Need more production from timberwolf tw 6 splitter

[namesray]

I bought a timber wolf tw6 wood splitter 2 years ago. Has about 250 hours on it. I think I hate the thing. I also have a split fire 3 ph splitter and a dr rapid fire pro kinetic splitter. I get about the same production rates (about 3 face cord per hour by myself with rounds in dumped pile next to splitter). I think for a $10,000 splitter, the timberwolf should do better production.

A little info, I don't want to bash timberwolf. Their splitter is very rugged made. And for all the happy timberwolf owners out there, I don't mean to complain.

First off the wedge design of the tw6 (I have both 4 way and 6 way) is frustrating. I actually use the 4 way more because the 6 way does not split the size pieces my customers want. I usually end up with 6 pieces that are just a little too big. So that is 6 more single re splits. A time waster as with my other 2 splitters with single wedge I can more accurately split the size piece I want, thus reducing splitting time. Another problem the wedge design suffers from is when a round has some knots or twisted grain, the wedge floats up as the grain from the lowest 2 splits under the cross wedge pushes through. This leaves the wedge/cross wedge too high for the next round unless I clear all the split pieces from under the cross wedge. And that is frustrating as most of the time they are just pinched enough to make it difficult.

Another issue I have is the splitters design pushes the pieces away from me just far enough that I find myself walking extra steps to grab pieces for resplit or to throw into delivery truck. With my other 2 splitters, I can stand in place to do these tasks. I was thinking an elevator could help with the timberwolf, but I can see that becomming a whole nother issue!

There are a few other ergonomic issues with the timberwolf tw6 I don't like as well. I just would think a $10,000 splitter would be better then this!

I apologize about my rant and how poorly yhis is probably written/explained (writting not my strength thanks for bearing with me). If you don't own a timberwolf please don't form your opinion based off my experiences. For those of you that do own a timberwolf splitter, I think you have experienced what I am talking about and I am asking for your help on how you handle this and get good production from your timberwolf. Anything I am just not seeing? Thanks.

 

[CalG]

Add a hydro adjust four way and ditch the 6 way if it's causing your customers size problems.

The run off table is not "extra steps" if you grab the work as it leaves the wedge.

Stacking two pieces for a re-split is an efficient process.

 

[Piston]

I went with the splitfire as well for the same reason you mentioned, having to re split a lot of my wood.

Regarding your TW-6 (and yes, a wonderful splitter) would you be able to have a custom wedge made by a welder (or even TW?) that had smaller spacing for the 6-way giving you smaller splits that your customers want? This may help the "riding up" problem as well???

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Add a hydro adjust four way and ditch the 6 way if it's causing your customers size problems.

The run off table is not "extra steps" if you grab the work as it leaves the wedge.

Stacking two pieces for a re-split is an efficient process.

That is spot on...

I don't want those small splits, to me it's only for starting fires... My 4-way, all the way down makes the size splits I want,

and anything big on top, I pull it back over onto the beam for splitting again...

We love our TW splitter!

SR

 

[namesray]

Add a hydro adjust four way and ditch the 6 way if it's causing your customers size problems.

The run off table is not "extra steps" if you grab the work as it leaves the wedge.

Stacking two pieces for a re-split is an efficient process.

The timberwolf has a hydro cylinder to adjust wedge height, but is not connected to the wedge. It just pushes the wedge up and lets it follow/slide back down when lowered, so if all the way lowered by the cylinder, the wood can still push the wedge up reguardless if the cylinder is moved up. So maybe if I direct connected the cylinder to the wedge to allow the cylinder to hold wedge down if wood tries to push it up?? I know wedge needs some play or else wood will jam. An idea, but would it work?

When the wedge is all the way lowered, most split pieces under the cross wedge are a good size. The main problem here is the lower split pieces pushing the wedge up and the difficulty of clearing them out before the next round gets split. Like I say, if I dont clear them out, and the wedge pushes up some the next 2 lower pieces are too big. I didnt think of customizing a wedge, but like I say if wedge wouldnt float up, things would be better. If it were a fixed wedge or would stay in lowest position always, things would be much better. Any good ways you think I could somehow hold the wedge into place? That might be the ticket.

Another question out of curiosity, how much wood through your splitters in one hour by yourself? I still think this $10,000 tw6 should do more the about 3 face cord per hour. More like 4 easy and 5 or 6 if I pushed myself.

 

[Ryansweatt2004]

I've run a DR 34 ton kinetic splitter and a TW2 HD which is almost identical to the larger timber wolf splitters and I have to agree with everything above. The timberwolf is a nice machine but so many improvements could have been made and weren't. The main thing that gets me aside from the wedges is the work height. For anyone over 5ft it just seems like ya spend all day slouched over and end up with a sore back. For most firewood rounds that can easily be picked up I'd choose the kinetic wood splitter any day but I do like the hydraulic log lift that the timber wolf has though.

 

[2458n]

Make yourself shorter by digging a lower area to work out of. It is a good starting point but you can change what you want. It would be easy to run a 1 inch bolt through the cylinder and the 6way. If wood gets stuck raise the wedge before clearing it out. Are you splitting green wood? My dry rounds pop before they are half split, less stringing also. If you can not get the production you want by yourself. You will not like hired help any better.

 

[4570Man]

I've got a custom fabricated 4 way. The 4 way that came with my splitter was awful. It's not adjustable height but it's still a slip on. It very rarely rides up and only does so if you've got a nasty piece. Here's about an hours worth by myself. If you're running wood that's the right size to shove through once ( that pile was mostly 12-16" stuff) and have a helper you could do a lot better. Just having a lever pusher helps quite a bit. I figure I can cut and split a rick by myself in an hour, but I couldn't hold that rate very long.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I've run a DR 34 ton kinetic splitter and a TW2 HD which is almost identical to the larger timber wolf splitters

The 2hd I looked at, looked quite a bit smaller than my 3HD and of course, smaller than a TW5 or 6 too...

I can have any "beam height" I want on my 3HD, so that's a non issue on mine...

Best part is, my 3HD will run EVERYTHING through the 4-way, no problem at all and it's cost me ZERO in repairs...

SR