Log splitter:

[Crutches]

I need to purchase a log splitter. I heard from one farmer that the ones that operate from the pto are too slow. The only log splitter I have used is called an axe! Money is a concern but I want one that will hold up to about ten cords per year of splitting oak. Any recommendations?

 

[bczoom]

Crutches,

We have had a lot of discussions about log splitters. To get more info that you've probably ever wanted on the subject, do a search for "log splitter" in all the forums (as they're all over the place). Have a pot of coffee ready as you're in for a lot of reading.

There are a lot of pros/cons for each setup and you'll want/need to weigh these factors on how you process your wood.

Brian

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

I rent one when I need it. I get everything ready, commandeer some help, then go to the local rental mart. They only charge me $85 for 24 hours. I heat my shop with wood, and we have a fireplace in the house. About 6 or 8 ricks gets us through the winter usually. With good help, that's a days work or less. Stay away from the PTO "screw-type" if you have a choice. Not the safest thing ever invented. My son bought a 3-point hitch mounted splitter at an auction this summer. If he'll let the old man use it, I MIGHT even save that $85!

 

[HGM]

I have to agree with Indy, The cost buying even a $999 machine would take a long time to recoup. you have to consider, maintenance and storrage, not to mention all the new freinds you'll meet if you own one,leading to the cost of repairs. The rental is fairly cheap and once a year, it will equate to about 12yrs of rental to pay for itself. And thats just the machine.. I'll be renting one this year myself.

 

[bczoom]

Well, I'm pretty sure I'm going to respectfully differ from Indy's and HGM's recommendations and stick with Crutches thoughts of buying one.

Now, Crutches didn't give us a lot of detail but please review the original posters profile. After I did, I honestly don't see this as being a 1 day quick get it over with project. Sounds more like a therapeutic and leisure-time activity.

Crutches - Which definition of a "cord" are you using. It used to be either 1 rack, 4'x8' (aka Face Cord) or the more current (and official) definition is 4'x4'x8' (or three of those racks).

I would think that most any decent splitter (either hyd. or stand-alone) will handle 10 cord/year for many years.

Ergonomics will also be important. Make sure the working area(s) are what you want/need. This is more important on the stand-alone units.

Too bad you're so far away (and a day late). I just sold one of my splitters yesterday.

Brian

 

[rozett]

Crutches, if you are not in a real hurry, I would scope out EBay. I bought a one-year old MTD Yard Machines 26-ton splitter Link on EBay for under $800. It is the same model they sell at one of those big-box home improvement stores for about $1200. I have split about 140 cords of mixed hardwood in the last 18 months with mine. And one of my neighbors has borrowed it and probably split another 20 cord with it. While not a big MTD fan, this has been one great workhorse. You can see it in use ... Wood

I do not recommend a PTO splitter. They are slow because the hydraulic pumps don't provide enough flow. Also, it is very useful to have the tractor available to move logs and split wood around.

 

[Tim_in_IA]

okay, I'd like to make an observation here. I am seeing the term pto splitter being associated with slow operation. There are a couple options with a tractor mounted splitter.

First off, there is just a standard 3pt splitter. This attaches to the 3 point but uses the tractors hydraulic pump. This may operate slowly if the tractor has a low gpm pump.

second option is a 3point mounted splitter with a dedicated pto hydraulic pump and resivoir. I don't see why this would be any slower than a splitter with a dedicated engine as you could decide how big of a pto pump to get for your tractor based on hp. If you want a faster operating splitter at low rpm, get a bigger pto pump.

I agree that it might be nice to have the tractor free while splitting, but it is also nice to maintain one engine and simplify your life, while having yet another attachment to justify your tractor purchase. Also, most log splitters have a decent amount of weight to them making them a perfect ballast for fel work. I particularly like the splitters that operate perpendicular to the tractor that can operate both horizontally and vertically.

I think Timberwolf makes some mean pto powered splitters with different pump sizes to choose from. I'm sure the performance would be great.

 

[HGM]

you guys obviously cut more wood than I do. If it is a continuous thing that you would benefit from ownership, I agree. In my case though a couple of cords per year(old measurement) I'll keep renting. I also have family members that would tear up an anvil with a rubber hammer, so the thought of lending scares me as well. Good luck, I too agree e-bay would be a good place to look, dont forget to factor in the shipping.

 

[KenVT]

Howdy from up north!

I am also shopping for a wood splitter, there seems to be 3 options here,
-Rear Hydraulic remotes from the tractor
-PTO powered
-or Briggs& stratton type engine

Well, I don't know about you, but upkeep on another small engine, is the last thing I want to be doing, and the PTO drive type would include it's own pump, and a constantly moving shaft to work around, just think of all of those moving parts, just waiting to break..and your tractor is still running the whole time, Why not utilize it, so....
IMHO, the best and simplest, and almost break proof way is to use the tractors own hydraulic system and use rear remotes, it is alot simpler, and cheaper....

Hope this helps

Ken

 

[Crutches]

The last time I saw that much cut wood I was at he pulp mill! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Crutches]

You are right, I will not be able to git r done in one day. I have a nephew that helps me out (I work him like a borrowed mule) and we have to keep at it over a period of time.

