We ran out of firewood this winter, and spent a pretty penny on propane. Vowing to not have a repeat next winter, I decided to upgrade my firewood processing. Outgoing setup was a Homelite 5 ton electric, which we mostly used on household current, and had recently been running via a 4000 watt generator, both pieces of equipment on a 4x8 trailer. That worked well, but there are obvious limits. We have 16 to 20" rounds (oak and poplar) we just couldn't split.
This afternoon, bought the TSC County Line 25 ton splitter, along with the optional 4 way wedge and the log cradle. Would have preferred one in the crate, but our TSC always assembles them, so they can be displayed out in the rain. Towed it 12 miles to home, making sure to stay under 45 mph. I'm sure some of the folks commuting home at rush hour weren't thrilled following me.
Parked it next to the wood pile. Checked the fluid levels. Sure enough, the first start was tough because of rainwater in the system. Subsequent starts were one pull. Let it warm up and got to splitting. It's an excellent machine. Did a ton of research, and specifically picked this one because of the fast cycle time, and the ready availability / ease of use of the 4 way wedge. Powered through the most difficult logs we threw at it. In less than an hour from first start, the wife and I had about 3/4 of a cord split and stacked, and that was without yet even trying to optimize our motions.
Machine was well assembled. No leaks, no loose nuts, and fluids at correct levels. Kudos to TSC (and YTL, who builds these).
Speaking of YTL: TrueValue carries similar models at lower prices. I could driven 30 miles to the closest TrueValue and gotten a 30 ton YTL-built machine, almost identical to the County Line (same frame, beam, valve, etc.), for a couple of hundred dollars less. Seems like a no-brainer, right? Studying the specs, the 30 ton had a lesser pump, a lower quality motor, and a 25% higher cycle time. The County Line has good reviews on an epic scale, a great warranty, and I like the people at the local TSC, so that's why I choose that machine.
This afternoon, bought the TSC County Line 25 ton splitter, along with the optional 4 way wedge and the log cradle. Would have preferred one in the crate, but our TSC always assembles them, so they can be displayed out in the rain. Towed it 12 miles to home, making sure to stay under 45 mph. I'm sure some of the folks commuting home at rush hour weren't thrilled following me.
Parked it next to the wood pile. Checked the fluid levels. Sure enough, the first start was tough because of rainwater in the system. Subsequent starts were one pull. Let it warm up and got to splitting. It's an excellent machine. Did a ton of research, and specifically picked this one because of the fast cycle time, and the ready availability / ease of use of the 4 way wedge. Powered through the most difficult logs we threw at it. In less than an hour from first start, the wife and I had about 3/4 of a cord split and stacked, and that was without yet even trying to optimize our motions.
Machine was well assembled. No leaks, no loose nuts, and fluids at correct levels. Kudos to TSC (and YTL, who builds these).
Speaking of YTL: TrueValue carries similar models at lower prices. I could driven 30 miles to the closest TrueValue and gotten a 30 ton YTL-built machine, almost identical to the County Line (same frame, beam, valve, etc.), for a couple of hundred dollars less. Seems like a no-brainer, right? Studying the specs, the 30 ton had a lesser pump, a lower quality motor, and a 25% higher cycle time. The County Line has good reviews on an epic scale, a great warranty, and I like the people at the local TSC, so that's why I choose that machine.
