Firewood - Wood Splitter - Not Tractor Attached - Whats best?

[EddieWalker]

I've learned over the years that if I want it to start every year and work without any problems, it has to have a Honda engine. I feel that Honda is the gold standard that all other small engines compare to. About ten years ago my brother bout the Troy Bilt log splitter from Lowes and it's worked flawlessly. About two years ago, I got tired of borrowing it from him and having to get it back to him when he wanted it, so I bought one for myself so I could split wood on my schedule, when it was convenient for me. I'll leave it out in the woods next to the log and split wood until the back of the Mule is full, go stack it and then go back or call it a day. I'm never in any rush since I rarely burn more then a chord to keep my house warm over winter, and I try to keep 2 chords stacked just in case we need more or we want to have a fire out in the yard or by the pond during the summer. My dad also uses it and also has about 2 chords stacked and ready for winter. He goes through more wood then I do because my parents are retired and they will keep a fire going all day long, all week long where I only burn in the evenings and really days on the weekend.

Shop Troy-Bilt 27-Ton Gas Log Splitter at Lowes.com

Eddie

 

[Teachu2]

I've learned over the years that if I want it to start every year and work without any problems, it has to have a Honda engine. I feel that Honda is the gold standard that all other small engines compare to. About ten years ago my brother bout the Troy Bilt log splitter from Lowes and it's worked flawlessly. About two years ago, I got tired of borrowing it from him and having to get it back to him when he wanted it, so I bought one for myself so I could split wood on my schedule, when it was convenient for me. I'll leave it out in the woods next to the log and split wood until the back of the Mule is full, go stack it and then go back or call it a day. I'm never in any rush since I rarely burn more then a chord to keep my house warm over winter, and I try to keep 2 chords stacked just in case we need more or we want to have a fire out in the yard or by the pond during the summer. My dad also uses it and also has about 2 chords stacked and ready for winter. He goes through more wood then I do because my parents are retired and they will keep a fire going all day long, all week long where I only burn in the evenings and really days on the weekend.

Shop Troy-Bilt 27-Ton Gas Log Splitter at Lowes.com

Eddie

That's the one I got off Craigslist. It sat beside my shop for three months, and I decided to split some pine we'd felled yesterday. It started on the FIRST pull. Gotta love those Honda motors, even the consumer models.

 

[Budweiser John]

That's the one I got off Craigslist. It sat beside my shop for three months, and I decided to split some pine we'd felled yesterday. It started on the FIRST pull. Gotta love those Honda motors, even the consumer models.

Ditto on the Honda power. My splitter is a "split Fire" made in Canada and splits on both the forward and return stroke. I purchased the log lifter accessory so no back breaking lifting of the big stuff.
This unit has never spent a night in the rain or snow and has the original 12yr old spark plug. It predictability springs to life with on or two pulls winter or summer. I might add I'm a deciple of "Sea Foam" and use it in all my power equipment religusly.

 

[David P]

I bought a Super Split (base model) last year and am very pleased with its performance thus far. I went with the SS based upon my needs which are to split the wood a bit smaller than most and not spend much time doing it. Lots of jobs to do around the house and on the farm after work so the less time I can spend on any of them, the better. We split our wood into pieces that are quite small, about wrist sized, and waiting on a traditional hydraulic splitter would absolutely drive me crazy.

We split mostly oak, black cherry and ash and for these the SS works exceptionally well.

BTW, if you ever want to split without a gas engine you can purchase a mounting plate for the SS which allows you to use an electric motor to spin the flywheels.

Next on my list was the Split-Fire, also mentioned above, which splits in both directions. Nice looking, heavy duty splitter.

 

[longshot47]

I'm going to throw in a recommendation for American CLS. It is American made [upstate NY], well engineered, and constructed of first-rate components . I've got the 25HH model with Honda GX engine, catch pans and hitch extension. I believe it has an 11 second cycle. It's designed to present the splitting rail at an elevated, and for me - more comfortable height, andit also rides on larger wheels. The architecture is superb for the taller user with the control lever and pans positioned to advantage. It is a little heavy to maneuver by hand, but not an issue for killer B. I've been splitting 4/5 cords per year of some pretty ugly oak, elm, cherry and maple, without so much as a stagger. Have used a number of other splitters and shopped them pretty diligently before this purchase. Over 5 or 6 years of use I remain convinced that although the American is at a price point higher than some of the splitters mentioned above, its value is underscored each time it is put to work .

 

[David P]

They are ONLY faster if you compare them to a cheapo splitter that won't allow a 4-way wedge, AND you have fairly easy to split wood.

Put on some bigger knotty crotch wood, and my Timber Wolf splitter will easily win the speed race against a kinetic splitter every time!

I wanted a splitter that would easily split EVERYTHING and I got it...

SR

Woodlot and Sawmill mag had a firewood shootout a few years back where both the Super Split and the Timberwolf TW-5 were competitors. You may be surprised by the results. (each splitter was run by operators from their respective companies).

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Woodlot and Sawmill mag had a firewood shootout a few years back where both the Super Split and the Timberwolf TW-5 were competitors. You may be surprised by the results. (each splitter was run by operators from their respective companies).

Got a link?

Just curious...

There is a ton of excellent feedback here in this thread, and I am learning LOTS.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

be well,
David

 

[CalG]

I stumbled over that video the other day, not sure how, and I didn't tag it, but the big difference I noted was the lack of out feed table on the hydraulic splitter. From my take, the greatest time savings, (and back saving!) was in not needing to handle the first split more than just get it back into the splitter area. Out feed tables are available for many hydraulic splitters, why one was not fitted in the comparison is unclear. Too bad.

Then too, they were splitting 18 inch rounds, as clear as a blue sky. I burn that kind of wood when it's available, but mostly that easy splitting stuff is just a wish.

 

[David P]

Got a link?

Just curious...

There is a ton of excellent feedback here in this thread, and I am learning LOTS.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

be well,
David

I can send you the link to the magazine download ($3) which provides the results etc but nothing else is available. I found a short YouTube clip of a tw-5 v ss but its not the firewood shootout I referred to. I believe in the YouTube clip the guy uses a 4-way wedge and in the competition they were using a 6-way adjustable. I'll send you the link later as I'm on my mobile.

I'm not knocking timberwolf just refuting the claim about super splitters.

Edited to add: search YouTube for a guy running a ss with a wedge. Pretty neat.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Woodlot and Sawmill mag had a firewood shootout a few years back where both the Super Split and the Timberwolf TW-5 were competitors. You may be surprised by the results. (each splitter was run by operators from their respective companies).

Here's a news flash, I was there... lol

That's one of the places where I get to run different splitters and sawmills...

The wood they had to split, was "selected" for the shootout and was all easy to split wood...

SR