Back once again asking for more advise, this time log splitters.

[Rat Rod Mac]

After posting the last few days about my woods getting logged out and questions
about where to buy seedlings I'm back asking for more suggestions and advise.
Now that I've got all these trees on the ground and I want to cut them up and give
the firewood away to my friends who use it to warm their houses. I need a log
splitter. Have never owned one before, but have helped split with one before.
Anyway, the back not being what it once was and some of the Ash being 18 to 20"
in diameter I am seriously considering a splitter that has the lifting devise on it. A
guy I know has a log splitter that is made by Iron & Oak. It's a normal horizontal
splitter and it works nice, but their splitter with the lifting platform runs 7000
bucks. It is made in Minnesota and has a Honda engine on it. I like the Honda
engine. Another one I happened across is one made by a company called
North Star, they are also located in Minnesota and the one that caught my eye
has the lifting platform and a Honda engine. The guys responding to the reviews
say they like them, but reviews may be posted by the company and are always
favorable naturally. This splitter is sold by Northern Tool & Equipment. So here is
my question to you,,, do any of you have this splitter or do you have any splitter
made by North Star and if so is it any good? Do you like it? Any breakdowns? Oh
and by the way the price on this splitter is $4000. Any comments are welcomed
and thank you. RRM

 

[4570Man]

I’ve got a ruggedmade “37 ton” splitter with a lift. It’s so far been a pretty good splitter. I think it cost $2700 and I’d pretty much spent $3000 by the time I bought oil and paid shipping. And if it makes any difference to you they had true 0 percent financing. My biggest complaint is the provided 4 way wedge sucks. I had a better one made.

 

[fishheadbob]

Can we be friends ? I figure 2 to 3 hours start to finish for a face cord of wood. A few grand, maybe less, for a good splitter, a big wagon or cart, wear and tear on equipment ,and a couple of bucks for the chiropractor. Your friends better appreciate you.
Maybe 45 years of 20 cords per year was enough for me to bite the bullet on a Geothermal system even though i still burn a few cords a year for old times sake.

 

[4570Man]

In ideal conditions I can split a rick in 30 minutes. Once I’ve got the logs on the woodlot I can cut a load in 30 minuets.

 

[EddieWalker]

I went with the Troy Bilt log splitter from Lowes. The Honda engine was the main reason I chose this one. I will never buy anything with a small engine unless it's a Honda. I've just wasted too much time and money dealing with every other brand. Year after year, the Honda starts right up. That's all that really matters.

 

[4570Man]

I opted not to pay the $400 upgrade to a Honda GX. So far the Lifan Honda clone is doing fine.

 

[Deere Dude]

After posting the last few days about my woods getting logged out and questions
about where to buy seedlings I'm back asking for more suggestions and advise.
Now that I've got all these trees on the ground and I want to cut them up and give
the firewood away to my friends who use it to warm their houses. I need a log
splitter. Have never owned one before, but have helped split with one before.
Anyway, the back not being what it once was and some of the Ash being 18 to 20"
in diameter I am seriously considering a splitter that has the lifting devise on it. A
guy I know has a log splitter that is made by Iron & Oak. It's a normal horizontal
splitter and it works nice, but their splitter with the lifting platform runs 7000
bucks. It is made in Minnesota and has a Honda engine on it. I like the Honda
engine. Another one I happened across is one made by a company called
North Star, they are also located in Minnesota and the one that caught my eye
has the lifting platform and a Honda engine. The guys responding to the reviews
say they like them, but reviews may be posted by the company and are always
favorable naturally. This splitter is sold by Northern Tool & Equipment. So here is
my question to you,,, do any of you have this splitter or do you have any splitter
made by North Star and if so is it any good? Do you like it? Any breakdowns? Oh
and by the way the price on this splitter is $4000. Any comments are welcomed
and thank you. RRM

If you have a sore back let your friends cut and get their own wood.
I have a $1200 or so splitter without a lifting platform. You still need to get the wood to the platform and need to lift it onto the lifting device.
If you have forks, I would suggest rolling your rounds onto a special $80 heavy duty pallet and lift that pallet of rounds with your tractor to the correct height of your splitter bed. Roll from the pallet onto your splitter bed.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I bought my splitter from Northern Tool, but it has their Powerhorse honda clone engine, and is 22 ton two way splitter - double edged splitter so you never have a retract stroke to get ready for the next piece. Paid under $900 for it, and it starts every time and splits everything I have put through it. Even found a local guy to make a double sided 4 way splitter for it. He added a hydraulic lift to his. I use my tractor to lift the big pieces.

