Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[keony]

I have a question for those with wood splitting experience:

I just had some acreage timbered and the loggers, at my instruction, left the tops and trunks that had no value, for me to cut and split. I can only work a few hours per day when weather permits. Do I rent a splitter or buy one with the idea of reselling after the project is finished?

It's hard to estimate the number of days the project will take, and the days I can work will often be non consecutive. That means making a 45 minute drive to the rental yard on those days I need the splitter. I'm looking for a 30 ton horizontal / vertical model and no one around here offers long term leases.

Rough cost estimates for renting vs buying are a wash if I can get 70% of the cost back on a resale. From what I've seen on C.L. and Facebook marketplace, this is not unreasonable around here for a lightly used almost new splitter.

I also looked into hiring a contractor but no one around here does that type of work.

So... Do I rent or buy? If I buy, what type splitter would work best? I have a 60HP tractor with rear remotes but the low CFM would make for a slow cycle time on a 30 ton splitter. Splitters with a separate PTO pump are an option but cost more. Both would require the tractor to be running while splitting and not available for moving rounds or split wood. They are also harder to sell.

Self powered splitters seem to be more cost effective and much easier to sell. Any ideas or options I've missed?

Buy a used or new self powered, easy to sell.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If you have read much of this thread then you already know that you will get a ton of different answers. They are based on preference and the methods used. For example someone says you need a log lift, I would say no - use your tractor bucket. It holds more wood and is faster. BUT, if I were splitting my wood in the woods where it lay rather in the open landing THEN I would say you need a log lift unless you have a strong back. In MY woods I could maneuver the tractor to act as a lift. You get the point. So make a plan and do your trade offs.

I will say to me it makes no sense to rent unless you are going to do a ton of work in one fell swoop and have the wood all lined up and all the help there to get-er-done.

gg

 

[Gordon Gould]

^^^ should have proof read. In my woods I could NOT use the tractor as a lift. To rough and too many trees.

 

[jkmfarmer]

 

[bdhsfz6]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I apologize if this has been discussed before. I did speed read a few pages of the thread but 24,664 posts is a lot to digest.

I suppose I should have given more information in my post. I had 6 acres logged and quite a few dead & dying Ash removed due to an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. All the Ash trunks are useable for cord wood though. Most of the timber was Cherry with a few Maple & Oak. I estimate I'll get 10 to 12 cords from the cuttings.

I'm 77, in fairly good shape, but I have my limits. I do cut & split manually from time to time but I'm not willing to do all this by hand.

I have looked at used splitters in the area but most are well used and might be difficult to resell. I have the space to store a splitter indoors so I could hold on to it for awhile if necessary. It will be some time before I have more logging done, so I doubt I'll have any further use for it.

I do see some owners on Facebook Marketplace that rent their splitters by the day. I don't know if I want to go down that road though since renters can be hard on the equipment.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[WinterDeere]

Do I rent a splitter or buy one with the idea of reselling after the project is finished?

I'd buy new, take good care of it, and then resell later if the need for it drops off. Used splitters aren't cheap enough to make it worth adopting someone else's poor maintenance and headaches, and your time is (presumably) somewhat limited.

 

[WinterDeere]

BTW... one of the things that kept me from buying a splitter early on, was storage space. I'd always kept all my equipment indoors, as anything left outside just takes such a beating from the sun and rain.

But a few others convinced the splitter would hold up just fine under a cover outdoors, and my shoulders were getting really torn up from all the maul splitting I was doing, so I eventually broke down and bought a splitter... and a soft cover.

I have to admit, after probably 10 - 12 years outdoors, the thing still looks like the day it was bought. I have to replace the cover about every 5th year, or a little sooner if I do something stupid and rip or burn it, but that's cheap enough.

The lower edge of these covers has a continuous elastic shock cord, and I install two pairs of grommets to add my own shock cord to affix the cover down tight over the tires. That keeps the sun off the tires and the cover from blowing off the splitter on our high-wind days in February and March. I also throw a PVC pipe fitting over the SCV handle, as I found that handle poking up is where the covers wore thru first.

So, don't worry about keeping your splitter outdoors. Just buy a decent cover for it, one that keeps rain off without trapping ground moisture in from below, and you'll be fine.

