price. It is well built and handles the four-way attachment with ease, keeping a three-man crew hustling. We lift the chunks to working height with his tractor loader, works slick!

Scott B.
I did not fall, there was a GRAVITY SURGE!

WoodBurner19

I purchased a Huskee 35 ton splitter for 2K from TS about 5 years ago. I just had my local welder modify it to a 4 way wedge.
I also split verticaly so I do not have to lift anything. I should have had the 4 way wedge built when I got the machine. But
no problems with it at all. Good Luck!
MS 270 C   MS 461,  Remodeling Contractor, Married, 2 kids, 2004 Dodge Deisel, 2013 4X4 KingQuad, Stihl saws, 35 ton 4way Splitter.

bmcdowell40

Quote from: thecfarm on December 06, 2016, 06:52:31 PM
I myself like the vertical split. I have split some pieces 3 feet across. Not something that I want 2 feet up in the air and falling in 2 diffeant directions at once.But that is just me.  ;D  If I don't have to use it,don't matter to me what you use.  ;D  I have split some stumps that flared out about 3 feet across too. Those do not split well at all. I kinda wonder why I bother with them,but there is alot of wood there. When I first got my splitter,I never thought that I would use it in the vertical position. But than I got my OWB and started to split some big one pine. Glad I have it now.

I have only tried vertical splitting a couple times to breakdown some bigger rounds into manageable pieces.  I found it cumbersome at best; kneeling on the ground, holding the round back against the beam with one hand and having to reach up to operate the valve.  Working from the knees was a real time killer.  I've often thought about putting the splitter up on my equipment trailer in the vertical position to get me off my knees and not have to stoop over.  I can set the large rounds on the trailer with my tractor.  Has anyone tried this or use this method? 

jollyrogers100

Quote from: sawguy21 on December 06, 2016, 03:49:19 PM
What is the attraction with the stationary wedge? It would not be practical on a unit that can split vertically if you want that feature.
There are a lot of brands on the market and quality of construction varies. Look for smooth clean welds without splatter under the paint. Larger tires will roll smoothly over rough ground and make sure they are sufficiently spaced to make the machine stable. Look for standard SAE hydraulic components and fittings, the off shore units have cheap non standard parts that are impossible to source.
The mechanical high inertia units such as Super Split are fast, a lot of people prefer them, but need two to use their full potential. In my experience they also require more maintenance unless improvements have been made in recent years.

I like the idea of splitting in the vertical position, but if its to big for me to pick up, i'll just block it up with the saw.  I tend to burn a lot of elm and big hard maple, types of wood that inertia splitters don't do well with.  wanting a fixed wedge  has to do with the fact that a lot of the wood I split likes to tear and not necessarily split, elm for example.  It also likes to get stuck on the wedge, I want to be able to split it to a certain extent, retract the cylinder and put another piece of wood on to finish the first. 
Energy King 480EK, 1967 Ford 4000, 12 Ft flat bed trailer, Husqvarna 455 Rancher And a Farm and Fleet 3pt splitter

John Mc

Fixed wedge is also nice because it pushes the wood off the end of the splitter. I leave my trailer there, and it does most of the work of loading the trailer for me.  I've seen guys split a plastic culvert length-wise and put one end on the end of the splitter, and the other in the back of their truck: a poor mans firewood conveyor.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

jollyrogers100

Well, I think I may have made up my mind.  I think I'm going to wait on getting a new splitter.  Gasman1075 recommended the Timberwolf brand, and also mentioned the Norwood skid winch. I think I just might get one of those first.  I didn't even know they made such a thing.  It would help getting wood out of the valley here.  I was looking through the the Timberwolf products, and I think I want to get This.  I like the portability of the 3pt mounted spliters.  In the meantime, i'm just going to borrow a friends to finish up splitting and then do some work on  the old one and make it last a few more years.  Thanks for the Help.
Energy King 480EK, 1967 Ford 4000, 12 Ft flat bed trailer, Husqvarna 455 Rancher And a Farm and Fleet 3pt splitter

John Mc

You can't go wrong with a Timberwolf. 

