logsplitter question

   / logsplitter question #21  
Well mine is a 3 point DIY affair.
Cost me a 5 ft 6 x 6 H beam, a valve and a $25.00 5" 'dozer hydraulic cylinder plus some fun time creating my 3 point unit.
No oil to change as it is 'plug and play'.
Not the fastest but still faster than I can feed it. (@ 80 I've kind of slowed down a bit.)
Power to spare as I can cut 5" hard maple cross grain, (LOL, one way to test my welding skills).
 
   / logsplitter question #22  
...Sadly, I have so many oak trees that fall over every year from our Spring thunderstorms, that most end up rotting on the ground before I can get them to the burn pile.
Well send me an address and I'll take care of a couple for you! (Only in the late fall/winter/early spring! I'm done with the summertime firewood processing :))
 
   / logsplitter question #23  
Way back (mid 90s) I used to accumulate all my wood in rounds and then rent a splitter for two days and split 3-4 or more cords in two long days. Seeing the future I figured I'd recover my cost in about 8 years and bought a 22 ton splitter w/Honda engine from Northern Tool. Now I didn't have to work like a slave and could split as I cut.

Fast forward and I can't do that much work anymore. So I buy most of my wood and only keep the splitter for the occasional blow down or standing-dead.

My buddy has a 3 point splitter exactly the same as mine and it is soooo sloooow. And he can't use the tractor to lift wood to the splitter or split into the bucket to move to stacking site.

I would advise to accumulate in rounds your wood and then rent for a day or two. Going in on a splitter is good if you can find a partner you can trust.
 
   / logsplitter question #24  
We burn about 6 cords a year and like to have 2 years worth of worth available to keep ahead.
The tractor is too handy for the rest of my wood handling to tie up with a 3ph splitter and I hate the noise and fumes from a gas powered stand alone so I ponied up and got a 16 ton 220 volt electric splitter.
Other than nasty knotty or crotchety stuff, it pretty much handles everything else and I like to limit the tree size to 16" so I can move the rounds without herniating.
 
   / logsplitter question #25  
I ponied up and got a 16 ton 220 volt electric splitter.
Other than nasty knotty or crotchety stuff, it pretty much handles everything else and I like to limit the tree size to 16" so I can move the rounds without herniating.
So this means all splitting has to be done by home/workshop? And what is the cost like?
 
   / logsplitter question #26  
I am wondering about whether I should rent a log splitter or buy one to run off my tractor hydraulics. I have one large tree down that has been cut up and usually have 1-2 trees per year that need to be cut up and split that I have taken down or fell on its own in a storm, so not a lot of use but fairly constant.

Is it generally better to have a self powered splitter or to use your tractor? Which is more reliable/durable? Do these require much maintenance? Is the operation pretty simple? I can rent from Home depot here for ~$100/ day and have seen ads on this site or others for hydraulic run for about $1200-1400

Appreciate any advice for a relative novice at this
I have never used a 3 point unit but I think a stand alone is better I have a 5.5 honda on mine an it splits 95% of what I give it ,why put hours on a big expensive tractor engine ,plus your tractor is free to transport logs.
 
   / logsplitter question #27  
I no longer heat with wood. I sold my splitter long ago. I had a 25 ton Didier - self contained. Easier to get the splitter to where it was needed, being on two wheels. Having it on the tractor is fine also. If I had done it that way - I would have cut the logs to specific lengths - brought these length to the wood storage shed - final cut and split there.

This would have eliminated the need for a trailer - no need to stack in the trailer - no need to empty the trailer and restack in the wood storage shed. My situation - I was dealing with ancient Ponderosa pines. A ten foot chunk of trunk was more than my Ford 1700 could handle. So I choose to process in the field. This required a large trailer to transport, etc, etc.

There will be advantages/disadvantages to any method. Figure out how you are going to handle the project and choose the best method. A splitter is like any other implement - it needs to be maintained.

BTW - I was dealing with trees that were up to 38" on the butt cut. Not a whole lot of fun trying to deal with trees this big. It only took two trees this size to get the five cords I needed each year.
 
   / logsplitter question #28  
So this means all splitting has to be done by home/workshop? And what is the cost like?
I use my tractor to skid logs behind my shop where I put a dedicated 220V line out back for the splitter.
I paid about $1k maybe 8 years ago.They are close to $1600 now
 
   / logsplitter question #29  
I use a stand alone. It seems they don’t cost anymore than a 3 point setup. Mine was pretty inexpensive and it is horizontal only, I wish it went vertical also. It’s easier to get large rounds in it f it’s vertical. I either lift large rounds up to it with my tractor or cut them in half first. I think mine was about $700 about 15 years ago and prices haven’t gone up much.

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   / logsplitter question #30  
With a 3 point splitter the rounds can be cut out of the logs over a wagon or trailer, or the cut rounds can be staged over a wagon/trailer or even a table...

OR you can lower the splitters beam onto the ground and roll the rounds right onto the beam, raise the beam and split them...

SR
 
 
 
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