Thoughts on 3pt log splitters?

[KennyG]

I really like mine but most people prefer a standalone. I've had mine almost 15 years and done zero maintenance. Storing it in the barn takes very little space. I do all my splitting at the woodshed so no other use for the tractor. I don't have much hydraulic flow but it's a two way splitter ( hard to find now) so it's fast enough for me.

 

[Sportsman762]

I have been considering getting a log splitter when I heard somewhere about a log splitter as a tractor attachment. Don't know why I didn't think of looking for that earlier. My question is this. Are they worth it? Some of the prices I've seen are on par with a stand alone splitter. I'm wondering if it is worth getting an attachment over a stand alone. Thoughts?

I have a Tool Tuff 3 point log splitter that is run off of the tractor hydraulics. Its based off of a 22 ton model. It depends on what your doing with it. I do not heat with wood, so I use it to split larger pieces so I can load them by hand into friends trucks.

• It is sloow compared to a normal 22 ton splitter. 1/2" Pioneer quick couplers are only good to 12 GPM so I cannot run the full 20 GPM my tractor is rated for. I think it would be much more tolerable at 20 GPM.
• The tractor takes up lots of room so you have to park a truck or trailer 90 degrees to it.
• It makes the tractor long, and therefor harder to navigate through the woods.
• I am running a 45 hp diesel engine vs a smaller gas engine, It would be more economical to run the gas engine.
• It ties up the tractor as I cannot be using the tractor to load split wood, or bring pieces to the splitter.
• It is one less engine to maintain
• It is easy to store as I just set it on the crate I made for the post hole digger.
• It is reliable. If I do not use it for months I have no issue as the tractor is used all the time and will start.
• You can back the tractor and splitter right up to large rounds so you only have to move them inches.

For my limited use its great and way better than a stand alone unit. I am an infrequent user and a stand alone unit would always need work. There is very little to go wrong. The tractor engine at 1000 RPM is quiet, it is plenty strong too. If you are splitting more than a cord a year I would get a stand alone. If your splitting less then a cord a year then a tractor mounted unit is great.

 

[dieselscout80]

I've got a 3 point splitter which I am considering selling. It has a hydraulic pump driven by the PTO. Where in New England are you located?

I got a 3 point splitter and at some point I would like a PTO pump to run it.

Then I could overdrive it off the PTO and be able run the tractor at just above an idle and still have high flow rate.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Put me down for a stand alone vote as well. I was dead set on doing a PTO splitter. but I asked a similar question and got similar answers. Found a 22 ton with a dead engine for a good price, put a $99 predator on it, added a little side table to aid in splitting bigger rounds and it has been flawless. Poor thing has sat out in the weather for 6 years and does everything I ask of it without a single complaint.

 

[WranglerX]

I thought of a 3PH log splitter and found out that the GPM were so low on my tractor splitter would be slower than a stand alone... And I didn't have Power Beyond (PB) to power splitter

Also if tractor/splitter is tied down at splitting pile, I can not use it to actually move the rounds I need to spit (old age and cardiac conditions)

Found a 30 year old used 22 ton with broken 5 hp B&S motor, searching for replace parts I realized I could buy a new motor from HF (6.5 hp) for less than fixing the B&S.... And form factor was same for pump side and everything bolted up...

Bought some new hoses and replaced hydraulic filter.... New wheels and tires...

Best overall $550 ever spent....

IF you have small tractor, hydraulics may have low GPM, then to get anything done you may need a PTO driven pump and a reservoir... So you are almost to a point of a standalone...

 

[nyone]

I store and move my firewood in log form until it gets split right in front of the wood shed. Having the tractor move log length wood to the splitter that's 8' from where it's going to be stacked means I handle it a bit less.
I burn 4-5cords of hardwood a year. And will have a fire going for 4-5 months non stop.

I did build a large 35t splitter with 15hp engine but found it hard to move. Having a stand alone one you can easily move is nice.

