3-pt Hitch Log Splitter or Gas standalone?

[90cummins]

I built my splitter in 1976 and I didn’t have a tractor at the time.
I built my splitter with a 10 hp cast iron engine and a 22gpm pump that will cycle the piston out and back in 7 seconds. The pump will build 2500 psi on a 4” cylinder. It has wheels and a trailer hitch for transport.
30 years of use have use tell me it was a good build and rarely gets stuck.
Fast forward to today; I still have the same splitter with no changes or repairs, still runs like the day I built it. I also have a FORD 1720 tractor with pallet forks that I use to move it with.
It became very inconvenient to install the hitch just to move the splitter and I liked the idea of mounting it on the 3pt hitch but I also didn’t want to have to remove my forks so I modified the splitter so it accepts my pallet forks.
When I want to split I back under it, pick it up and carry to the work site. With it on the forks I can place it right in the middle of the pile and just pick it up to move verses needing to dig it out so I can tow it to the next pile of wood. I also can adjust the height to save my back.
My suggestion to you is buy or make a splitter that has its own power source and that is fast and powerful enough to make it pleasant to operate, waiting for the ram to reset is very aggravating.
I would suggest a self powered splitter rather than running your tractor at PTO speed all day.
That way someone can be splitting while the tractor is fetching more logs or you can throw the split wood into the bucket to eliminate handling.
30 plus years; that’s my take on it!!
90cummins

[adirondackmtnman]

I have a stand alone splitter that I can pull behind the 4wheeler or the tractor but spends most of it's time next to the wood pile. I like to bring blocks from wherever I bucked them up with the JD bucket and park close enough with the bucket waist high that I just swing the blocks over and let them drop a couple of inches onto the splitter beam. That saves a lot of lower back strain and I'm getting creaky enough to not want to accelerate the ageing process.

Good idea...I've got the creaks too!!!

[Oliver1655]

I started off with a piece of I-beam with 2 pieces of flat welded on one end with 3/4 holes for half a hing a wedge welded to the other end, an 8" length of 2" sq tubing which had a 5" piece of 3/4" pipe welded across the end of it that slid into the 3pt hitch mounted receiver for the other half of the hinge & a 4x24" cylinder mounted to the beam with the push plate which was powered by the tractor remote/valve.To raise the beam I would hook a short chain to the top of the receiver hitch where the center link connected and the push plate. When I extended the push plate it would lift the end of the beam off the ground.
Pro: 1 - Less than $200 invested.
2 - Very little time invested in fabrication.

Con: 1 - Length of hoses did not allow the hydraulic fluid to circulate from the hoses/cylinder & caused heat build up.
2 - Required someone to sit on the tractor to run the valve or you had to hook a stick to the valve to move it. If someone else was operating the valve you had to be very careful they made sure hands were clear before cycling the cylinder.
3 - Too much bending over. I while I liked being able to roll large rounds onto the beam while it was on the ground, my back said to find a better option.
4 - As many have said: higher fuel usage, wear on tractor, & it tied up the tractor.

So --- I decided:
1 - Once I picked the round up off the ground it would not hit the ground again until it hit the wood pile.
2 - It would be a stand alone.
3 - Have a log lift. No bending over to split!
4 - Dedicated horizontal splitter. (Wedge welded to beam.)
5 - Have out feed tables.
6 - Use a single wedge. (Elm & hedge - Not good candidates for 4 way wedges.)
7 - Be heavy & wide enough wheel base to pull a trailer with. (Carries the saws, gas/oil, accessories, & holds 1/2 cord of wood.)

Built my own using the initial setup. Added an oil cooler with box fan to allow for splitting in 100 degree plus heat. Later added a wheeled hydraulic jack stand. (Makes hooking it up a snap!) The 2" coupler screws out and a pintle eye can be screwed in or just leave it without any hitch to deter theft/ borrowing.
(The attached photos are before I moved the hydraulic oil filter to the suction side and added the wheeled hydraulic jack stand.)

[murphy1244]

Oliver, That is the best splitter I've seen yet.

[spruce Deere]

Oliver, that is one heck of a splitter!!!!

[avc8130]

Is that a pro or a con?

YES, YES IT IS.

[John_Mc]

While we're on the subject of saving backs, these Timber Tongs (sometimes referred to s Lifting Tongs) are the best $35 I've spent on my firewood handling. You can pick up a round without bending down, using one hand. They release easily with a flick of the wrist. They are also helpful dragging longer logs around, or repositioning them for cutting.

They make both 8" and 12" tongs. I use the 8", since they are compact and easy to carry in the woods. The 8" model will pick up most 10" diameter rounds, and a lot of the 12" logs I run in to (sometimes with a bit of "persuasion").

[jinman]

hours on the tractor engine...it's basically just idling and pumping hydraulic, right? i have no plans to sell this one so not worried too much about resale value and running up the hours.

I have a 3PH splitter on a 45 hp tractor with 9.8 gpm hydraulic flow. To get satisfactory power and speed to my splitter, I need to run the tractor at 2000 rpm or higher. That's much higher than idle. The tractor is good for my splitting because I only split about twice per year at most and don't heat my house with wood. If I split on a regular basis, I would not even consider the 3PH splitter in the long run. If you need an inexpensive splitter just to get by until you find a good stand-alone, then I'd say go with the 3PH one because they are much cheaper. You can resell the 3PH later or keep it as a standby. I just can't recommed one for anyone who splits a lot of wood or does it on a regular basis. You tie up your tractor, use more fuel, and put hours on the clock while having a much bigger area needed for the tractor to fit. All-in-all, the standalone would be my choice.

[jinman]

Oliver, that is one heck of a splitter!!!!

That's no splitter. It's a firewood FACTORY! Wow! Tim the Tool Man would love that.

[likeOwlNotCrow]

i just ran into town for some errands and picked up their last 12" timber tong for $39.99 at TSC. can't wait to use them - thanks for the tip!