Back once again asking for more advise, this time log splitters.

LD48750 · Jan 4, 2018

Rat Rod Mac said:
After posting the last few days about my woods getting logged out and questions
about where to buy seedlings I'm back asking for more suggestions and advise.
Now that I've got all these trees on the ground and I want to cut them up and give
the firewood away to my friends who use it to warm their houses. That is a really nice thought.I need a log
splitter. No...You don't.Have never owned one before, but have helped split with one before.
Anyway, the back not being what it once was and some of the Ash being 18 to 20"
in diameter I am seriously considering a splitter that has the lifting devise on it. The VAST majority of the wood I split is under 16" in dia. and depending on how long I have been at it, doesn't require a lift. Cleaning up green blowdowns I sometimes run into over 16" green OAK & that stuff is heavy by the end of the day. Solution ...go vertical & roll the rounds to the splitter.A
guy I know has a log splitter that is made by Iron & Oak. It's a normal horizontal
splitter and it works nice, but their splitter with the lifting platform runs 7000
bucks. It is made in Minnesota and has a Honda engine on it. I like the Honda
engine. Another one I happened across is one made by a company called
North Star, they are also located in Minnesota and the one that caught my eye
has the lifting platform and a Honda engine. The guys responding to the reviews
say they like them, but reviews may be posted by the company and are always
favorable naturally. This splitter is sold by Northern Tool & Equipment. So here is
my question to you,,, do any of you have this splitter or do you have any splitter
made by North Star and if so is it any good? Do you like it? Any breakdowns? Oh
and by the way the price on this splitter is $4000. Any comments are welcomed
and thank you. RRM

OK... now the reason I don't think you need a splitter.
It is far harder then you think to give away wood.
I would cut to length & stack in the field.
Then invite whoever wants it to come get it.
You may suggest they rent a splitter for the day & offer to help them split & load from your field.

As you can see, I'm not as nice as you are.
But I am over 70 & have been at this for awhile.

oosik · Jan 4, 2018

ACZLAN - just READING about your splitting that much firewood makes my back hurt. Gotta admit I had to look up what a rick is. At least it is a recognized unit of acknowledged size. As opposed to a face chord which could be any amount of unknown size.

We have guys around this area selling a pickup load of firewood and calling it a full chord. A full chord of firewood will bring a pickup to its knees. I've told several that I will pay their price if they deliver and stack and the stack is a full chord. Otherwise, the wood is free to me. Yet to have anybody take me up on my offer.

I firmly believe that most who sell firewood around here have no idea what a full chord is or how to calculate it.

aczlan · Jan 4, 2018

oosik said:
ACZLAN - just READING about your splitting that much firewood makes my back hurt. Gotta admit I had to look up what a rick is. At least it is a recognized unit of acknowledged size. As opposed to a face chord which could be any amount of unknown size.

We have guys around this area selling a pickup load of firewood and calling it a full chord. A full chord of firewood will bring a pickup to its knees. I've told several that I will pay their price if they deliver and stack and the stack is a full chord. Otherwise, the wood is free to me. Yet to have anybody take me up on my offer.

I firmly believe that most who sell firewood around here have no idea what a full chord is or how to calculate it.

I think you meant 4570Man, I don't split anywhere near that much these days.

Aaron Z

MossRoad · Jan 4, 2018

I've been heating our house with wood for about 6-7 years and I'm only on about 36-42 cords total.

MossRoad · Jan 4, 2018

I have an acquaintance that had a firewood side business for quite a few years. He said he made pretty good money at it, but he doesn't miss it.

oosik · Jan 4, 2018

See - just the thought and I go bonkers.

Of the few things that I did 30 years or so ago and can still remember - splitting my firewood with my Didier horizontal splitter is one I shall NEVER forget. And its because at the end of the day my back hurt so dam bad. Some times when I would get done, I would lay out in the woods on my back for half an hour - waiting for the pain to subside.

In those days I harvested right around four to five full chords a year.