 

[wolc123]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I apologize if this has been discussed before. I did speed read a few pages of the thread but 24,664 posts is a lot to digest.

I suppose I should have given more information in my post. I had 6 acres logged and quite a few dead & dying Ash removed due to an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. All the Ash trunks are useable for cord wood though. Most of the timber was Cherry with a few Maple & Oak. I estimate I'll get 10 to 12 cords from the cuttings.

I'm 77, in fairly good shape, but I have my limits. I do cut & split manually from time to time but I'm not willing to do all this by hand.

I have looked at used splitters in the area but most are well used and might be difficult to resell. I have the space to store a splitter indoors so I could hold on to it for awhile if necessary. It will be some time before I have more logging done, so I doubt I'll have any further use for it.

I do see some owners on Facebook Marketplace that rent their splitters by the day. I don't know if I want to go down that road though since renters can be hard on the equipment.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

When I lived at home with my parents, I made all their firewood and I split it all by hand. No problem doing that in my teens and twenties. I’m thankful that my wife talked me into getting a splitter when I wax in my 30’s. I just turned 60 and my shoulders are still as good as they ever were.

The 22 ton vertical/horizontal with two speed pump and Honda engine, that I bought from Northern back then, has been great the last 20 years or so.

I really like the horizontal/vertical feature, and the two speed pump. I use it vertical on the big stuff, usually while seated on an upside down 5 gallon pail, as I work. It’s great not to have to lift those big chunks. I always have my tractor parked alongside so I can throw the splits into the bucket. Smaller stuff, I do horizontal while standing up, where it’s great to not have to bend over while working.

The two speed pump gears down and powers right thru knotty sections, but speeds up on retraction and thru lighter straight stuff, making for great cycle time.

I made a shed for mine, using an old garbage picked truck cap for a cover, placed on a 3 ft high, wood framed 3-sided wall. That saves me some barn space and keeps the splitter dry and always ready to go.

 

[dodge man]

I have a question for those with wood splitting experience:

I just had some acreage timbered and the loggers, at my instruction, left the tops and trunks that had no value, for me to cut and split. I can only work a few hours per day when weather permits. Do I rent a splitter or buy one with the idea of reselling after the project is finished?

It's hard to estimate the number of days the project will take, and the days I can work will often be non consecutive. That means making a 45 minute drive to the rental yard on those days I need the splitter. I'm looking for a 30 ton horizontal / vertical model and no one around here offers long term leases.

Rough cost estimates for renting vs buying are a wash if I can get 70% of the cost back on a resale. From what I've seen on C.L. and Facebook marketplace, this is not unreasonable around here for a lightly used almost new splitter.

I also looked into hiring a contractor but no one around here does that type of work.

So... Do I rent or buy? If I buy, what type splitter would work best? I have a 60HP tractor with rear remotes but the low CFM would make for a slow cycle time on a 30 ton splitter. Splitters with a separate PTO pump are an option but cost more. Both would require the tractor to be running while splitting and not available for moving rounds or split wood. They are also harder to sell.

Self powered splitters seem to be more cost effective and much easier to sell. Any ideas or options I've missed?

I’m 62 and my days of splitting by hand are done. I’d get a gas powered one if I were you. I lucked into a used one for $800 just a couple of miles from my house. It goes both vertical and horizontal. The nice part is you can split for just an hour or two and get a lot done. A new one isn’t cheap but $1300 to $1500 gets a good one.

 

[cmyoung2]

I use a Huskee splitter, could go either vertical or horizonal, but I never go vertical anymore, just not comfortable to me. I did get a GorillaBac lift/winch/crane for lifting the large chunks, mostly anything over about 15"diameter. I use hand tongs to pick up everything else. Generally split one tank of gas, then break time. I would recommend buying, I find when I rent a peice of equipment it works me too hard--have to get done so I don't pay extra. And that is when I break something or get hurt. You didn't say if you were using the wood or selling it, but either way, 10 cords at $250/cord will pay for a splitter, and you can still resell it. I was at the NC Southern Farm Show this week, got to drool over some interesting wood processors. At $20+k, drool was all I could do.