Powerhorse log splitter with custom made dual 4-way wedge - YouTube

 

[motownbrowne]

Check out Wolfe Ridge MFG. I have one of their splitters. Not cheap, but cheaper than a what a true commercial splitter usually costs.

 

[Rat Rod Mac]

Thanks everyone. As far as cutting, splitting and giving the firewood away. So what !! I hate to see it lay on the ground and rot when someone can get some good out of it. And besides,, it does me good, good exercise and helps keeps me young. I'll be honest though, won't turn down any donations. LOL. Thanks again. RRM

 

[RobertN]

I went with a used 3pt mount John Deere branded splitter. I like it; plenty of power for my needs running off my tractor hydraulics.

 

[4570Man]

Power isn’t the problem with using tractor hydraulics. It’s that they’re slow.

 

[Jim Shooz]

+ one to using the bucket on the FEL for lifting. I had a problem with my back getting stressed (giving me hexx after an hour or so) when steadying the round to be split and reaching for the operating lever. Too much time spent bending. Solved the problem by getting 3 rounds at about 9" and lifting the splitter onto them. Just the right height.
Moving or putting an extension on the operating lever was not an option. Neither was digging a hole in the ground to stand in. :thumbsup:

 

[4570Man]

Using the bucket to lift works fine but it’s way slower than a log lift. Sometimes I use the forks to set a piece bigger than 24” in diameter on the splitter because those tip my splitter over. Usually I just cut those in half though.

 

[Piston]

If your looking at spending a fair bit of change for a high quality splitter, look into Split-Fire log splitters with a log lift option. It splits both ways like the video posted above. The 4 way wedge works well and is removed in seconds. For big wood I believe this is the easiest on your back. Aside from a processor, I don’t think you can get a better machine for splitting. They are expensive however.

 

[TnAndy]

I went with the Troy Bilt log splitter from Lowes. The Honda engine was the main reason I chose this one. I will never buy anything with a small engine unless it's a Honda. I've just wasted too much time and money dealing with every other brand. Year after year, the Honda starts right up. That's all that really matters.

2nd that. My homebuilt splitter, I used a Tecumseh engine on to start. After years of fooling with it, rebuilding the carb on a regular basis, finally junked it and put a Honda on the machine. Works every time with no hassle.

5.5hp Honda on my mortar mixer is 20 years old, and will crank right off even if I haven't used it in a year. (I do put gas preservative in it)

I keep waiting for the 18hp Briggs on my sawmill to die....20hp Honda will replace it for sure.

 

[oosik]

I'm SORRY - RRM, when you fell and hit your head, it must have hurt a lot. You are providing the trees, the splitter and probably the chain saw(s). I think its time your lazy a**ed "friends" get up off the couch and come over and help - that is, if they want free, free, free. Felling & splitting is a MAJOR job - even with a hydraulic lift its going to be HARD work.

Splitters - any unit of at least 20 ton capacity, having a Honda engine. Split-fire makes excellent splitters.

I did the whole shebang about thirty years ago. Burned around 4 1/2 full chords per year. I can remember the sore back, sore shoulders - sore everything that articulated.
All by myself and only 45 at that time. Fortunately - all the trees were right here on my property.

You have a good heart - don't let them take advantage of your kindness. Even a little help makes a big difference when harvesting fire wood.

 

[LD48750]

When I get to the bigger rounds, I just flip to vertical & split to manageable size.

(The size of "bigger rounds" varies depending on the day & how old I feel.)

 

[oosik]

Ain't that the truth, ain't that the truth, LD48750. After a couple year of falling the really big - 30" to 38" - trees and struggling with the rounds - I finally figured the 18" to 24" produced wood just as nice and were a whole lot easier to handle.

 

[Brimfield]

Power isn’t the problem with using tractor hydraulics. It’s that they’re slow.

When I built my splitter I had thought of using the tractor 3pt hitch but I don't want to put hour on the tractor splitting. Not to mention I use the tractor to move the wood. I do think anyone getting this wood should be helping unless there is any health problems. I burn 8-10 cord a year so any free cut split wood I will make you steak dinners and bottles of bourbon to boot. I don't think I'll get any takers on that.