3pt log splitters, What,s a ggood one?

[Doug990]

I would appreciate any info on brands and types. I would be useing my 990 with hopfully using hydro from fel. Doug990

 

[beenthere]

I'll let others offer brand and types. But I wouldn't want to tie up my tractor with the splitter. I find moving wood to the splitter with the tractor is too useful and handy not to have the splitter separate.
But it is a tradeoff, on running two engines vs one, so each to their own.

On large diam lengths, I roll them in the bucket, lift the bucket to splitter height, and then work the large pieces down without lifting them. With the forks on the 3pt, I can load and move the pallets of split wood around as well during the same splittig session.

 

[rdbrumfield]

Probably a bit overkill. I built mine to handle larger wood. It is able to hold the block over the knife with tongs. It has a T for a knife so it splits two pieces out the bottom and leaves the better part of the block hanging in the tongs. It will take a block up to 6' in dia 24" long. I like wood in the 2-4 ft dia, makes for better effiency. The best part is not having to pick up the blocks as it has a winch that pulls them over and hangs them over the knife. It is set up with a three point, but I am thinking of installing an independent motor so I don't need the tractor pto. Still. I would leave it hooked up to the tractor for stability. Makes it handier for moving to the wood or away from the piles it puts out.

 

[hayden]

I bought one of these a few years ago:

http://www.split-fire.com/

There are two things about it that I think are simple, yet brilliant, and make all the difference in the world as a 3PH splitter.

The most unique and important thing is that it splits in both directions. This makes a HUGE difference on a 3PH because it counteracts the low hydraulic oil flow and correspondingly slow splitter cylinder movement. Instead of waiting around while the cylinder crawls back to get ready for another split, you just place a log on the other side and split on the back-stroke. It's brilliantly simple and effective. I don't know why all splitters aren't designed this way.

The next feature, which is not unique, but still quite useful, is the 4-way splitter attachment. Between splitting on both the forward and return strokes, and the 4-way splitter. you can crank thru wood. I don't even run my tractor at full throttle and there is enough speed, and it's only a 6-7 GPM tractor at full speed (Kubota 2910).

They are a bit more expensive than the Norther Tool splitter (I think I paid about $900 with shipping from our Northern neighbors), but worth every penny in hind site.

Peter

 

[mesanders]

Northern TooL makes one.... Northern Tool and here is a place where you can buy a make your own kit MetKit.com

 

[jwnge]

I bought a Wallenstein 3pt. It has long lines that attach to front end loader hyd. works great and is very well built..around $800.00 JohnJ

 

[db2]

I bought a Wallenstein 3pt as well. It works fine. If I run the tractor at 1500 - 1700 RPM so I can work at a comfortable pace and keep up to the log spitter. I thought of getting a stand alone but didn't want to have one more engine to maintain and service. A couple of my friends have the same unit and are happy with them.

 

[gordon21]

The splitter looks great. Do the hoses run to the FEL couplers up front? Yours and another unit on the same string show two variations. A vertical model and a horizontal model. Any comments on which is better? The horizontal model looks slick because you can back the unit right up/into a woodpile and keep the tractor 5' away.

 

[rmorgan]

Gordon, I've been using one of the Tractor Spply 3. splitters for five or six years, and it's worked fine. I wouldn't call it fast, but it can keep two men busy. It pivots from horizontal to vertical. I tend not to keep it mounted to the tractor--just put it by the wood, hook up the hydros and leave it sitting on its legs. No problems with it.

 

[ToadHill]

I used a 3-point splitter from Tractor Supply for several years but The hydralics on the tractor were just too slow. It also tied up the tractor. I finally put a 5.5hp engine and pump on it and now it works faster, I can load the cut pieces into the loader and raise the bucket to splitter hight and roll the chunks right on the splitter. It's a bi**h getting old so we have to look for easier ways to do things.