 

[future_vision]

I have a Tool Tuff 3 point log splitter that is run off of the tractor hydraulics. Its based off of a 22 ton model. It depends on what your doing with it. I do not heat with wood, so I use it to split larger pieces so I can load them by hand into friends trucks.

• It is sloow compared to a normal 22 ton splitter. 1/2" Pioneer quick couplers are only good to 12 GPM so I cannot run the full 20 GPM my tractor is rated for. I think it would be much more tolerable at 20 GPM.
• The tractor takes up lots of room so you have to park a truck or trailer 90 degrees to it.
• It makes the tractor long, and therefor harder to navigate through the woods.
• I am running a 45 hp diesel engine vs a smaller gas engine, It would be more economical to run the gas engine.
• It ties up the tractor as I cannot be using the tractor to load split wood, or bring pieces to the splitter.
• It is one less engine to maintain
• It is easy to store as I just set it on the crate I made for the post hole digger.
• It is reliable. If I do not use it for months I have no issue as the tractor is used all the time and will start.
• You can back the tractor and splitter right up to large rounds so you only have to move them inches.

For my limited use its great and way better than a stand alone unit. I am an infrequent user and a stand alone unit would always need work. There is very little to go wrong. The tractor engine at 1000 RPM is quiet, it is plenty strong too. If you are splitting more than a cord a year I would get a stand alone. If your splitting less then a cord a year then a tractor mounted unit is great.

In my case this would be hooked up to a 60hp tractor and I would use my UTV to move the cut wood around. Might even get a little trailer for it. As for amount of wood, I cleared a few acres and have a lot of hard wood to split but I don't see doing much more than that going forward. Maybe if we clear more of the land.

 

[future_vision]

It depends on several factors some of which are:
Cycle times, most tractors are lower flow so splitter runs slow. Need to run tractor full throttle to get rated flow.
Do you need the tractor to move wood while splitting?
How much wood do you split? A pickup load or several loads?

Do you have rear remotes on tractor to supply oil for the splitter?

I have a 60HP tractor with rear remotes. The flow is enough to run a serious wood chipper. I am basically looking to split a lot of wood from a 2-3 acre lot. After that it might be the occassional log unless we clear some more land. Predominantly hardwood although I have a large amount of pine too which I am still debating about. As for moving it around I have a small UTV but I would really like to get some IBC cages and use my forks. I just need to find some inexpensive IBC cages.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I have a 60HP tractor with rear remotes. The flow is enough to run a serious wood chipper. I am basically looking to split a lot of wood from a 2-3 acre lot. After that it might be the occassional log unless we clear some more land. Predominantly hardwood although I have a large amount of pine too which I am still debating about. As for moving it around I have a small UTV but I would really like to get some IBC cages and use my forks. I just need to find some inexpensive IBC cages.

The IBC cages are amazing for wood storage. I have 5 or 6 that I cycle through. I just toss the wood in, don't really sweat stacking it well. But I am in Tennessee so I don't burn as much as you yankees. If I burned 5 cords I might try to squeeze for into each cage. It just makes it so much less work to toss it straight from the splitter into the tote and not have to touch it again until it goes in the stove. I was lucky enough to find a guy selling the cages without the plastic bladders. It has been years now, but I think I paid $20 a piece, in hindsight I would have paid more as convenient as they are. I made a little roof for the one I am actively using at the house that can hinge open for ease of use.

 

[oldnslo]

I have a 60HP tractor with rear remotes. The flow is enough to run a serious wood chipper. I am basically looking to split a lot of wood from a 2-3 acre lot. After that it might be the occassional log unless we clear some more land. Predominantly hardwood although I have a large amount of pine too which I am still debating about. As for moving it around I have a small UTV but I would really like to get some IBC cages and use my forks. I just need to find some inexpensive IBC totes.

If you want to use IBC totes and forks on loader would you want the tractor tied up on the splitter?