The 3 Pt hitch splitters do mean one less engine to maintain, and the ability to easily put it at whatever height is most comfortable for you is nice. However, it also means you've got your tractor tied up when you are splitting: you can't use it to load or stage logs for splitting (It can be nice to have the rounds loaded in the bucket and teed up to just pull off and onto the splitter.)
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

sawguy21

You have only one tractor? ;D
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

John Mc

Quote from: sawguy21 on December 09, 2016, 11:53:08 AM
You have only one tractor? ;D

Yes, unfortunately.  "She Who Must Be Obeyed" did not complain at all when I bought the tractor. If I decided to get a second one, however, the interaction would be quite different, I'm sure.

On the other hand, we did just build her a new workshop for her woodworking. Maybe it's my turn now...
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

hedgerow

I split wood for years with a homemade three point hitch splitter. The loader was on the JD 3010 year around so the tractor was running every day so I would just throw the  splitter on and split. It worked great and back then we were selling some wood and doing a lot of wood. The 3010 had a lot of flow and pressure on the hyd so I didn't have to run PTO pump. Some folks say your wearing out a high price engine. Never seemed to hurt anything. Got fancy in later years and made a trailer for the splitter and put a 20 HP two cylinder engine with a 28 GPM two stage pump on it. Added a log lift as I didn't have the three point to lower for the big stuff. Know I have another engine to take care of and another battery to buy. 

gasman1075

I like that " She who must be obeyed " If I bought anything besides JD I would be in trouble since "you know who" would know that this tractor with 400 hours is not the same one I had when we got married 28 years ago....The Norwood skid winch was orange and I got caught right away. I can take some pictures tomorrow if anybody is interested. I am very happy with it. Its too small for me to get in trouble with like my cable winch I had previously. Its steep here and the 30HP JD just isnt heavy enough.
JD 2302R/Stihl MS461/Stihl MS261/ Timberwolf TW-P1/ new left hip /

Magicman

Sometimes tools are sorta like guns.  She may not know the difference between them, but she can count.   ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

47sawdust

About more tractors......A friend of mine surprised his wife with a diamond ring after they had been married a few years.She was some surprised and singing his praise to all her friends.A few weeks went by and he says "There's a tractor for sale at a good price just down the road,I think it would be real handy around the place."She never thought about saying no.It's all in the timing!
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

Andries

Now that is the kind of maneuver that is to be admired!
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

barbender

Too many irons in the fire

DMcCoy

 I bought a 27T Troy Built about 4 yrs ago.  It has been a good unit so far with no problems.  I split @ 4-5 cords a year.  It is the Horz/Vert type.  Like others splitting vertical got old quick.  Being doubled up sitting on a 5 gallon bucket was my solution to sore knees but that too wasn't comfortable.  Splitting this way was also slow.  The material handling aspect drove me nuts.  I should also mention I'm not small 6'6" and 250 lbs.  So I take up a lot of room and firewood on the ground is a long ways down, if I have to pick it up x 1000's of pieces.

I modified or rather built a frame that lifted the spliter portion up about 9" without altering the factory set up so I wouldn't void my warranty.  It took a stupid amount of 9" pieces of 1 1/2" tube but there was no other way to build the two side tables which are essential imho.

There is an extension handle hooked to the hydraulic valve with a wooden dowel handle about 12" in front of me and about 18" above the plywood tables.  I can easily reach this while splitting.  It also swings up vertical if I have a really big round.

The left table is hinged so I can access the motor. 

The return stroke of the cylinder I utilize to lift large rounds with a light weight removable contraption with a piece of 2x4 that I have to balance the round on until it gets to the top, not a big deal, works great.  Uses 1/8" cable over a small pulley and has a hook on the other end that fits the hole in the top of the wedge.


  

  

The biggest improvement to the whole process is a firewood conveyor I built.  I cannot say enough about how much time this saves in the big picture.  I can toss the split pieces onto it and it does the rest.  I split about 1 cord yesterday in an hour by myself. 

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