A good quality Log Splitter

[dalola]

I didn't know Subaru quit the small engine business. That stinks. They were better than Honda. I guess the chinese Honda clones ate up alot of the market.

News to me as well...along with Ariens getting out of the splitter biz. Too bad, as both have performed great for me. Oh well, glad I have mine, it will get passed on to my boys when I am no longer able to use it.

 

[shooterdon]

Here's another company that makes a simple splitter kind of in your price range: 2 AND 3 TON HTR SPLITTERS

It reads 2-3 ton splitters but they're really 20 and 30 ton.

Never heard of them but they are on my list now. Thanks for posting the link.

Also, I agree with your comment about adding a 4 way wedge....it makes a lot of sense. It takes a 13 sec machine to 6.5 seconds effective speed. The down side is a splitter with more force is needed and the larger machines seem to be slower unless you get to the commercial units (expensive).

 

[yomax4]

Not sure on the Subaru motors. I have a several year old Gravely commercial push mower with a Subaru motor. I wonder when they stopped using them.

 

[ericm979]

I got an Oregon horizonal/vertical splitter used. It has the Kohler engine, which while not as good as a Honda has been fine. (it looks very similar to a Honda, I wonder if they borrowed design features). I have tried vertical once. It's hard for me to push big rounds under the ram. Instead use the chain saw to cut them into pieces along the grain ("noodling"). That's faster and easier than wrestling with a big round. I put a table on it which helps productivity.

I'd prefer a push through splitter with a table. The only problem I can think of with that is getting a partially split piece stuck on the wedge. The other thing I'd like is a log lift. The HTRs look nice, I have bookmarked that in case I get tired of the Oregon.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Another vote for the Troy Bilt splitter with the Honda engine. Mine has held up extremely well through the years and I am especially impressed with the reliability of the engine. I built a shelf that has really been a back and time saver.




If cost was no issue I would probably consider the Split Fire or similar for speed.

 

[arrow]

Never heard of them but they are on my list now. Thanks for posting the link.

Also, I agree with your comment about adding a 4 way wedge....it makes a lot of sense. It takes a 13 sec machine to 6.5 seconds effective speed. The down side is a splitter with more force is needed and the larger machines seem to be slower unless you get to the commercial units (expensive).

I have a 16 ton plane jane horizontal splitter the uses the 4 way very effectively. 15" round is commonplace to go right through. Built a table using 2x6's and sheet steel.

 

[atsah]

I have a 16 ton plane jane horizontal splitter the uses the 4 way very effectively. 15" round is commonplace to go right through. Built a table using 2x6's and sheet steel.

What are you splitting? Ash, red oak maple?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I still say a 7 second splitter with a 4way will produce just as much wood as the kinetics with one person splitting.. The videos I've seen of these kinetics show them getting hung up on larger stuff. I guess it depends on the type of wood one is most likely to split. Red oak: no problem. White oak at 18": could be problematic.

And I say you are right!

In the firewood shootout at the Paul Bunyan show, a TW5 with a 4-way wedge, tromped the kinetics because the shootout had some bigger wood to split.

SR

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The Subaru small engines are history... The design/tooling was sold to three companies that I know of.

Kubota bought one or two of them for their gas engine products. Yamaha bought a couple or three and the rest was sold to a china company, who is going to put them back into production, made in china.

SR

 

[Garandman]

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I have looked at a lot of hydraulic units and found a couple that work but some are nearly $4000. DR has their RapidFire kinetic splitter on sale for $1800. Does anyone have experience with them?

RapidFire Log Splitter (Outsplits 28 Ton Wood Splitters) | DR Power Equipment

Thanks,

Yes, we have a DR K55 for five years. Would have purchased a SuperSplit if they'd bothered to answer the phone.

We split Ash, Birch, Maple and Oak. It works great and is ridiculously faster than hydraulic. Has a Chonda of some sort but it alway starts right up. We use ethanol-free fuel.

Wouldn't hesitate to buy a smaller model next time.