Looking for log splitter recommendation

IXLR8 · Dec 22, 2022

I just moved to a property that has 12 wooded acres and I hope to get my wood stove installed soon. I am looking for a log splitter to help in the wood gathering/prep process. I have rented a few of the Horizontal/Vertical machines and I don't like the ergonomics of them so they are off the list. Something always seemed to be in my way and I had to work around it. I did rent a Timberwolf TW-2, I liked it and I didn't find anything about it that annoyed me. The nearest Timberwolf dealer is almost 6 hours away from me and the TW-2 is pushing the limit of my budget. Although I have come to the point in my life where I have decided it is best to cry once and get the right tool for the job. I am still debating if I want to go with a 3pt splitter on my tractor, putting hrs on my tractor is not an issue, it needs to be run more anyway. I'm pushing 70 and retired, so speed is not an issue like it was when I was younger.
Any recommendations on brands/models would be appreciated.

Jchonline · Dec 22, 2022

Timberwolf makes amazing machines. I also cant stand a splitter without a nice large table, a chute that doesnt let the wood just fall off the side after split, and one without a hydraulic log lift. So that pretty much rules out al the cheap ones lol!

Sawyer Rob · Dec 22, 2022

My TW3HD has saved and MADE me so much money, it owes me nothing, and it was $3500 when I bought it, actually a little less.

Call around, find a good price on one, that's what I did.

SR

4570Man · Dec 22, 2022

I wouldn’t go with a tractor splitter unless you plan to put pto pump on it and you have multiple tractors. It’s a big help to use your tractor to move logs or rounds when you’re cutting firewood.

i7win7 · Dec 22, 2022

Kinetic splitters are scary fast, around $3k. Built a "bucking table" so there isn't any bending & lifting rounds

Processing Firewood the Professional Redneck Way

This will be a long assembly post with many photos, you may want to bookmark it and read on a rainy day. You will need a root grapple to lift logs, A miter saw to cut multiple 4x4's and 2x8's to size, plus other wood working tools most home owners all ready have. Let's start...

www.orangetractortalks.com

MF243RedTop · Dec 22, 2022

+1 on Not using a 3pt splitter... I pull the long logs to the splitter.. saw to lenght and they go directly onto the splitter. Then the splitter is positioned where I stack directly into a bin once split... less man handling less back breaking work. Definitely a ICE engine splitter in my opinion. Past that personal preference.
Splitter postponed 2 different ways to stack directly into bins.
And move it around to stack where needed..I eventually moved that small trailer there and played musical chairs with it and splitter.

hornett22 · Dec 22, 2022

American CLS out of New York. Amazing machines.

MAX-24-Dean · Dec 22, 2022

Split-Fire video, A lot of rental shops use these. Quality and low maintenance.

mikester · Dec 23, 2022

I try to find something with a Honda engine. I also try to promote local.

Wallenstein is a local to me Canadian manufacturer

Wallenstein Equipment

All Wallenstein products are backed with a 5-year Warranty

www.wallensteinequipment.com

Tropical Jack · Dec 23, 2022

I will be the odd man out. I have a Split Fire 3 point splitter for my Kubota L3301. It has a hydraulic log lifter. Great unit that makes splitting much more enjoyable. It has a double sided splitting wedge, so no return stroke required. You can basically set it at whatever height you want using the 3 point, and blocking the other end. I set it up near a homemade rack made out of old pallets, and split and stack right into the racks. Then move the racks around as required with pallet forks.

Jack

Sawyer Rob · Dec 23, 2022

i7win7 said:
Kinetic splitters are scary fast, around $3k. Built a "bucking table" so there isn't any bending & lifting rounds

Processing Firewood the Professional Redneck Way

This will be a long assembly post with many photos, you may want to bookmark it and read on a rainy day. You will need a root grapple to lift logs, A miter saw to cut multiple 4x4's and 2x8's to size, plus other wood working tools most home owners all ready have. Let's start...

www.orangetractortalks.com

A few years ago, I went to the Paul Bunyan show where they had a "splitter showdown". A Timberwolf TW-5 with a 4-way wedge was next to the team with a Kinetic splitter with the heavier flywheels.

These were 2-man teams, and all had the same amount of wood with the same size rounds, "real world" average size and bigger sized rounds, just about like anyone would get at home.

It was a timed event with guys watching every splitter for cheaters and the splits had to be sized to go through a piece of ply with a hole in it, so NO big splits.