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I agree that it might be nice to have the tractor free while splitting, but it is also nice to maintain one engine and simplify your life, )</font>

That's part of the pros/cons thing I eluded to earlier.

For my setup, my preference is just the opposite (and to use a stand alone unit). I leave the splitter at the wood pile and just go out and fire it up, split for awhile then shut it down. For the 3PH version, I'd have to remove the box blade (since it's the implement normally on the tractor), put the splitter on, go do my splitting then (as it always seems to go), switch back to the box blade. All those extra steps would probably make it such that I wouldn't just run out and split for an hour or 2 for something to do.

Maybe I'm lucky but I can get 15-20 years off a little 5hp Briggs or Honda on a splitter. I would rather put all the splitting hours on a $200 throw-away engine than my tractor.

Brian

 

[GaryBDavis]

Most log splitters built with a dedicated engine/pump operate much faster than 3pt splitter because they use a "two stage" hydraulic pump. A 3pt splitter relies on the tractor's hydraulic pump which is more commonly a single stage design.

A two stage hydraulic pump works like this. It has two internal gears - high and low. The pump works in a high volume/low pressure mode until the output pressure rises to a set point (usually around 500 or 600 PSI). When that happens, the pump switches to a high pressure/low volume mode. The pump switches automatically and the user doesn’t really notice it. All of this is built internal to the pump and it doesn’t really look any different from a single stage pump.

On my home built log splitter, I run a 13HP Honda engine, 22GPM pump, and a 5”x30” cylinder. Under no load, the cylinder will travel out and back in under 13 seconds. I have a pressure gauge installed and I can tell by looking at it if it’s in high or low mode. I can also tell by how the cylinder is moving.

Because my cylinder is 5” in diameter, I get almost 13,000 pounds of force in the low pressure mode. The unit only switched into the high pressure mode when I hit a knot or with a very hard piece of wood. The result is I’m splitting in the “fast” mode most of the time. When it does shift into the high pressure mode, I get almost 60,000 pounds of force. It’s the best of both worlds.

 

[Tim_in_IA]

now that's a good reason to get a dedicated splitter. 2 stage pump sounds good to me. I wonder if any of the pto pumps have this capability? Thanks for this information!

 

[Foghorn]

Gary, I've been thinking of building my own 3pt splitter that would work off the PTO. The pump I was looking at (22gpm) stated that it required a tank of equal or greater capacity as the pump. In other words the tank would have to be at least 22gallons. I don't understand why because when I looked at Timberwolf's PTO splitters their tanks were 9.5 and 15 depending on the model. Since I really know nothing about splitters can you recommend a good free source of parts etc... before I go sinking any $$ into this project?

 

[Grant1]

I bought a 3 point splitter from Northern Tool for 549.00 It works off the tractors remote hydraulics. They are currently on sale for 499.00 You will have to buy the hoses with quick disconnects to attach it to the tractor. First splitter Ive had besides an ax but seems to do a good job and plenty fast enough attached to a Kioti CKk30

 

[GaryBDavis]

There is a general rule of thumb that says your tank should be close to the size of your pump (22 gallon tank for 22 GPM pump). The main reason behind this rule is to keep the hydraulic oil from getting too hot. The pump can get pretty hot and the hydraulic oil takes on a lot of this heat as is circulated. If your oil circulates too quickly, it will not have enough time to cool down.

For a typical hydraulic system, you need to keep the temperature below 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Any hotter and it will start to damage the seals in the pump and valves. However, the optimum operating temperature is around 120 degrees so you want it to warm up somewhat.

I think my tank is a 12 or 15 gallon size. I have thermometer in the tank so I can watch it. I found out that on a hot summer day here in central Texas, I get 30 to 45 minutes before the oil gets too hot. So I have to take a break and let it cool down. Since then, I’ve added a hydraulic oil cooler with an electric fan that is controlled by a thermostat. It’s much like a small transmission oil cooler only it’s made for hydraulic applications and is matched to handle the 22GPM flow of my system. I got the 12VDC fan at a hot rod shop. The thermostat is mounted in the tank to measure the oil temperature directly. It turns the fan on at 130 and off at 120.

I did most of my shopping at Northern Hydraulics which has now changed their name to Northern Tool. They carry a decent line of pumps, mounting brackets, couplers, cylinders, etc. The oil cooler came from Graingers. I had my hoses custom made at a local hydraulic hose shop. I had them connectorized at one end only and cut a bit long. From there, I dressed them in and marked the end of the hose. I then took the hoses back to the hose shop and had them connectorize the remaining end.

Hydraulics are a lot of fun.

 

[Knight9]

I'm kind of an impatient guy when it comes to splitting wood. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I like the faster cycle times. So the splitter I went for does not use hydraulics and has a cycle time of probably under 3 seconds. It will keep you hoppin'

Highly recommend looking at all alternatives.

Kevin

 

[rozett]

While I understand not wanting to have another motor to maintain, I gotta tell you.... in 100 cord of wood, the only maintenance I needed to do was change the oil, the air filter, and hydraulic filter just once. Not really a lot of work.

 

[Knight9]

I found the web site for the log splitter that I bought. You can see a video of how fast it works at Gripo It is based on a pair of heavy flywheels, not a hydraulic ram. I really do like it a lot.

Kevin