When the Timberwolf was done, there was still several pieces there for the Kinetic to split! That TW's 4-way made all the difference and blew the Kinetic away!

The TW-5 is almost identical to my TW-3HD, except my TW-3HD is "slightly" faster in BIG wood. I paid just under $3,500.00 for my splitter with the 4-way wedge and table grate.

SR

dodge man · Dec 23, 2022

The Timber Wolf looks like a very nice splitter to me. I got lucky a got a used splitter about a year ago from a guy moving, I think a gave $800. I know what you mean about stuff being in the way. I included a picture of mine. When I’m splitting with it horizontal I’m working around the tire, I’ve gotten used to it but it is in the way. The only thing I see wrong with the Timber Woof is the cost, not cheap but the log lift looks nice.

IXLR8 · Dec 23, 2022

Sawyer Rob said:
The TW-5 is almost identical to my TW-3HD, except my TW-3HD is "slightly" faster in BIG wood. I paid just under $3,500.00 for my splitter with the 4-way wedge and table grate.

SR

The -3HD is a VERY nice unit, a serious commercial machine, list price is about $9K for one setup like you have. For this homeowner that is just too much $$$. The -3 comes in at about $3700 optioned the way I want.

The American CLS is a nice machine, I just received a quote from them, they are more expensive than the Timberwolf.

Next up is to get pricing and details on the Split-fire.

oosik · Dec 23, 2022

We burned firewood for the first ten years we were here. I looked at the options and chose a stand alone horizontal splitter. My wood is all Ponderosa pine. Ancient P. pine - as a matter of fact. So...this meant gigantic rounds. 28" to 38" on the butt cut.

Fell one tree - cut to length. Dig a trench - roll the splitter into the trench. Now the splitting beam is dead level with the existing ground. No need to lift any rounds.

It took two trees to get five full cords of firewood. We don't measure ANYTHING by facecords.

If I had to do it all over again. I would have got a Timberwolf - if they were available. My splitter - Didier - came up a tad short on splitting some of the really knotty pine.

FWIW - no type of kinetic splitter would have ever done the job. It would simply become an point of irritation.

Straightgrain3016 · Dec 23, 2022

Stay out of the "grey market"; the name might be there, but they are cheap imposters. Buy American made.

Edit: wedge; the two stage wedges seem to work better than the single. A nice big table to hold the excess, and a vertical-horizontal.

EddieWalker · Dec 23, 2022

I have a Troy-Bilt log splitter from Lowes with a Honda engine. When I was looking around, I came to the conclusion that they are all pretty much the same except for the engine. In my experience, nothing starts year after year better then a Honda. Every other brand is compared to Honda, but I don't believe any are as good.

I've had mine for a dozen years now, and it starts just as easy today as it did when I bought it. It's rated for 27 tons, and that's proven to be plenty for my oak trees. If I can pick it up and get it on the splitter, I can split it!!!!

slckeys · Dec 23, 2022

IXLR8 said:
The -3HD is a VERY nice unit, a serious commercial machine, list price is about $9K for one setup like you have. For this homeowner that is just too much $$$. The -3 comes in at about $3700 optioned the way I want.

The American CLS is a nice machine, I just received a quote from them, they are more expensive than the Timberwolf.

Next up is to get pricing and details on the Split-fire.

Would you mind posting prices and options you decided on? I was looking into those 3 brands last night as they were suggested... Thank you

IXLR8 · Dec 23, 2022

The prices I am getting are for 3-pt splitters w/PTO pump, table grate and 4 way wedge.
Timberwolf TW-3 -- $3650
American CLS -- $4420
Split-fire -- $3610- I think this is the price in USD, it might be in CAD, still need to clarify.

My tractor has a hydraulic flow of 16.9 gpm so I am not sure I need the expense of a PTO pump setup, which is adding about $1500 to the costs. I'm pushing 70, only going to do about 2 cord a year and I won't be in such a hurry to get things split like I was when I was younger.

Wife has a Kubota RTV900 on order so I can use that to shuffle wood around and not need the tractor to do it while I am splitting.

Sawyer Rob · Dec 23, 2022

IXLR8 said:
The -3HD is a VERY nice unit, a serious commercial machine, list price is about $9K for one setup like you have. For this homeowner that is just too much $$$. The -3 comes in at about $3700 optioned the way I want.

The American CLS is a nice machine, I just received a quote from them, they are more expensive than the Timberwolf.

Next up is to get pricing and details on the Split-fire.

I'll bet you, that if you do some detective work, you can buy one for one heck of a lot less than 9K!

SR